LADIES’ 1STS SEEK VITAL DOUBLE
After their 1-0 defeat away to Wimbledon last Saturday the Ladies’ 1sts will be seeking a much needed win at Weybread this coming Saturday (12.30) against Horsham. This is especially important after Horsham beat St Albans to move, with Wimbledon, above Magpies who remain three points clear of the relegation play-off spot, occupied by Ipswich, with six games to go. In the away clash back in early October Magpies beat Horsham with the only goal of the game and a similar outcome this weekend would be very handy indeed.
The Men’s 1sts are also at home on Saturday and they entertain Blueharts (2.15)following their return to winning ways, after two successive defeats, with a 4-0 win over struggling Ramgarhia which kept alive their slim promotion hopes. Tristan Baynes marked his welcome return from injury with a goal and a MOTM performance with the other goals coming from the ever modest Sam Moore (see his match report!) with Chris Barber adding a couple. In the away game in early November Magpies beat Blueharts 3-1 and another win is essential to keep the pressure on league leaders West Herts who last weekend crept home 2-1 against Dereham who Magpies face at Weybread on March 1 at the new time of 12.30pm (with the Ladies’ 1sts playing Sevenoaks at 2.15pm.)
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CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS AND CANAPES PARTY Saturday 15 March – 7.30pm – Tibbenham’s Barn, Weybread Tickets £10 are available from the clubhouse bar Please come! |
Following the failure of Holt Harlequins 2nds and Dereham to raise teams to play our Men’s 6ths and Girls’ Development teams respectively we were left with just three games at windy Weybread last Saturday. In the first game the Boys’ Development took an early lead against Dereham with a penalty corner conversion by Alex Kilbourn only for the visitors to equalise before half time following a sustained period of pressure. After the break Magpies played well to dominate the game only to be caught out by a breakaway goal which gave Dereham victory when a draw would have been the fairest result.
In the next game the Men’s 2nds hosted Waltham Forest looking for their first win since 16 November and this looked a remote possibility when the visitors dominated the first twenty minutes forcing eleven penalty corners eight of which came one after the other as Magpies defended with great determination while being unable to get the ball out of their circular. Waltham Forest finally converted their eleventh penalty corner only for their defence to present Will Dunn with a chance which he gladly accepted with a superb reverse stick shot. After the break, with skipper Lawrence Baynes pulling the strings in midfield, Magpies began to play some excellent hockey and they took the lead when, after more good work by Will Dunn, Robbie Kinsella took the ball into the circle before scoring in fine style from a narrow angle. He then converted a penalty corner before Martin Fields fired in a reverse stick shot just inside the right hand post to give Magpies a remarkable and long overdue 4-1 win. Goalkeeper James Lane was my MOTM and I was pleased this was also the verdict of his team-mates! This weekend the team travel to play City of Peterborough 3rds (1.00) who sit just above them in the table.
News then came in of the narrow defeat of the Ladies’ 1sts and of the vital point gained by the Ladies’ 2nds following their 0-0 draw with Canterbury 2nds. This was an excellent performance by in-form skipper Frances Taylor and all members of her team including MOTM goalkeeper Megan Adams. On Saturday the team have another key match when they entertain Ipswich 2nds (1.45) while both teams will know that should their first team be relegated so will they unfortunately.
In the final game of the day at Weybread the Ladies’ 4ths went to town against Watton 2nds winning 9-1. They dominated the game from the start and were 5-0 up at half time. Watton came more into the game early in the second half without really troubling the home defence but after conceding a further four goals they got their deserved consolation much to the frustration of two of the team’s keenest supporters and fiercest critics who will remain nameless! Scorers for Magpies were Vicky Blackmore (3), Sophie Long (2), Izzy Knowles (2), Treacle Griffin and Caz Aldous.
During the day further news of the exploits of our teams playing away filtered through including wins for the Men’s 4ths and 7ths and Ladies’ 3rds. The Men’s 4thssecured their best win of the season beating high flying North Walsham with a second half goal by Harry Haigh. Skipper David Blackmore deliberately sent out his team to play defensively despite being without key defender Bob Skinner (who is unfortunately out for the rest of the season through injury) and it worked perfectly much to the admiration afterwards of the opposition! Meanwhile the Men’s 7ths were back on song after three defeats with a 5-0 win over UEA 4ths to whom they had lost earlier in the season. Their scorers were Roger Kent, Tristan Hipper and Richard ‘Chopper’ Allcock with his first ever hat-trick. Well done to Richard and to Eric Davy who claims an assist in all of Richard’s goals! Away to Norwich Dragons 3rds the Ladies’ 3rds were securing their fourth successive win of their highly successful season with a 2-0 victory in which Catherine Kilbourn and Sarah Legg both found the net.
Also away from home there were defeats for the Ladies’ 6ths and Ladies’ 7ths and the Men’s 5ths. The Ladies’ 6ths went down 1-0 to North Walsham 2nds while the Ladies’ 7ths after recovering from a goal down to lead 2-1 at half time against Watton 3rds, with goals by Lucy Freeman and Lisa Kent, conceded a couple of goals to lose 3-2. The Men’s 5ths who were hopeful of their first win of the season after their excellent point against Felixstowe 2nds went down 5-3 (Matt Brand 2 and Matt Hull) to fellow strugglers Norwich City 5ths.
Last Sunday the U16 Boys completed their programme for the season losing 7-2 to Norwich City. After being 4-0 down at half time the team got back into the game with two goals by Toby Price – one a typically sparkling run from deep rounded off with a reverse stick conversion – only to concede a harsh fifth leaving their opponents a little flattered by the final score.
The Ladies’ 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths and 7ths and Girls’ Development are without league matches this week (and on Saturday week when unusually all our teams will be taking a break for half term) although the Girls’ Development have a training session (10.45) and a combined 5ths/6ths/7ths are due to have a home friendly against Beccles at 12.15. Please see the Home Page of the website for the full list of all our games this coming weekend. Good luck as always to all our teams.
Other comments in brief
a) Congratulations and best wishes to former 1st team member Artemis ‘Mouse’ Clark and her partner Andrew on the birth of Yasmin (8lbs 14ozs) on Friday 31 January. Mother, father and baby are all doing well and living in Minehead in Somerset.
b) Older readers will be sad to learn of the death of Mike Harrison at the age of 81. Mike was closely involved in Norfolk hockey (ending his career playing for Dereham) and cricket playing for the county at both sports. He was captain of the county hockey team and later served as manager of the team. Mike, who worked in insurance, was a wholehearted and gifted player at both sports with a pleasing and outgoing personality. His funeral is at St Mary’s Church, Denver on Wednesday 19 February at 12 noon.
c) It was good to see Charlie Graham at the club last Saturday. Charlie was taking a break from his officer training at Sandhurst which he says is going well. But I forgot to ask him if he was enjoying the experience!
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With kind regards
Mike Denham
11/2/14
Cantor’s Theatre School
