A glorious season for Haringey Greyhounds has been capped with the under-16s team lifting the Southern League division two title. Following in the skate-marks of the seniors who won the southern play-offs last month, the under-16s

By Jonny Weeks

A glorious season for Haringey Greyhounds has been capped with the under-16s team lifting the Southern League division two title.

Following in the skate-marks of the seniors who won the southern play-offs last month, the under-16s - the Whippets - claimed the league title and automatic promotion after winning 18 of their 20 matches this season.

An impressive 6-3 victory against Oxford a fortnight ago finally guaranteed the top spot after weeks of anticipation.

"It has been a historic season for us," said Whippets' coach Mark Fox.

"We have taken 37 out of 40 points with only one defeat all year. We had the tightest defence in the league and the best disciplinary record, which is very important because it meant we kept our players on the ice."

The under-16s have narrowly missed out on promotion in the last two seasons - on goal difference last year and in the play-offs the year before.

Fox attributes this season's triumph to key results earlier in the campaign.

"When we played Gosport, we were losing 3-1 and came back to win 4-3 with a last-minute goal," he said.

"That established us as a team looking for promotion. Then we beat Invicta, who are a really good team, 4-1 away."

The Whippets biggest win of the season was 19-0 over Swindon, which helped bolster their goal difference to an average of more than six per game.

The attacking line was led by Freddy Trimble, who has such raw talent he has been playing sporadically for the senior team this season.

He missed the Greyhounds' national senior final to play in a recent crunch match for the under-16s against Cardiff, which ironically, they lost.

And despite flitting between the juniors and seniors, Trimble went on to break the 60-goal mark for the Whippets and finished as the second highest scorer in the league.

"We have a powerful, fast-skating, high-scoring forward line," said Fox. "Freddy has been excellent, as has Chris Fox, who scored 49 this year.

"At the back we had a very tight defence led by Max Bennett and Reon Burns.

"But I think it is important to note that all 15 players over three lines have contributed. They have been a fantastic team."

Fox said the relationship between the junior and senior teams is vital for the long-term prospects of the club.

"The junior club feeds the seniors and the seniors help the juniors by giving players like Freddy valuable experience," he added.

"It's an important symbiosis and it means the future of the club is looking very good."

Haringey's under-14s are also on course for glory this season, having made the play-offs.