Match Reports 2004/05

Since 2003/04 the club has produced a weekly newsletter, during the season, containing match reports from each of the games played that weekend.

Fri 14-Jan-05

Issue 11

Welcome back to what is traditionally the more successful half of the season for THD. Determination to make up for excess guzzling perhaps, though I'm slightly twitchy at the sight of some members who seem to have shrunk over the holidays. Not EJ though which is a relief, while Nicky Prior at least has the excuse of having to eat for six weeks through a straw after having her jaw broken in Purley in December (it's jinxed man, don't go there). Reassuring then to see the Men's 1s kick start 2005 with a win, and some solidity, if spluttering, from the Men's 4s and 6s. The Women's 3s and Men's 5s also got stuck in early, but with more teams back in action this Saturday, why not blow away the Christmas cobwebs with a little bit of touchline tarting this weekend. Happy New Year!

match reports by: Oliver Morgan, Mark Jones, Graeme Evans; Chris Richman and Joanna Reynolds.

Men's 1s vs. Gore Court: won 2-0

Playing against a relegation contender first game back after Xmas was a potential banana skin. We started in style with some serious showboating down the right in the form of Nurse and Curry, the latter spraying a reverse stick shot high and wide of the goal and dislocating his shoulder in the process. A squirt of deep heat did the job though and within 5 minutes he was back on. Fifteen minutes in the deadlock was broken. Felix Nurse slammed his penalty corner against the crossbar, it was pounced on by Gaz Weir and with a great piece of vision he fed Will Brown at the far post to sweep home. We buried them in the second half with a perfectly executed corner finished off by Aussie journeyman Dave Q.Weir who looked dangerous at the spearhead of the attack. The scoreline flattered Gore Court who lacked firepower up front and never troubled our defence; no-one could get past Tim Howarth who had a blinder in his 3rd game since joining from Brighton. Gore Court had a token bloater playing in the middle who was quite skilful but apart from that they lacked inventiveness and went home with nothing. TFC. (OM)

Team: Andrew Eames, Gaz Weir, Chris Roberts, Tom Curry, Olly Morgan, Jim Ireson, Joel Burrows, Will Brown, Tim Howarth, David Weir, Felix Nurse, Gregg McAlister.

Scorers: Brown, D. Weir.

MOM: Tim Howarth

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Barnes (away)

Men's 2s: no game

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Oxford University - 10.30 away

Men's 3s: match postponed

Next match: Saturday 22nd January vs. London Wayfarers - 10.30 @ Dulwich College

Tornados vs. Richmond: drew 2-2

Bbbback with a bbbang... bbbouncebbbackabbbility and bbbrave bbbattling was bbbound to bbbreak the *spirit* of Richmond. This mmmatch has to bbbe seen as a wwwinning draw. Cccoming bbback ttto dddraw fffrom 2-0 down and rrripping the heart & bbbelief from the oppo. The cccommitment, ccconsistency and ccconcentration were all there, just need to bbbe a bbbit mmmore ccclinical. It looks like this half of the season is ssstuttering & ssspluttering into ppplace. (MJ)

Team: Jeremy Porter (GK), Mark Jones, Tom Alexander, Neil Smith, Nick Thomson, Rich Fenton, Ben Udy, Neil Gallagher, Nick Jones, Adrian Meredith, Loz Mockery, Will Morgan, Warren Holme & Simon Riley.

Scorers: Si Riley & Neil Gallagher.

Man of the Match: Neil Gallagher.

Umpire: Aidan Brock.

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. London Wayfarers - 11.30 away @ Tiffin Girls School

Men's 5s vs. Reading: lost 1-3

Another defeat, but at least author and occasional hockey player Ian Cooper seized the opportunity to sell three more books and keeper Paul Reid returned to top form with a man-of-the-match performance. With age very much on their side, a youthful Reading team dominated play but found the THD defence hard to break down and needed a deflected short-corner, a momentary aberration from Reidy and a debatable head-high finish to score their goals. In contrast, Si Riley rounded off a fine THD move with a turn and shot and there were other chances that Cooper may - just may - have buried when in his prime. At 2-1 there was a glimmer of hope, but the long trip was fruitless and THD must now look to end their four game losing streak at home to Hampstead & Westminster on Saturday. (GE)

Team: Paul Reid, Vish Phakey, Stuart Craig, Billy Dowie, Graeme Evans, Mark Oakley, Richard Batty, Oliver Walton, Mark Annear, Ian Cooper, Simon Riley.

Scorer: Si Riley

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Hampstead & Westminster - 12 noon @ Dulwich College

Men's 6s vs. Old Loughtonians Academy: drew 1-1

Certainly by me and hopefully all on the pitch will regard this as two points dropped rather than one point gained. We started off well and passed the ball around creating chances and generally dominating the game until going ahead mid way through the half through a well worked goal deflected in by Kim Keats. Unfortunately this was about as good as it got during the first half as we then created a couple of golden chances which we took with the ruthlessness of a not particularly hungry and toothless lion. After asking where we thought we had gone wrong in the first half at half time and with everyone getting the answer right, I took my position on the side of the pitch with renewed hope for the second half. However what I hadn't realised was that no one had decided to take their positions on the pitch. This continued for the first ten minutes of the half and we were eventually punished by OL conceding the equalising goal. This and a major tantrum from me seemed to shake us into some form of action unfortunately without any end result. Looking forward though there are only two teams in this league that we probably will not be able to beat so the second half of this season should see us register more wins than the first. (CR)

Scorer: Kim Keats

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. HAC Sutlers - away

Women's 1s

South Indoor - Knocked out at semi final round robin stage

Next match: Sunday 16th January vs. Southgate (HA Trophy 3rd Round) - 13.00 @ Dulwich College

Women's 2s: no game

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Surbiton - home

Women's 3s vs. Addiscombe: lost 0-1

A month is too long for the 3s to rest - especially when Christmas intervenes - but at least we had a strong wind to blow the cobwebs away and a very enthusiastic opposition. We all ambled in and just about managed to have 11 on the pitch at the start. We really should have been well in the lead by half time but things were not quite going right. The second half started brighter for us but still no goals - although a great chance went just wide from Sophie following a great cross by Beth. Addiscombe then got a stroke which they missed - so confirming our belief that it wasn't really a stroke in the first place, but as the game waned and we lost shape and structure, Addiscombe sneaked in to score. But hey. It was good to play. We won't miss so many chances next time. We'll get our team work back and all will be well. It was good to run around and have a few beers afterwards to welcome in the new year. Which, by the way, marks my 25th anniversary at the club. Great to play with Kate Blumer again and always good to have Lucy in the team. And she was right, we need to arrive earlier and warm up so looking forward to seeing you all earlier next week! Player of the day - Catherine Garvey. Sick she might have been and not played since November, but she was our star. Thanks to James Terrett for umpiring. We owe you a beer, I think. (JR)

Team: Krystyna, Kate Blumer, Joanna Reynolds, Erica Goldsmith, Catherine Garvey, Beth Little, Jo de Silva, Lou Curry, Lucy Muldoon, Ros Hornsby, Helen Singleton, Sophie Carter.

Umpire: James Terrett

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Wanderers - 10.30 @ Dulwich College

Women's 4s: no game

Next match: Saturday 22nd January vs. Barnes - home

Women's 5s: no game

Next match: Saturday 22nd January vs. Merton - home

Women's 6s: no game

Next match: Saturday 15th January vs. Addiscombe 3s - away

Dragons: no game

Next match: Sunday 16th January vs. UCL Academicals - 14.00 @ Battersea Park

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