DOWN BUT NOT OUT
We all knew that this was going to be a tough season for the Men’s 1sts and the last few months have borne that out culminating with relegation last Saturday back to the East Premier A, after three exciting years in the national league, despite a spirited performance in their home 4-4 draw with Indian Gymkhana. One can find reasons for this sad outcome including the loss of key players at the beginning of the season, injuries, understandable absences due to work commitments and the failure to hang on to leads in key games. Another is the sheer strength of the teams in what is a mainly London based league which last Saturday saw Teddington (who we drew with) beating league champions Canterbury, mid-season strengthened Bromley & Beckenham (who we drew with) beating second placed Old Loughtonians and Oxted (who we drew with) beating Peterborough. So on this basis we were up with several of the other teams but only two wins from seventeen games tells its own story. I feel for the players in their big disappointment and especially so for Robert Stimpson who as manager has given so much to the team over many years. During that time he has done the club proud. Thanks Robert. The players have undertaken to stick together to get back to the national league as soon as possible. We are down but certainly not out!
In other matches at Weybread on an initially rare wet Saturday there were some good wins for the club including the Ladies’ 4ths beating Lowestoft Railway 1-0 with a thumping second half penalty corner conversion by Sarah Legg and much vocal encouragement from skipper Treacle Griffin; the Ladies’ 6ths gaining a vital 2-0 win over Norwich City 6ths with goals by captain Jody Guest and Vanessa Vigrass (followed next day by a good 0-0 draw with Norwich City 4ths); the Men’s 4ths recovering from two goals down to gain an important 3-2 win over the Men’s 5ths with Phil Cobbald (2) and Andy Caston scoring for the 4ths after captain Eddie Thorne and Tim Johnson had found the net for the 5ths and the Men’s 3rds (unbeaten at home all season – something even the Ladies’ 2nds couldn’t achieve Nigel!) beating Norwich City 2nds with goals by James Goodson, Rob Goodson and Gavin Cole boosted by the late surprise cameo return from injury of skipper Matt Brand.
Thankfully there was no danger of James Lane crushing Matt again as he was keeping goal for the Men’s 2nds in their narrow 3-1 (James Baker) away defeat by second placed Peterborough 2s. This defeat combined with two teams below them winning makes this Saturday’s home game with Letchworth (1.45) a vital encounter if the very real threat of relegation is to be dispelled. Also away last Saturday were the triumphant Ladies’ 2nds who beat Ipswich 3rds 5-2 (Krystal Bishop (2), Anouska Hipperson (2) and Saffron Wilford) and the Ladies’ 3rds who beat Dereham 3rds 2-1 (Kara Kilbourn and Arianne Dyball) while the Ladies’ 5ths were gifted a walkover win by the illness struck Pelicans 3rds.
The big game at Weybread on Sunday was the annual friendly clash between the Senior Veterans and the LX Club expertly organised as ever by club president Tony Williams. The match ended in a 2-1 triumph for Magpies with goals by Roger Kent (is he near to 60?!) and Malcolm Berry (usually seen with whistle in hand) but not before the crowd was entertained by a) the emergence from retirement of brothers Dick and Stuart Naunton showing what they lacked in speed they more than made up in positional sense and hockey nous, b) the MOTM performance of the goalkeeper purporting to be Kim Steggles (‘That cannot be Kim!’ we said) and c) the heroic dodgy hip defying umpiring performance by Graham Ramm who made the MOTM award to Kim for the second time in five years at the excellent post game luncheon. It was good to see these club stalwarts in action again.
Good luck to all our teams this weekend. Please see the complete list of fixtures on the Home Page of the website including the Ladies’ 1sts seeking to complete a double on Saturday (NB. 2.00) when hosting Chelmsford after their narrow defeat last Sunday at the hands of the newly crowned league champions Surbiton.
Congratulations to:
a) Sarah and James Stacey on the birth of Samuel. It is also very special best wishes to all three following the premature birth of Samuel who came into the world after a very difficult time for his mother weighing just two pounds.
b) The U12 Boys for winning the Norfolk Minis at Gresham’s School last Sunday for the third successive year (beating Norwich Dragons 5-0, Norwich City 2-1 and Pelicans 4-0) thereby qualifying for the East Finals to be hosted by the club on Saturday 14 April. I understand that the EHB are now calling Mini hockey IN2HOCKEY. What next?!
I am sorry to close this week’s column with the very sad news of the death of Alan Cogdell who for nearly ten years gave splendid service to the club as an umpire and especially to the Men’s 4ths, only retiring at the beginning of last season. Alan died early yesterday morning following the recent return of his leukaemia. He was a life-long hockey enthusiast as player, official (especially with Broxbourne HC and Hertfordshire CHA) and umpire – the latter for 35 years. Our condolences go to his wife Moira, son Duncan and all members of the family on their huge loss.
With kind regards
Mike Denham
20/3/12
imajaz can promote your web site every week!
