HOCKEY star Beckie Herbert led the way on a excellent evening for Jersey’s sporting teenagers last night.

Herbert scored the winning goal for England under-21s in their 2-1 World Cup second round group match victory over hosts Chile in Santiago.

Footballer Brett Pitman and rugby prospect Matt Banahan also made progress with their professional careers, while, back in Jersey at Springfield, Celtic triallist Jack Boyle made a scoring debut at senior club level.

Nineteen-year-old Herbert – already the proud possessor of senior England caps – rapped in a reverse-stick shot after 55 minutes which Chile keeper Constanza Abud was unable to prevent ending up in the cortner of the goal.

This completed the comeback for England who had trailed to a 13th-minute goal from Chilean captain Carolina Garcia.

Herbert, watched by parents Shelagh and Tim, played a significant part in the England revival which started with a Hayley Brown equaliser.

Unfortunately, England are unable to progress to the semi-final stage as a top two place in their group is beyond them.

They play Australia in their final group game today.

Seventeen-year-old AFC Bournemouth footballer Brett Pitman had his first experience of competition against Premiership opposition when the Cherries travelled to the JJB Stadium for a second-round Carling Cup tie against Wigan.

Striker Pitman, who scored in a penalty shoot-out in the previous round, came on as a substitute, with Wigan scoring a late goal against their League One opponents to progress to the next round.

The former Victoria College pupil, who scored 35 goals last season, is on the final year of a two-year Youth Academy registration with Bournemouth.

Matt Banahan, a Jersey RFC youth last season, continued his professional rugby development in playing for an hour as London Irish beat a strong Bath outfit 19-12 in the Guinness A League fixture last night.

Played at Bath’s Recreation Ground home in front of 1,000 spectators, London Irish recorded their second successive victory.

Said London Irish’s Paddy Lennon: ‘Matt played for an hour, the coaches are building up his exposure as it is very demanding and tough at this level.

‘Bath had some of their big names out and physically they were very strong.

Matt is doing really well and the team being second in the South Conference of the Guinness A League is very encouraging.’ On the domestic front 15-year-old Jersey Scottish footballer Jack Boyle scored on his first-team debut at Springfield last night.

And what a cracker it was from the Celtic triallist, his superb long-distance effort being the fifth of seven goals Scottish rattled past Wanderers without reply in a first-round Wheway Cup tie.

Like Pitman before him Boyle, a Haute Vallée pupil, attends the Lloyds TSB JFA School of Excellence.