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Newsletter 2005/06
Since 2003/04 the club has produced weekly match reports. From the start of the 2005/06 season this became a weekly newsletter, distributed during the season, containing match reports from each of the games played that weekend as well as other key information and a selection of adverts and offers.
Lost in (Cyber)space! Retrieved 21-Nov-05Issue 06
Recovered. A few weeks late but the chronicle's survived. Important, you begin to feel, as part of what could be a sensational 2005-6 story for the Diamonds. They win again. But there were victories for others too - T5 (confidence restored), and the Women's 2s and the Dragons (their form continues). Our latest creative writing award is monopolised by Andy Balchin. Roll on.
reports by: Andy Balchin, Aidan Brock, Mark Jones, Graeme Evans, Chris Richman, Gemma Baker, Kate Blumer, Stacey Sellman, Claire Whitehead, Frances Barber, Vicky Wright .
Men's 1s vs. Staines: Lost 1-4
Due to the attitude of the an umpire who looked a bit like a little Merv Hughes and the fact that this is a family website. It was decided not to print the THD 1st XI vs Staines match report, but instead post a report on the thrilling after match game of Monopoly that followed in clubhouse.
Team: Whitechapel (Chris Roberts), Angel - Islington (Rob), Go to Jail (Gareth Weir), Free Parking (Tim Howarth), Fleet
Street (Dave Hancock), Leicester Square (Andy Balchin), Whitehall (Andres), Marylebone Station (Sam), The Strand (Dave Casement), Mayfair (Jack Davidson), Park Lane (John Drury), Subs: Water Works (Andrew Eames), Electricity Company (James Ireson), Chance? (Chris Smith),
Men's 2s vs. Oxford: Lost 2-3
So to the annual Oxford away trip and a chance to get the show on the road and our first win. Team spirit was the name of the game and the provision of Ed's school bus did the trick. Banter ensued for the entire journey led by Ed "that's a fact" Stevenson and we arrived early, revived and raring to go. Playing against a team to whom you are giving away an average of ten years a man is never easy, however we got stuck in early and were rewarded with a penalty flick, which was expertly (!) put away by the skipper. 1-0 up, the first time we'd led a game all season, things were looking up. Unfortunately they scored from the restart and equalised John Nurses short corner flick soon after to go in 2-2 at half time. The second half saw a stalemate and Wiggy showed some excellent form against his alma mater, pulling off the most audacious sole of foot save these youngsters had ever seen. Alas, we hit the post a total of three times and they scored with five to go. Their reaction on scoring was one of total jubilation, mixed with a large dose of 'how did we manage to get out of that one?' I don't wonder. We were the better team but lost, however a more settled unit and great team play means that we can't and won't go on losing for long.
After the match we promptly lost a boat race thanks to a slow start (mentioning no ginger names) nevertheless those intrepid 8 who stayed for a night out in Oxford had a riot. The die game (as in one die and two dice for those not in the know) , fives spoof and "I'll have 12 killer zombies please" were some highlights however what goes on tour stays on tour so no more info (see Banners for unabridged version).
Team: Wiggy, Aido, Banners, Bungle, Nursey, Hughesy, Ferg, Snowy, Potty, Matt G, Joe (+Clifford Brown for one half)
Scorers: Aido, Nursey.
Next match: Saturday 5 November vs. Richmond - 12:30 @ DC
Men's 3s: No game
Next match: Saturday 5th November vs. Southgate 3A's - Away
Tornados vs. Teddington Saplings D2-2
It's not often you have to take the pitch against 12 people and that is exactly what happened to us. The Tornados were legendary in taking an early lead against 3 rd placed SAPlings through a move so well worked it got an overtime bonus. The oppo then replied by exerting the sort of pressure you'd put on a severed femoral artery. This spell brought them 2 goals - or perhaps it would be better to say gifted as it seems their fairy godmother (sporting a whistle) certainly contributed. The response from the Tornados was to score another three goals - of which we were actually allowed to register one of them. It finished as draw and like OJ's trial, everyone really knew what happened but history only records the results. As my old mate the Victim Support Officer used to say "you must have felt violated". we did. Bitter? Cut me and I bleed lemon.
Team: Lee Tearle (GK), MJ, Nick Thomson, Tom Alexander, Robby Layton, Si Wilshire, Dougal Davis, Nick Harris, James Perrott, Nick Jones, Dan Hopkins, Loz Mockery & James Huntley.
Scorers: Nick Harris & James Huntley
Umpire: Si Newell
Coaches: Si Riley
Next match: Sat 5 November vs. Richmond Stags - 14.00 @ DC
Diamonds vs. PHC Chiswick 4s: Won 4-0
Until Warren Holme deftly chipped a short-corner onto the crossbar (admittedly via a defender's stick) and into the path of Nick Hart, it had looked like being one of those days. The Diamonds had toiled without reward and sometimes rode their luck against the League's basement boys, but when the breakthrough came just before half-time the floodgates opened, and three goals on his Diamonds' debut from Irfan Begg demoralised Chiswick. Even a hat-trick doesn't get you the man-of-the-match award these days, though, and Nick maintained his grasp on the accolade after another strong showing down the right. The Diamonds remain second in the League, but Tim Harris became our first casualty of the season, out for a month with a broken finger (he assures us it happened on the pitch). Thanks to Mike Killen and Neil Vose for umpiring under the critical supervision of some very biased spectators - our three subs and Ollie's dad. (GE)
Scorers: Irfan (3), Nick Next match: Saturday 5th November vs. Richmond Lions - 16.30 away
Royals vs. Old Loughtonians Loppers: Lost 1-6
For this match report please read the start of last weeks. For the worse defeat of my TH&D career please now read the second worst. Even when I first started playing here for the two's when the two's were the worst side in the club and getting beaten most weeks it was never as bad as the last two weeks.
I can't speak for the rest of my team but I look forward to my weekends and the hockey that brings. I have a poor job that barely pays enough for me to live on and so I view hockey as a bit of an escape from the drudgery of my everyday life but after the last two weeks I am not so sure anymore. Basically this performance was unacceptable and hopefully everybody involved will feel the same. There was no heart, no passion, the team spirit we had at the back end of last season is completely missing and we got beaten by the same team that we drew with and beat last season. Basically we really need a result this week or we will find ourselves going to away to Old Loughts academy, the better of the two sides, spending the best part of the day in Essex again and surrendering to abject defeat again. I for one am not prepared for that to happen. I am ashamed to of been captain for the last two weeks and really don't want that to continue.
Team: Gavin Lawson, Will Pendrill, Keith Howick, Richard Mead, Neil Eggins, Chris DeSouza, Doug Heard, Mark Annear, Ben Lones, Kim Keats, Oliver DeLa Fosse, Mike Wright, Chris Richman
Scorer: Doug Heard
Women's 1s vs. Maidenhead: Lost 2-3
To lose 3-2 is pretty depressing at the best of times, but to lose 3-2 when we were 2-0 up is a hundred times worse. More infuriating is that we started off playing really quite well. Maidenhead had a very skillful forward who harrassed our defence from all angles, but we did a good job at keeping her quiet (the green card that she got in the opening 5 minutes might have helped as well). Jen opened the scoring for us after 12 minutes with a great strike from a PC, which went straight between the goalie's pads and Faye made it 2-0 ten minutes later after she pounced on a Maidenhead error to bury the ball in the bottom left corner. So, after 25 mins, we were looking quite comfortable. And we were playing some good stuff. And then we lost concentration.
To be fair, all of Maidenhead's goals were pretty good. Their first came from a short corner, struck by an incredibly formiddable girl (the kind of girl who would play at right back when we were in the second year at school...tallest, largest and could hit a ball really hard). Their second was scored by their very skillful forward who skipped between 4 of our players before unleashing a shot, while off-balance, that George got a pad to but that was still powerful enough to find the back of the net. But, 2-2 at half time, all was not lost.
Its not that we played badly in the second half, but more that we never got going. We did have a few chances to take the lead again, but just couldn't capitalise on them. And even when the oppo were reduced to 10, our third goal never materialised. Maidenhead's match-winning goal was a cracking undercut from a re-bounded short corner and put the game beyond reach. It was another of those games that we didn't deserve to lose, but it is a wake up call for us to pull our finger out and start playing like we know we can.
Team: George Sykes, Clare Byrne, Kath Sowter, Jenni Martin (motm), Alex Crawford, Charley Williams, Gemma Baker, Rachel Lander, Faye Billing, Bettina Wolff, EJ Barry, Lou Morgan & Martha Harvey-Jones
Scorers: Jenni Martin & Faye Billing
Next match: Away v Oxford Hawks 2pm
Women's 2s vs. Hounslow, Barnes & Ealing 4s: Won 1-0
By 11 am, we were raring to go after a thorough warm up and team talk under blue skies. Well, everyone was apart from Lucy M - she overslept, poor thing, can't imagine why.
We started slowly getting the ball stuck down the left flank. Eventually we realised and switched the play. Not long after, a cross came into our D from the right and Liz sent the ball home with expertise/ease. Great goal. There were copious more shots on goal; a great ball to Longbeard on the right from the centre of midfield saw her flash the ball across their goalmouth - but, I'm afraid, a bit too quickly for it to be converted into what could have been a great goal. Then there was Oz's one on one with the goalie. Less said about that the better. That was only the first half.
HB&E came out more positively in the second half but we rose to the occasion. Plenty more goal-scoring opportunities ensured, but none we could convert. Oz ran her socks off, as did Rosie and Emma, creating difficulty for their defence. A tense last ten minutes saw THD fumbling with the ball and getting up to their old tricks of giving away possession. But with Lucy P's superb tackling at the back we held on to our goal lead, which should have been 3. However, we didn't care much. 3 points and fourth in the table is fine by us. A great team effort. Well done all.
Team: George Sykes, Lucy Partington, Lucy Muldoon, Kate Blumer, Shorty, Kate Selway, Sarah Longair, Hanna Cooke, Liz Young, Rosie Carter, Oz (potm), Emma Kitley.
Scorer: Liz Young
Umpire: Mark Jones
Women's 3s vs. Woking Vets: Lost 0-2
After a battle last week, we were ready for the same this week - we'd been told they were a good side with several ex-national league players. We started strong and so did they. There was a power struggle in the midfield but we found we were up to the challenge. At the very end of the first half we were under a lot of pressure at the back and they had a string of short corners and managed to convert one so we were 1-0 down at half time. The second half started and some people couldn't quite keep their emotions from boiling over ending in a green card for one of us and 2 for them. After a talking to from our captain everyone got on and did their jobs. Up until the last 10 minutes when they broke from the half way line leaving a 6 on 4 with our defence stranded the goal keeper came to smother the ball and after taking away the direct danger Woking managed to regain possession with one shot saved off the line it was enevitable that the score was going to become 2-0 to Woking, and thats how it stayed until the final whistle.
Team: Jess (GK), Stacey Sellman, Nens Corren, Lou Curry(C), Karen Dodds, Kate Vicary, Julie Lapsley, Mo Obrien, Beth Little, Roz Hornsby, Emma Matebalavu, Erica Glodsmith, Penny Stephens.
Umpire: Julie Ferrett
Women's 4s vs London Edwardians: Lost 1-2
A fab new warm up routine made sure we were in the mood and ready to go for this match - we had supporters, we had subs (many of them!)....but the oppo looked scarily young and fit - always a worry. We held our own for the first 15 minutes, and then to our horror (why didn't she play advantage?) we were awarded a penalty flick. This is not generally thought to be a good thing in the 4's. Amazingly, however, the goalie was rooted to the spot and didn't even move - we scored!
Next Match: Saturday 5 Novmber vs. South Godstone Is - 13.00 @ Caterham School
Womens 5s vs. Epsom 5s: Won 3-1
A stunning return to form for T5 (as predicted last week). Fantastic running and scoring from Penny, brilliant defense and clearance from Rachael, strong team effort from the rest of us. Epsom - nice girls, but they never stood a chance. Golly gosh - we're good. (T5 - We had better win this weekend after such a shockingly arrogant match report). And we had fancies for tea. FB
Scorers: Penny x 2, Andrea
Next match: Saturday 5th November vs. Wanderers 5s - 11.00 @ JAGS
Women's 6s vs. Camberley & Farnborough 3s (4.30 pm at Camberley (make that 5 pm by the time we started): lost 0-9
We lost.
The receipt has been found and the Jimmy Choo's are being returned. They are just too painful.
MOTM: Alice Smith (for saving more goals than were scored - and they were scored - no easy goals). Camberley were upset not to get 10 and were most impressed with our Alice - as was I.
Team: Alice Smith, Kate Straker, Isla McGregor, Helen Fermor, Zoe Negus, Gigi Ho, Emma Gilchrist, Katie Stone, Victoria Wright, Lucy Gilchirst, Mae Lynne McDougal.
Umpire: Ian Wright
Next match: Saturday 5 November vs. Reigate Priory - 12.30 @ JAGS
Dragons vs. UCL: won 6-3
As soon as the whistle blew the Dragons treated UCL like a hunger striking prisoner and force-fed them a Ratty hat-trick. Snowy - drunker than a young Oliver Reed - managed to forget which team he was on and scored for them. Thankfully Gemma promptly served them up dessert of another brace. add to this the after dinner mint of Lou Morgan's outrageous tap-in and there was no way they were coming back from that - it was a mountain that even Sir Ranulf Fiennes couldn't climb. George contributed with the masterful saving of a flick while Nick Thomson's in full Bruce Lee mode used ninja skills to ensure that ever part of his body and stick stopped the ball crossing the line at some point during the game. The rest of the team just took turns in being more brilliant than the latest Dulux white emulsion. If anyone ached after the game it was because it hurts to be this good! As my old mate the cricket coach used to say "it's so satisfying to hit them for six".
Team: George Sykes (GK), MJ, Will Nurse, Lee Snowden, Aidan Brock, Nick Thomson, Ratty, Si Wilshire, Liz Young, Lou Morgan, Gemma Baker, Vicky Wright, Lou Curry, Sarah Longair & Charley Williams.
Scorers: Ratty (3), Gemma (2) & Lou Morgan
Umpire: Chris Richman |
