DISAPPOINTING DAY

With just four wins and two draws from our 14 matches, last Saturday has to go down as one of the most disappointing days of the season.  However, the day began promisingly at Weybread with the Girls’ Development beating Norwich Dragons 3-0 (Millie Preece (2) and Anna Kilbourn) and with the Boys’ Development drawing 0-0, also with Norwich Dragons. But for a fine display by the Dragons’ goalkeeper a victory for the Boys would have been assured. The Girls, who are in third place in their league and just two points behind second placed Yarmouth, have a friendly away to Lowestoft Railway this coming Saturday (10.00) while the Boys are away in competitive action against runaway league leaders Norwich City (4.00).

Next into home action were the Ladies’ 4ths against Norwich City 3rds and after taking the lead in the second half through Izzy Knowles they had to be satisfied with a point when the visitors equalised late in the game. Meanwhile on the other pitch the Men’s 3rdswere getting off to a fine start against high flying UEA when a reverse stick centre from Andy Johnson was deftly deflected home by Gavin Cole.  The team continued to be on top in the early stages but were let down by some inaccurate final passes and as the game progressed one sensed our chance of victory ebbing away. UEA equalised just before half time when a firm hit into the circle found another UEA stick and with the home team’s faithful supporters willingly settling for a draw hesitation on the halfway line, assuming UEA had fouled, allowed the visitors to go through to score the winner. Unfortunately the 3rds are not in action again until Saturday 15 February owing to the withdrawal from the league of Holt Harlequins and Gorleston. But this might turn out to be a blessing with availability issues surrounding theMen’s 5ths which last Saturday meant the Men’s 7ths effectively and sportingly taking over the 5ths’ away fixture against Pelicans 2nds (losing 10 – 0) at the expense of their own fixture against Bury St Edmunds 4ths.

It is back to Weybread where the Men’s 2nds seeking a much needed victory after a run of five defeats were up against Felixstowe (including ex-Magpies Bill Williams and Marc Lloyd) who seem destined for promotion. It turned out to be a splendid game with the 2nds again playing some really attractive hockey, boosted by an in-form Tristan Baynes returning from injury, and when they took the lead through Richard Ling with only five minutes remaining victory looked assured. We then won a penalty corner to further run down the clock but when this came to nothing we lost the ball in midfield enabling Felixstowe to have one further chance to score which they took with the last hit of the game!  The team are away to lowly Crostyx on Saturday (1.30) looking for that elusive win. Meanwhile the Ladies’ 7ths, after being a goal up at half time, went down 4-2 (Emma Tolhurst and Shirley McAllen) to Hornets and my suggestion of extra training for the team did not find favour after the game!

We then heard by text that the game between City of Peterborough and the Men’s 1sts had finished 5-1 – but to which side was the question? Being a pessimist (‘Are you really?’ I hear you say!) I correctly feared the worst. It transpires that after a very slick and strengthened Peterborough side had scored two good goals Magpies (for whom skipper Mark Wheelhouse scored their solitary goal) made life even easier for the home team with some uncharacteristic defensive gifts. At Weybread the following day (before the Mixed game against Spalding) we learned that Peterborough had seven chances for their five goals, Sam Moore ‘crabbed’ his way into the Peterborough circle on several occasions without managing a shot and that defender Leigh Sitch absolved himself from any blame over the five goals! Joking apart this defeat is a big setback to the team’s promotion hopes but all is far from lost with Saturday’s home game against West Herts (NB. 12.30) now taking on even more importance.

But after we heard that away from home the Ladies’ 5ths had been pipped in their top of the table clash with Diss going down 2-1 (Jose Tibbenham) we were cheered by the news that the Ladies’ 3rds and Ladies’ 2nds had both won. The 3rds were 4-0 victors over Lowestoft Railway with goals by Rachel Herod, Catherine Kilbourn and Kara Kilbourn (2) which means that Catherine has now scored 19 goals for the team this season with sister Kara close on her heels with 15 – some record and ‘well done’! Meanwhile the 2nds had to twice come from behind against Chelmsford 2nds to record a good 3-2 victory with goals by Sarah Brook, Georgie Minta and Anouska Stott. The team was boosted by the return of Holly Baker after her ‘finger jammed in door’ injury!  This week the 5ths are away to Sprowston 2nds (12.30) while the 3rds entertain Norwich City 3rds (4.00) and the 2nds host West Herts (2.15) who are a point above them.

We finally had a win from the men’s side of the club to cheer when the table topping 6ths beat Bury St Edmunds 5ths by two goals to one at Weybread. When Myles King and Sol Barker put the team two up in the first half a comfortable win seemed on the cards but Bury had other ideas and after they thumped in an unstoppable shot at a penalty corner with fifteen minutes to go concern was felt by home players and supporters alike before the welcome final whistle. The game was admirably umpired by the father and son duo of David and Andy Johnson and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the club’s umpires (and all other umpires) for their invaluable help week after week. Many of the club’s umpires help out either before or after their own games when no doubt they would much prefer to be doing something else!

On Sunday the U18 Boys had the disappointment of their EHB Plate game against Dereham being called off as Dereham could not field a full team but there was no similar disappointment for the Mixed team when they hosted Spalding in their EHB Trophy first round clash. But with the horribly wet and cold weather both teams must have thought of the advantages of staying in the clubhouse! But out they all went (together with some twelve hardy spectators) to face the elements for a game played in the best of spirits. With just 10 players Spalding were up against it from the start but the home team took several minutes to trouble the scoreboard operator before Lucy Whiting popped up with the first of her two goals. It was 4-0 at half time when all the spectators headed for the warmth and dry of the clubhouse only to emerge for more after a welcome hot drink. Magpies went 7-0 up at which time skipper Leigh Sitch missed the ball just over the other side of the halfway line and with goalkeeper Megan Adams off the pitch (feeling both ill and very cold) and with arguably the club’s outstanding forward in defence Luke Jackson ran through to score a well-deserved consolation goal for the visitors. The final score was 8-1 with the other goals for Magpies coming from Martin Fields (2), Lauren Barber, Simon Hipwell, Lizzie Clymer and MOTM Richard Larkin. Well done to both teams, umpires Trevor Norman (who in early February deservedly and belatedly – in my view – umpires his first national league match) and Matt Pilgrim and all the spectators.

Good luck to all our teams this weekend including on Saturday the Ladies’ 1sts in away friendly action against Buckingham (12.00) in preparation for their return to vital league action on Saturday week and to our teams in the Norwich City Minis on Sunday. Please see the website for the full list of this weekend’s fixtures.

Comments and news in brief:

a) It is a big ‘thank you’ to Philip Cobbald for kindly repairing the netting on the far side of the water-based pitch.

b) With cold weather forecast please keep an eye on the Home Page of the websitefor the latest news regarding training and weekend matches.

c) Verity Blyth (until recently a member of the 1^st team squad and now away at university) is running in this April’s London Marathon and would much appreciate your sponsorship support. Please see http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=VerityBlyth.

d) Please come to the quiz on Saturday evening!  Fair but challenging questions guaranteed but in answer to a question I received on Sunday there is no reduction to the £5 entry fee if you don’t want the nibbles!

e) Date for your diary please – Champagne Cocktails & Canapés Party (Saturday 15 March).

IceniPost.com – sponsors of www.magpies-hockey.co.uk

With kind regards

Mike Denham

[email protected]

28/1/14