After being refered to as a little f**ker by the Captain this week I thought I had better step up to the challenge of actually completing a match report.

The excitement started during a vigourous dynamic warm up, which resulted in a member of the team tripping up. After further investigation it was discovered that this had been due to a shoelace getting caught around the leg of a 'wandering' chicken. The other team had not only invaded our side of the pitch for their warm up, they had carelessly shoe'd the chickens and forgotton to close the gate. Chickens everywhere.. All the more reason to beat them.

It was a gritty battle, which left us 0-0 at half time. It was in the second half that things really got going with 1 sending off (for them not us) a green card (by us not them) and a goal (BY US NOT THEM!) set up by a beautiful speedy run and cross by Jenny. We narrowly missed chances to score another goal when a short corner was awarded instead of advantage played and another where a magnificent strike by Vicky whistled passed the far post. Final score 1-0 THD! woop woop!

Happy Christmas all. X

Sarah, Kate, Vicky, Amy, Ellie, Georgie, Jen, Jenn, Reedy, Diane, Emily, Matilda, Nicola.

After watching Wales lose out to France in the Rugby a few hours earlier, little did we think that our match would have similar qualities. Before the match even started a few French accents were heard in the oppo team which stirred many emotions.Pre-match chat was of how we were to adopt our new formation and to try and iron out the errors of the last game.Unfortunately for us this was to prove futile.Minutes after the PB, a few dodgy decisions about a ball being lifted in to the D and a short corner was given against us.The result was a well worked routine by Hampstead and Westminster (1-0).The second goal came from some sloppy marking and within 18 minutes or so we were 2-0 down!The half finished with us starting to show glimmers of how we are capable of playing.The second half was marred with could-have, should-haves.Yes, we played better but we just didn't take our chances.A scrambled short corner, courtesy of Potty resulted in us getting one goal back.However, despite our sense of urgency, H&W got another goal, partly thanks to another team playing an extra ball onto the pitch causing defensive confusion.In all we lost! (3-1)

Wales=bad ref decisionand not taking chances.

THD= bad umpiring decisionsand not taking chances.

With the changing of the seasons the fairer skinned members of the team were able to return from their self imposed exile. They had missed an enjoyable match against a jeuvenile Reading team who had wilted in the heat. Things would be rather different this week. We were pitted against an opposition who appeared genetically advantaged. Much like the Dromedary Camel they had fatty humps around their waists which provided the fuel reserves necessary to compete against the hard working TH&DHC 3s.
Despite an hours warm up we got off to a slow start. After ten minutes we conceded a scrappy goal. We fought back with favourable possesion stats but it was not till the second half that we began to mount threatening skirmishes into their D. But like the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge B&B counter attacked and with the help of some subtle footwork scored. It was a goal that all but ended the match.
With four minutes left Tim Sylvester provided a glimmer of hope from a short corner but it was too late.
For an energetic performance in midfield Sam was awarded MOM and for the second week running Sparks picked up TFC.

Sheldon Rob Chris Snowy Mike Sam Alex C Hammy Darren Tim S Foggy Potty Henry Nick H Sparks

On what was officially the hottest day ever in October, we embraced on the unenviable 2 hour trip to Reading on a Saturday Afternoon. We had couple of inexplicable drop outs on the morning of the game and were left with 12. Obviously at this stage of the season we're at the peak of our physical fitness so this posed no foreseeable issues. Well that was until we started running around in what appeared to be some kind of Swedish sauna without the twig laden blonde beauties. Our oppo, a development team from Reading, were younger than us, mostly weren't of legal drinking age meaning no beer guts/hangovers and as such should have been expected to out last us by some distance. But no. We embraced the new 3-8-2-1-4 formation with great effect and made the ball do the work in holding possession for long spells in the game. After going 1-0 up through Hammy from a well worked short corner straight off someone else's training ground, we looked in control of the game. However, a lapse in defensive marking giving too much space to one of the year 7 kids and we were level going into half time.

Much water was taken on board, partnered with discussion of how we remember the days when hockey used to be a winter sport and we were ready to embrace the second half. Several well worked chances were put together before Darren managed to slot home the goal to put us back in front. All of their chances came from short corners and some good saves from Sheldon (including palming one into his own face) kept us on top. Turn over ball and swift counter attacking hockey left Sparky unmarked top 'D' with enough time to apply some more sun cream before coolly slotting home a the goal that made sure we took away 3 points from a good performance. Bring on next week, slightly cooler weather and 3 more points. (CC)

Sheldon (GK), Hammy, Chris, Friend!, Rob T, CR 12, Sam (yes he turned up), Aido, Irish, Darren, Henry, Sparky (Cap)