CARADON’S first team completed a memorable league and cup double by seeing off Truro in Cornwall Cup final at Penzance on Saturday.

The Yellows cruised to the West Hockey League Division One South title and a fine performance in West Cornwall provided even more reasons to celebrate against a side who they will meet in the Premier Division next season.

Truro came out of the traps swinging and scored early on via a deflected penalty corner, but Caradon were soon level via Ben Hedley. An attacking sideline was taken early and positively up the line from Thomas Walker, and after finding Tyler Walsh, he weaved his way to the baseline before pulling the ball back for a well-positioned Hedley who made no mistake.

After equalising, Caradon continued to push, winning a penalty corner. The resulting shot was blocked by the defender’s body on the line and while everyone stopped waiting for the penalty stroke to be awarded, Hedley pounced on the loose ball and smashed it in for a 2-1 lead. Shortly after, a penalty stroke was awarded at the other end of the pitch from a messy goalmouth scramble, and Truro were again level.

Plenty of action occurred before the half-time whistle, including a penalty stroke for Caradon, saved by the keeper, and a disallowed goal from Harrison Pollard for a contentious back stick call. Another disallowed goal – this time – for Truro following confusion as it whether the ball deflected off the players stick or his body – kept things interesting, but to complete the half, Chris Fasey intercepted a loose pass and rolled Walsh through. The mis-hit shot towards the far post was tapped in by hat-trick hero Hedley to give Caradon a 3-2 cushion.

Miraculously, despite the high-paced game and talent in the two sides, no goals were scored in the following 35 minutes.

Truro had one disallowed goal for a back stick, but both sides defended heroically, and when the city side did get through, found a half-fit Dan Harris in inspired form between the sticks as they held on.

To make it a remarkable day for the Lux Park club, Caradon’s seconds won the Cornwall Plate title for the first time with a 3-2 victory over one-league higher Bodmin at the same venue.

The game started at a high tempo, with both teams competing hard to gain control of possession and create the first big opportunity. The breakthrough eventually came for Caradon in dramatic fashion. Liam Champion momentarily gifted possession to the Bodmin striker on the 16-yard line but recovered brilliantly to win the ball back before launching a counterattack up the pitch. He found Ben Pennington-Ridge who worked hard to beat his defender before firing a reverse-stick effort into the roof of the net.

Bodmin came out of half-time determined to level and did five minutes into the second half after some deflections from a penalty corner.

They then went in front following more sustained pressure, but Caradon refused to lie down and soon levelled from a short corner as man-of-the-match Drew Champion’s low strike took a deflection off the goalkeeper and went in.

Caradon pushed hard during the closing stages, regaining control of the game and keeping relentless pressure on the Bodmin defence in search of a winner. Eventually, Pennington-Ridge broke through on goal and was brought down, earning Caradon a penalty stroke which he calmly finished himself to secure the title.