FOUR Droitwich Spa lads were part of the Redditch Rockets youth team that won a prestigious England skater hockey tournament.

Captain Matt Willis, Dan Clarkson and vice-captain Chris Wellstead and his brother, David, were part of the Redditch Inline Skater Hockey Club side that beat six leading clubs in the Oxford Blues tournament.

It was the first tournament held by Oxford and local teams from the South-East were expected to dominate.

But the Rockets had other ideas, winning two of their three pool games on day one, thrashing Havering 7-1 and Basildon 5-2, before losing to hosts Oxford 3-2 in a close game that could have gone either way.

The following day the Rockets beat Stanstead 7-1, with an eighth goal from Matt Willis disallowed as the final whistle went. They then drew 2-2 with Leasowe Sharks in the semi-final.

Halesowen-based Sharks were their semi-final opponents and at full time the score was 2-2. A sudden death period of five minutes followed. Rockets scored in the first minute to win 3-2.

Close encounter

They met Oxford in the final and it proved to be another close encounter.

But Rockets' determination not to be beaten again prevailed.

Dan Clarkson created the equaliser before the team went on score again and win the Oxford Blues tournament.

Chris Wellstead narrowly missed out on winning the speed skating award by 1/100th of a second.

Redditch Rockets are currently fourth in the Midlands and North-West league, comprising 12 teams in all.