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BUSY AND CONGESTED WEEKEND

This coming weekend promises to be one of the busiest of the season with the U16 Girls and U18 Boys involved in their Super 6s national indoor finals on Saturday and Sunday; the Men’s 1sts playing in Division 2 of the Super 6s over the same two days; thirteen of our other teams playing outdoors on Saturday while on Sunday the Mixed team start the defence of their national crown at home against Ipswich (12.30), the Ladies’ 1sts play a friendly away to Cambridge City (12.00) in preparation for the resumption of their outdoor season on 6 February and the U10/U12 Boys and Girls play in the Bury St Edmunds Minis (10.30).

This congestion means difficult choices for some of our players, who could be wanted for two or even three teams, and headaches for most team captains as they struggle to finalise their selections. It also means that some of our teams will not be as strong as they would have been without this fixture pile-up.

Fortunately this column is not faced with sorting out the above issues so can concentrate on the actual fixtures. The U16 Girls, as East champions, will face Leicester (3.55) and Taunton Vale (6.15) on Saturday and Surbiton (11.55) and York (2.15) on Sunday in Pool B (before hopefully the semis and final) at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton. Team – Abby Gooderham (capt), Tor Findlay, Martha Lawrence, Amelia Preece, Molly Redgrove, Holly Riches (GK), Lauren Rowe, Lottie Summers, Anna Tighe, Nick McAllen (coach), Sarah Findlay (manager).

The U18 Boys, as East runners-up, play Surbiton (2.10) and Ashmoor (5.40) on Saturday and City of York (10.10) and Stourport (12.30) on Sunday in Pool A (before taking on hopefully the best teams from the other pool) at the Lee Westwood SC at Nottingham Trent University. Team – Donnie Archer (GK & capt), Zum Akhter, Sol Barker, Oli Clarke, Alex Emsden, Myles King, Jack Knight, Max Macaulay, Toby Price, Louis Totton, Archie Winter, Richard Larkin (coach), Jon Price (manager).

The Men’s 1sts will be heading to the UWE in Bristol having qualified via Division 2 North for Division 2 of the national league where from the six-team round-robin event the winners and runners-up with be promoted to Division 1 next season with the other four teams playing in Division 2 North or South. The team will be without Toby Price and Louis Totton away in Nottingham with the U18 Boys together with coach Richard Larkin. On Saturday they play Ashmoor (1.00) and Fareham (5.00) and on Sunday they take on Bournville (11.00), St Albans (1.00) and Cheltenham (3.00). Team (from) – Leigh Sitch (captain), Chris Barber, Tristan Baynes, Simon Hipwell, Stuart Leate, John Livings (GK), Thomas Ridley, Sam Rowe, Carl Sitch, Ben Wright.

CHEESE & WINE EVENING
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While still on the subject of the indoor game the Ladies’ 1sts had a more challenging second weekend in Division 1 of the Super 6s at Nottingham Trent University with just three points from their four games in contrast to the seven they gained the previous weekend but they can still be pleased with finishing in sixth place thereby retaining their status for next season. In their eight matches over the two weekends they won three, including 4-1 (Charlie Harrison, Sophie Sunderland, Lucy Belsey, Lauren Barber) against Olton & West Warwick on Saturday, drew one and lost four. However, except for their 4-1 (Charlotte White) defeat by free-scoring Clifton on Sunday their other defeats were by a single goal including on Saturday when they went down 4-3 (Charlie 2, Sarah Brook) to St Albans, who got their winner in the last minute, and on Sunday when beaten 3-2 (Sarah, Charlotte) by Brooklands Poynton. They also had the distinction of being the only team to take points off championship winners Holcombe with whom they drew 2-2 on the first weekend.

Magpies ladies indoor

All our outdoor games last weekend fell victim of the frost, including the Minis at Pelicans, except for the Men’s 6ths who were able to play Norfolk Nomads 2nds at the UEA in Norwich. Although the game finished goalless there was much to appreciate from a Magpies’ perspective including a very promising debut on the left wing by Charlie Tighe, other promising performances by the also youthful Morgan Manly and Jamie Hinsley, some excellent saves by goalkeeper Steve Halliley, a sound performance in defence by Ross Carter (the club’s former 3rd team captain who it is good to see back playing again after a break of fifteen years) and a dominant performance in midfield by Jon Wells. For Nomads former Magpies O50s member Jim Stather was in good form with his accurate passing. A draw was a fair result although Magpies came close to scoring five minutes from the end when skipper Eric Davy just failed to connect with a cross from the right.

Weather permitting the Men’s 6ths are at home to Ipswich Cranes 2nds (3.15) this coming Saturday where in other games the table-topping Boys’ Development play Norwich Dragons (10.15) who after their win over Dereham last Saturday are now just two points behind Magpies; the Men’s 2nds host Waltham Forest (2.00) hoping to build on their win over Saffron Walden; league leaders Ladies’ 3rds take on Evergreens (3.30) determined to get back to winning ways after their goalless draw two weeks ago with Norwich City 3rds; the Ladies’ 5ths are up against Reepham (12.15) looking to maintain their good run of form; the Men’s 5ths play Sudbury 3rds (12.00) wishing to banish the memory of their 5-0 defeat at the hands of Bury St Edmunds 3rds and the Ladies’ 7ths welcome Carrow 3rds (1.45) whom they beat 1-0 early in the season.

Away from home the Ladies’ 2nds play Broxbourne (3.00) who are almost certainly one of the teams they will need to finish above to avoid the four relegation spots in their league; the Men’s 3rds play Sudbury 2nds (12.30) whom they beat 9-0 at home in October; the Ladies’ 4ths (who have a justifiable claim to be the club’s team of the season so far) will be looking to complete the double over Carrow (11.00) while the Men’s 4ths will hope to do the same when they take on Ipswich Cranes (1.00). The Girls’ Development play Lowestoft Railway (4.00) who have enjoyed an excellent season to-date and the Ladies’ 6ths have a difficult looking match when they play Norwich City 6ths (10.45).

Good luck as always to all our teams this busy weekend. Please see the website for the full list of fixtures.

300 CLUB January 2016 winners – £20 Kay Nelson, £20 Eddy Baker, £15 Pat Daniels, £15 Diane Jary, £15 Mark Legg, £15 Ann Cunningham. If you would like to join the 300 Club (£12 per number for club members and £13 per number for the year for non-club members) please contact Angie Wheelhouse at [email protected] YOU WILL BE VERY WELCOME! The names of all the monthly winners going back to September 2012 are on the club’s website.

EDP’s COMMUNITY CHEST Members who are readers of the EDP will be aware of this initiative and they are asked if they would kindly cut out the tokens from their copy each day and place them each week in the Community Chest in the clubhouse. The club will then make a bid for the funds available each month.

VOLVO CARS LIFE PAINT (to make cycles, rucksacks etc. stand out in car headlights) – cans of this potentially life-saving product are still on sale from the clubhouse bar at the cost of £10.

With kind regards

Mike Denham
[email protected]
19/1/16

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