Pelicans win promotion to East Men’s Premier League

Pelicans are back in the East Men’s Premier League after an absence of more than two decades.The King’s Lynn-based club sealed promotion with two games to spare after a 4-1 success at Spalding on Saturday.It gives them an unassailable 10-point advantage at the top of the East Men’s Division 1 North standings.Reflecting on the club’s triumph, coach Sean Kerry said: “I am very happy to have been part of this talented team that worked hard to secure promotion with two games to spare.”Elevating the men’s section to this league will help to retain and attract new players and of course the quality will continue to filter down throughout the teams, strengthening the legacy of this local club.“The work the squad has put in pre-season and at training on Tuesday and Thursday nights has been key this season.”Encouraging each player to take responsibility for their own development and to help others as a collective, accept the praise but also understand that constructive criticism must be taken on board and adaptions made.”Kerry has had a long association with the club since stepping away from playing National League hockey 20 years ago.”This is my first year as a non-playing coach for the men,” he said.“I have had input as a coach over many years since returning from playing National League more than 20 years ago, coaching the men’s 1st XI back then and since then with my two boys via the club’s junior section.Looking back at the season as a whole, Kerry said the 2-2 draw with Cambridge University was one of the highlights of the team’s runaway league success.”There have been so many highlights,” he admitted.”Being asked to coach the first squad last summer was a special moment for me personally.”On the pitch, the team fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw against Cambridge Uni in the last few minutes showed the tenacity that we have created in this squad that has put us top of the league.”Pelicans have won 15 of their 20 games this season with their only defeat coming away at Cambridge last November, scoring 78 goals and only conceding 28.Next season they will face the likes of Dereham in a derby, Blueharts and Bishops Stortford.Kerry is relishing the challenge of guiding the team in the East Premier League after such a long absence.”We are under no illusion that this will be a big step up and we will have to continue to improve as individuals and as a team,” he said.”We have to ensure that we are fit and well drilled before the season starts and try to strengthen the feeling of brotherhood that this team thrives on.“In addition, it’s about looking at how we develop the teams below to create a natural progression up through the teams at the highest standard.”