FABULOUS FIVE FOR LADIES
After another busy weekend there can be no doubt that the Ladies’ 1sts deserve top billing for their fifth successive win – this time 1-0 away to league leaders Ipswich on Sunday. This was a rare and thoroughly deserved win over their local rivals in a hard fought match which saw Magpies defend stoutly for much of the second half. Despite this the team nearly snatched a second goal late in the game in front of a happy and large group of travelling supporters at Tuddenham Road. Congratulations to manager Nick McAllen, coach Leigh Sitch and skipper Louisa Greenacre and her team-mates on this splendid win. From no goals and no points after their first three games they have now taken 23 points from their next eleven games – some transformation! This coming Saturday the team hosts St Albans (12.30) with any lingering relegation fears well and truly in the past.
I missed Emily Wilford’s fourteenth minute goal having watched the first half of the Mixed team’s 9-0 win over Brentwood at Weybread. When I left at half time with us 5-0 up I was confident of victory just as I was on Saturday at home when the Men’s 2nds were 6-0 up and coasting against Pelicans after ten minutes of the second half with goals by Leigh Sitch, Martin Fields, Sam Moore, Callum Callinan (2) and James Legg. To their credit Pelicans never gave up, urged on by veteran Sean Kerry, and suddenly the Magpies’ defence fell apart or went missing – whatever it was goalkeeper Ross Briggs was a lonely figure on occasions as 6-0 soon came 6-2, then 6-3 and helped by a deft deflection from Sitch (yes Leigh, the shot was definitely in the circle!) it was soon 6-5 before a shaky but exciting home victory was achieved. At least there was no need for the cry of ‘Goals will come’!
Goals also came in the next match when the Men’s 1sts entertained bottom placed St Albans but unfortunately all three were scored by the visitors. Magpies started brightly looking for the win which would almost certainly have banished any relegation concerns but after twice going close they rarely again tested a disciplined St Albans side which never looked back after taking the lead just after half time. In the end there was no doubt that manager Graham Webster and his team deserved their first win over Magpies for several years – a defeat which leaves the home side looking over their shoulders with four tough games to come starting away to third placed Old Loughtonians on Sunday (2.00).
Meantime the Men’s 4ths were achieving a fine 5-3 away win over UEA with goals by three of the club’s brightest young prospects – namely Tom Graham (with 3), Sam Ashurst and Mitchell Tompkins – to boost their chances of avoiding relegation while the Men’s 7ths retained their 100% record with a 5-2 away win over Lowestoft Railways 2nds. I have been persuaded to make my HMHC debut on Saturday when the team entertains Norwich Dragons 3rds (my old club when happily called Norwich Union) at 4.00pm but I have no intention of coming out of my 40 year retirement for more than a few seconds!
But it will be a privilege to share the same pitch with sporting legends such as skipper Murray Graham, Peter Dolton (13 goals this season alone), Jon Wells (leading scorer with 19 and who for some unfathomable reason says it is a pleasure to watch Iain Cumming (4 goals) and Pete Thornett (5 goals) play hockey), Simon Bardwell (his meagre tally of 4 goals includes, one has to admit, the single goal against Norfolk Nomads to maintain the team’s perfect record), David Blackmore (who peaked early in the season with a hat-trick since when he has only scored another two while concentrating on his ‘provider’ role) and Peter Finnie and Chris Humphreys who have yet to trouble the scorers. And lastly it will be an honour to be umpired by ‘Mr Umpire’ himself – Mr Graham Ramm.
It was good to learn on Saturday that the Ladies’ 3rds had got back to winning ways when beating Panthers 3-0 away and this week they are away to Lowestoft Railway (1.00) who they beat 4-3 at home in November and after their week off the Ladies’ 2nds are away to Norwich Dragons (1.30) looking to make up for their 3-2 defeat back in early November. Meanwhile at home the Men’s 3rds have a tough game against, as it happens, Norwich Dragons (2.15) looking for three vital points after their defeat at Peterborough while the Men’s 5ths will be hoping to bounce back after losing 3-0 away to IES 2nds – their first defeat since losing to league champions Lowestoft Railway on 23 October – when they host fellow promotion hopefuls Holt Harlequins (1.45). Meanwhile the Men’s 6ths are away to IES 3rds (1.00) after their 3-0 win over Dereham 5ths helped to maintain their impressive run of form. Good luck to all our teams in action this weekend. Please see the Home Page of the website for the full list of fixtures.
Mike Denham 01603 506925 [email protected] 1/3/11
