MEEK AND ASHURST FIRE MEN’S 2NDS TO VITAL WIN OVER NORWICH CITY
In this 200th edition of the column (named by Matt Brand) which started on 17 August 2009 I’ll make an effort to be positive despite the disappointment of the Men’s 1sts losing 3-2 at home last Saturday to Bedford who, frankly, deserved to take the three points.
But before I say anything more about the Men’s 1sts I’m delighted to record the marvellous away win of the Men’s 2nds over Norwich City despite twice going behind in the first half with the in-form James Meek scoring between the City goals after good work by Robbie Kinsella. After an inspiring half time team talk by manager Lawrence Baynes – which I have on very good and modest authority (!) – James equalised and with David Ling as steady as ever at the back Magpies went looking for victory to wipe out the memory of their 5-2 defeat by City on the opening day of the season. The invaluable three points were secured when Elliott Ashurst converted two out of three penalty corners to post his first goals for the team. This morale boosting win is just what the team wanted coming two weeks after their equally encouraging 4-2 win over Letchworth and before they conclude their pre-Christmas programme with a home game this coming Saturday (2.00) against City of Peterborough 3rds.
Back to the Men’s 1sts versus Bedford. I had my doubts regarding the fitness of the pitch after the heavy overnight frost but I have to admit it played better as the game progressed thanks to the sun putting in an appearance for about an hour. When Ben Wright fired Magpies ahead from a penalty corner drag flick after early Bedford pressure the situation looked good for the home team and their supporters. But after the home defence failed to clear a routine cross from the left the game changed and when there was a repeat early in the second half Magpies knew they had a game on their hands. Magpies, for whom Will Martin was in good form, responded well but they rarely troubled the visitors’ goalkeeper and their position came even more serious when Bedford added a third with ten minutes to go. This stirred Magpies into their best spell of the game and Ben pulled a goal back with five minutes to go with a sharply taken reverse stick shot just inside the left post. With time running out Magpies won a penalty corner which was blocked and soon afterwards Bedford were celebrating their win. This Saturday Magpies are away to Cambridge City 2nds (11.30) and for their promotion prospects cannot afford another slip-up.
Earlier in the day we got the news that the game between Dereham Ladies’ 3rds and our 4ths had been called off due to the frost thereby becoming the first game the club had lost due to the weather since the end of March 2013 to be followed closely by the game between Bury St Edmunds Men’s 3rds and our 6ths being called off after which skipper Eric Davy told me he had got a team together despite his injury list now extending to twelve! Meanwhile at Weybread the bank at the far end of the sand-based pitch meant that the sun could not get to a strip of the pitch extending beyond the front of the goal making that part of the pitch unplayable. This resulted in the Ladies’ 5ths and Men’s 5ths losing their games although the Ladies played out a friendly against Lowestoft Railway who had already arrived. The Ladies’ 6ths had earlier got play underway on the water-based at 10.45 after a 30 minute delay and they put up a good fight going down 3-2 to Dereham 4ths with their goals coming from Lucy Griffiths and Mia King.
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CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
Why not please give club umbrellas and car stickers? Both are on sale from Kirstin in the clubhouse. Please also have a look at the club shop which is accessible from the top left of any page on the club’s website.
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After the Men’s 1sts it was the turn of the Men’s 3rds on the water and Gavin Cole put them ahead against IES 2nds before a quick equaliser by the visitors. Skipper Matt Brand then fired his team back in front from a narrow angle only for IES to draw level once again. Immediately after half time and while I was enjoying a warming coffee in the clubhouse IES went in front for the first time only for Nick Whitehead to fire in a splendid equaliser from the edge of the circle. A valuable point or even three were on the cards for Magpies but they were caught out again in defence and later IES got a fifth when their left winger nonchalantly lobbed the ball into the unguarded net from the narrowest of angles. This Saturday the team are away to unbeaten UEA (1.00). In the final game of the day and with the temperature dropping the Ladies’ 3rds took to the conditions far better than Diss winning 10-0 with goals by Catherine Kilbourn (2), Izzie Knowles (3), Charlotte Rourke-Beasley, Lucy Field, Caz Aldous-Goodge, Kara Kilbourn and Sarah Legg. This Saturday the Ladies’ 3rds are at home to Magpies’ 4ths (1.45) while the Ladies’ 5ths host Magpies’ 6ths (10.15)
While the Men’s 2nds were doing the club proud away to Norwich City the Ladies’ 2nds were doing extremely well gaining a vital point by drawing 1-1 away to high flying Bromley & Beckenham. Brombeck scored first before Lucy Whiting equalised for Magpies who have now recorded two wins and three draws in their last six matches – an excellent record in a demanding league from which four teams will be relegated. Their final match before Christmas against league leaders Cambridge City at Weybread has been put back until December 20 (12.00) as City are playing in the East qualifier for the national indoor league this Saturday. Meanwhile in the 4.30 start and freezing conditions at Dereham the Boys’ Development maintained their nearly unblemished and excellent record winning 6-0 (5-0 for league table purposes) with goals by Rob Neal (2), Tom Caston (2), Ben Emms and Seth Read. Well done also to the team for their website match reports which are often written by the boys themselves. This Saturday they entertain Norwich City (10.45) who last weekend beat second placed Norwich Dragons.
Bearing in mind that winter is with us it is appropriate that the indoor season has arrived and last Sunday the Ladies’ 1sts warmed up for their national premier league campaign starting this coming weekend by finishing as runners-up in the East Championship at Oaklands College, St Albans. Meanwhile the talented U16 Girls’ squad, playing at the University of Essex, qualified for the national finals to be played over the weekend of 17/18 January at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton. The Ladies’ 1sts beat St Albans 10-1 and Chelmsford 4-1 before edging past Old Loughtonians 3-2 in their semi-final clash. In the final they lost 3-1 to a strong Holcombe side. The U16 Girls beat Ipswich 5-4 with goals by Abby Gooderham (3), Tor Findlay and Anna Tighe before defeating Chelmsford 8-3 with their goals coming from Tor (3), Abby (3), Anna and Izzy Knowles.
The Ladies’ 1sts did splendidly to retain their place in the national premier league last season and they return to Bromsgrove School for what is sure to be another very demanding campaign when on Saturday they take on Slough (1.30) and East Grinstead (5.30) before on Sunday playing Bowdon Hightown (10.00) and Canterbury (2.00). Their four other round-robin games will be played at the same venue over the weekend of 3/4 January. The event culminates in the final at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Sunday 25 January (please see the England Hockey website for tickets). The Magpies squad is Emma Lee-Smith (captain), Lauren Barber, Sarah Brook, Lizzie Clymer, Debbie Francis, Charlotte Lee-Smith (GK), Bryony Lund, Alex Smith, Lucy Whiting, Louisa Greenacre (manager) and David Brook (coach). It is ‘welcome back’ to ‘out on loan’ Sarah and Alex.
Meanwhile on Sunday the Men’s 1sts warm up for their national league campaign over the weekends of 10/11 and 17/18 January when at Oaklands College they defend the East Championship they won last year before going on to win promotion to division one of the national league. In Pool B they play St Albans (10.30) and Havering (1.30) before the cross-over games with teams from Pool A.
Please see the website for all of last weekend’s results and for this weekend’s fixtures. Good luck to all our teams.
FIH Player of the Year awards – please see the England Hockey website for how you can cast your votes. The nominees include England goalkeeper George Pinner (ex-IES HC and ex-Ipswich HC).
Last but certainly not least it is ‘thank you’ to Sophie Long and Hattie Underdown for kindly decorating the clubhouse Christmas tree.
With kind regards
Mike Denham [email protected]
9/12/14
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