Royal Navy Destroyers shock RAF to win first Inter Services ice hockey title in seven years

The Royal Navy Destroyers have shocked the RAF Aces to win their first Inter Services ice hockey championship since 2019, after taking a 4-2 victory at IceSheffield. 

After a scrappy first period, the Senior Service scored the opening goal with Connor Annette finding himself on target to hand them an early lead. 

The RAF Aces, who were chasing their third consecutive title, levelled up after the break with a well-taken shot by Alex Sampford, bringing the scoreboard to 1-1.

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In the third and final period, the Navy ramped up the pressure on the RAF with James Diamond shooting the Senior Service back into the lead and Annette coming through to score his second. 

Adam Rosbottom gave his answer to bring the Aces back to within a point of the Destroyers, as the Navy defended with urgency and the clocked ticked ever-closer to full time. 

With less than a minute to go, Annette's long-distance shot wowed the Sheffield crowd in what would be the goal that confirmed the Navy's first Inter Services win in seven years. 

As the full-time horn sounded, the crowd witnessed the cheers and jubilation from the Senior Service players as their wait for an Inter Services title came to an end – and the RAF looked on despondently. 

Royal Navy Destroyers' captain Lieutenant Paul Hoskins, said: "It's been a phenomenal game, the RAF came at us, it was a physical game and it was a tough game, but we prepared well for it.

"Fair play to the team that we've got, they worked their socks off and we worked really hard to get to where we are.

"We've had a few tough years, 2019 was our last Inter Services trophy, and then prior to that was 2010 as well, so we've had a few waits, we've been patient, we've worked hard, we've gone our way and we've developed our players and it's paid dividends today."