BOUNCE BACK BY LADIES’ 4THS

Despite good home wins last Saturday for the two 1^st teams pride of place has to go this week to the Ladies’ 4ths. The previous week they lost 11-0 to UEA 1sts but seven days later they bounced back in fine style to beat UEA 2nds 5-1 in the late game on the water-based to get their season up and running. On a sunny and warm if rather windy day at Weybread Anna Harrod put Magpies ahead with Sophie Long (who is on a £5 bonus per goal from her mother!) adding a second. After UEA reduced the arrears Sophie was in the money again with two further goals before Anna completed the scoring. This coming Saturday the team is away to Norwich City 3rds (10.00) looking to build on this heartening victory.

 

 

In the first game of the day the Ladies’ 3rds recovered from their narrow defeat the previous week away to Dereham 2nds with a good 3-0 win over Dereham 3rds with goals by Frankie Eaves (2) and Sally Dolton. In another early game the Boys Development beat Pelicans 2-0 with goals by Jude Pottruff and Alex Kilbourn. In defence was Bertie Steggles making his comeback and playing as a permitted adult. He tells me he took two shots off the line but I have it on good authority that one shot was going well wide!

Next up were the Ladies’ 1sts seeking a much needed win against Wimbledon following two defeats and after Angie Wheelhouse put the team ahead in the first half with a good run and a successful struggle with several defenders the result was rarely in doubt although we all know what can happen with a one goal lead. The deserved win was confirmed near the end when handball Olympian Louise Jukes, making a very welcome return to the team after an absence of nine years, finished off a smart penalty corner routine. On Saturday the team travels to play Horsham (12.00) looking for another three points to help them move further up the table.

Meanwhile the Ladies’ 2nds were hosting Broxbourne (who like the 2nds are newly promoted) and a combination of a strong visitor’s defence, a failure to put away their chances and two opportunist Broxbourne goals resulted in defeat for the home team. This week the team has a tough game in prospect away to Bromley & Beckenham (2.00) who were relegated from the national league at the end of last season.

The Men’s 1sts were also at home last Saturday against newly-promoted Wisbech and after two early goals by Pete Bale and Fred Merrett a big win seemed likely.  But soon the yellow cards were being handed out including one for the Wisbech player who stopped a determined run out of defence by David Ling resulting in David now being out sadly for several weeks with a serious foot injury. Six more yellows were to follow including two for Stuart Leate who now misses Saturday’s game away to Cambridge University (1.30) after his yellow last week! I thought Stuart was extremely unlucky but I was too far away to judge whether coach Les Howlett was for something he said! This meant that a player had to be withdrawn with Toby Price being the unfortunate one. Wisbech raised their game in the second half but despite this Magpies made the score line 5-0 with further goals by Fred, Pete and skipper Mark Wheelhouse.

 

Away from home the Ladies’ 5ths were maintaining their excellent start to the season with a 7-2 win (Victoria Findlay 3, Jose Tibbenham 3, Lauren Rowe) over Norwich Dragons 4ths and the Men’s 2nds were going down 4-0 to Letchworth  while at home the Men’s 5ths can consider themselves unlucky to have lost 1-0 to Dereham 3rds after dominating for much of the game.

Inter-club league games are quite rightly always keenly contested and that between theMen’s 4ths and 3rds last Saturday was no exception. Harry Haigh put the 4ths ahead before the 3rds edged in front through goals by Guy Paul and Mitchell Tompkins. The three points seemed to be going the way of the 3rds until Harry popped up with the equaliser late in the game for the ‘home’ team. Andy Palmer was in quite exceptional form between the posts for the 4ths and for the 3rds it was good to see Kevin Ridley back in action after his layoff following his knee operation.

The Men’s 6ths and 7ths are in league action for the first time this Saturday when the6ths entertain Pelicans Masters (4.00) and the 7ths are away to Holt Harlequins 2nds at the ever popular time slot of 4.30! It is be hoped that skipper Tom ‘Magic’ Miller will be fit to turn out for the 7ths after his injury picked up in the team’s 4-3 friendly win over Norfolk Nomads. The game was a personal triumph for Eric Davy who scored all four goals – well done Eric!

Please see the Home Page of the website for the full list of this weekend’s fixtures which include on Sunday at Weybread second round EHB Cup action for our two U18 teams with the Girls taking on Ipswich (12.00) and the Boys playing Sudbury (2.00).  Good luck as ever to all our teams.

 

OTHER NEWS AND COMMENT

a) It is a big ‘thank you’ to Rob Holmes and his son John for renovating the fixtures board on the end of the sand-based pitch. Rob, who is a very keen supporter of the club with his wife Sue, kindly donated the board some years back. On it each week are the matches being played on both pitches that day.

b) Last Saturday the Baynes’ brothers – Quentin, Tristan (hopefully on the way back to the 1sts after injury) and Lawrence – played together in a league match for the club for the very first time when they turned out for the 2nds at Letchworth..

c) Last week I referred to the opportunities open to young hockey players (of the right hockey and academic standard) in US universities. I should have added that these are mainly confined to young women as not much male ‘field hockey’ is played in US universities.

d) The Men’s O50s have been drawn to play Bedford in the EHB Cup at home on Sunday 10 November (2.00) and already newly-appointed manager Peter Dolton has been at work selecting and inspiring his squad to another good run in the competition. Will he select himself is the big question?!

e) Date for your diary please – Harleston Fireworks Spectacular at HMHC on Friday 1 November with the gates opening at 6.00pm.

 

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