HEREFORD Ladies over-35s have booked a place in a national final, after sudden-death penalty-flick success over Driffield of East Yorkshire.

The team were 1-0 down at half-time but Tina Bickley scored to take the match to penalties.

With regulation flicks, the score was poised at 3-3 taking the match to sudden-death, and goalkeeper Mel Bryan made a pivotal save before Clare Pritchard slotted home to book the women a ticket to the final.

“It was tense stuff and when we won we were buzzing around going crazy,” said player-chairman Dwyn Jones.

“We celebrated with a few beers on the bus home which made the almost five-hour each-way bus journey a bit more enjoyable. “We’ve never achieved anything like this so it’s a big deal,” added Jones, who scored the second penalty-flick.

The team will now face Oxford or Holcombe, Kent in the Women’s Masters Trophy over-35s final, at Beeston Hockey Club, Nottingham on April 28.

“We don’t know anything about either team but we believe we can beat any of them,” confirmed Jones.

“We were a bit frightened going to Driffield as we heard they had some top players, but when we got on top of them, we realised we could beat them. It’s so hard to know anything about any team at this level.”

Goals from Di Feely, Amy Wilkins and Julia Messer enabled Hereford to end their West Clubs’ Women’s League Premier 2A season with a 3-2 win at Bournemouth 2nd.