Harleston Magpies
UP AND RUNNING

The season really gets going this coming Saturday when all our other 14 teams follow the Ladies’ 1sts, who opened their campaign last weekend, into league action. Unfortunately the Ladies’ 1sts went down 1-0 away to Maidenhead and they will be hoping that vice-captain Debbie Francis, who missed the game through injury, will be fit to face Wimbledon at Weybread on Saturday (2.00). It will be another testing game for Magpies as Wimbledon beat Ipswich 2-0 in their season opener.

The Ladies’ 2nds, captained again by Frances Taylor, are also at home when they entertain Bromley and Beckenham (12 noon) and they will be encouraged by their 2-0 friendly win over Dereham and it was good to see scorers Anna Tighe and Tor Findlay playing so well following their step-up from the 5ths. The team will miss the touchline support of coach David Brook and manager Nigel Wooltorton who have stood down after outstanding service over recent seasons and another blow is the leg injury to Siobhan Wooltorton. However, the team will be boosted by the welcome return after several seasons away of goalkeeper Calianne Clark and Amy Tuffs and by the news that Anouska Stott hopes to be playing again in a few weeks. Meanwhile the Ladies’ 3rds, led by Sarah Legg and Rachel Baynes, beat Loddon 3-1 (Caz Aldous 2, Sarah Legg) in their final warm-up game and they welcome goalkeeper Holly Riches (from Dereham) and Lucy Field (nee Hull), another welcome returnee. The 3rds are ‘away’ on Saturday (3.15) to the 4ths who are again led by Katie Devereux and Treacle Griffin. Katie and Treacle will be heartened by their 3-2 win over Dereham 3rds with goals by Laura Betts (2) and Rachel Goodson. Last season the 3rds completed the double over the 4ths who, no doubt, will be determined to avoid a similar fate this season.

Date for your diary please
Halloween Fancy Dress Party – clubhouse – Saturday 11 October
The event is being organised by Leigh Sitch – you have been warned!

For the second season running the Men’s 1sts start their league campaign away to Bedford (2.45) and they will hope for a repeat win in their quest for a return to the national league which has eluded them by a whisker in the last two seasons. Mark Wheelhouse, Leigh Sitch and Les Howlett are once again captain, vice-captain and coach, respectively, of the squad (which last Saturday beat Wisbech 4-0 with goals by Toby Price and Ben Wright (3)) from which some familiar faces are missing – namely Peter Bale, Tom Sumner, Stuart Leate (now with London Wayfarers), David Ling, goalkeeper Rees Leonard and Fred Merrett. Hopefully Peter, Tom and David will be seen in Magpies’ colours at some stage of the season. In the meantime it is a big ‘thank you’ to them for their services to the club and the same applies to Stuart, Rees and Fred with our best wishes for the future. In their places the squad welcome Will Dunn and Sam Rowe (from the 2nds), goalkeeper Matt Collinge (from Norwich Dragons) and Max Macaulay (from Bury St Edmunds) and it is welcome back to Ben Wright, Will Martin and James Baker who is on a year’s work placement from university.

The Ladies’ 5ths, who beat Dereham 4ths 4-2 last Saturday with goals by Matilda Warde-Aldam (3) and Millie Preece, are again captained by Jose Tibbenham and with several players taking the opportunity to play higher up the club this season it will be interesting to see if they can match the form of last season which saw them just pipped for promotion. On Saturday (10.15) in another inter-club clash they take on the 6ths who are this season captained by Emily Taylor. Last Saturday the 6ths lost 2-1 away to Dereham 5ths with their goal being scored by Ellie Eglington. Meanwhile Karen Ray and Emma Tolhurst have taken over the running of the Ladies’ 7ths and after their 2-2 draw (Charlotte Underdown and Katie Woollatt) with Hornets they open their league campaign away to Lowestoft Railway 2nds (10.00). Last and certainly not least the Girls’ Development are led once more by player-manager Sandra Elliner and they start with an away game against Dereham (4.30).

Turning to the Men’s 2nds (who last Saturday drew 3-3 with Norwich Dragons with goals by Blake Elliot, Sam Moore and Martin Fields) I am sorry to say that due to a long term injury Lawrence Baynes has had to stand down as captain after excellent service. His place has been taken by Dickon Taylor with the newly-married Robbie Kinsella as his vice-captain. Also missing this season (hopefully only temporarily) are Quentin Baynes, Jimmy Wheeler and goalkeeper James Lane who has been succeeded by Tom Yallop. The absence of Lawrence, Quentin and Jimmy combined with several of last season’s regulars who are off to university (as covered last week) gives chances for the many promising young members to grab the opportunity of playing at this level. On Saturday the team are at home to Norwich City (1.45) who were unlucky to be relegated on the final day of last season.

The Men’s 3rds are again led by Matt Brand and when at full strength the team should be able to look forward to a good season provided Gavin Cole can continue to supply his usual quota of goals (he scored twice in the friendly defeat by Norwich City 2nds last Saturday) and the skipper can find the net from time to time although they will, unfortunately, be without James ‘Tiger’ Brice who is not playing this season. The team are away to Ipswich & ES 2nds this Saturday (12.30). Meanwhile David Blackmore, another club stalwart, is once again in charge of the Men’s 4ths and they too can look forward to a promising season bearing in mind the mix of experience and youth in the team and with the prospect of Richard Gill, one of the club’s best ever players, turning out for the team on his comeback when available. The team, which drew 2-2 (Matt Hull, Alfie Fawkner) last Saturday entertain Norwich City 3rds on Saturday (12.15).

James Smith has taken over the captaincy of the Men’s 5ths although frustratingly he is likely to be out of action for a month with a calf muscle injury. His team is looking very different this season with the move of James Goodson, Rob Goodson and Will Main to Norwich Dragons where, as it happens, they will be joined by Tim Allen following his house and job move. They go with our best wishes and our thanks for their services over the years. The 5ths who beat Norwich City 5ths 1-0 last Saturday with a goal by Fabien Mitchell are away to Bury St Edmunds 4ths (12.00).

The Men’s 6ths are captained by Eric Davy with Joe Walker as vice-captain and they commence their league campaign at home to Bury St Edmunds 3rds (3.30) while the Boys’ Development, with Jo Emms as administrator assisted by other parents, get their season off to a competitive start when they welcome Norwich City (10.45).

In writing the above I am conscious that I have omitted paying tribute to a number of team officials who have stood down since last season and I have omitted mentioning a number of other new members. I hope the former will forgive me and I hope to correct the latter omission in the weeks ahead.

On Sunday our Girls and Boys U16s and U18s will be in EHB Championship action as follows.

U16 GIRLS (Weybread) v Dereham 10.30 (S) v Pelicans 1.30 (S) (Dereham v Pelicans 12.00 (S))

U16 BOYS (Norwich City HC) v City of Peterborough 2.00, v Norwich City 3.30

U18 GIRLS (Weybread) v Ipswich 11.30 (W)

U18 BOYS (Weybread) v Bury St Edmunds 2.00 (W)

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR TEAMS THIS WEEKEND

IN BRIEF

a) Last week I mentioned the young members going off to university. I omitted James Bensly and included Catriona Maciver a year too early. So it is best wishes to James and good to know that we will have Catriona with us for another year.

b) News of ex-Magpies. Gareth Furlong played for Wales in the recent Commonwealth Games and is now playing for Leiden (26 senior and 35 youth teams!) in the Overgangsklasse League in Holland while brother Rhodri, who while having trained with the Wales senior team still awaits his first cap, will be playing for Birmingham University when back to full fitness. Best wishes to Gareth and Rhodri.

c) The own goal in hockey is now a thing of the past. On balance a good thing I would suggest.

d) Please don’t forget to buy your club car sticker – You’re following Harleston Magpies Hockey Club – next time you see Kirstin Cumming in the clubhouse. They cost £3.00 each or £5.00 for two.

IceniPost.com – sponsors of www.magpies-hockey.co.uk

With kind regards
Mike Denham   [email protected]
16/9/14

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Harleston Magpies Hockey Results
Saturday 13 September 2014

Saturday 13 September
LADIES 1s v Maidenhead (L) (A) 1.30 0-1 L
LADIES 2s v Dereham (F) (H) 2.00 (W) 2-0 W
LADIES 3s v Loddon (F) (A) 10.30 3-1 W 
LADIES 4s v Dereham 3s (F) (H) 3.30 (W) 3-2 W
LADIES 5s v Dereham 4s (F) (H) 1.45 (S) 4-2 W
LADIES 6s v Dereham 5s (F) (A) 2.15 1-2 L
LADIES 7s v Hornets (F) (H) 12.15 (S) 2-2 D
GIRLS Dev. – no game 
MENS 1s v Wisbech Town (F) (A) 1.00 4-0 W
MENS 2s v Norwich Dragons (F) (A) 2.30 3-3 D
MENS 3s v Norwich City 2s (F) (A) 4.00 2-8 L 
MENS 4s v Norwich Dragons 2s (F) (H) 10.45 (S) 2-2 D
MENS 5s v Norwich City 5s (F) (A) 4.45 1-0 W
MENS 6s v Ipswich 3s (F) (A) 3.30 0-8 L
BOYS Dev. v Norwich Dragons (F) (H) 12.00 (W) OFF

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