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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.
(Also) Sat 21-Jan-06Issue 14
Apologies for the delay in getting the Tribune out but it was the season to be merry! A merry we were... and why the hell not? The first half of the season has gone and the nice weather along with it. Cups & playoffs beckon for many teams but a season is often saved or ruined in January...
Almost a full set of fixtures this week with six teams running out as winners. The 3s & the Diamonds were the men's only victorious side but the Womens 3s, 4s & 1s were on song for the Women's section. Sadly T5 found themselves facing no-one as their opposition failed to show up! While the Men's 1s found the net on four occasions and only got a draw from it. The Dragons get back to winning ways and edge back to the top of their division, although Real Battersea can steal their spot if they win their game in hand.
reports by: Jimmy Ireson, Aidan Brock, James Terrett, Billy Dowie, Chris Richman, Gemma Baker, Lou Curry, Lucy Partington, Tim Bowden and Victoria Wright.
Men's 1s vs. Barnes: Drew 4-4
Team: Chris Roberts, Andrew Eames, Tim Howarth, Rob Morgan, Chris Smith, Andy Balchin, Andres Labourt, Tom Hughes, James Huntley, James Ireson, John Craven, John Drury, Dave Casement.
Scorers: Dave Casement, John Drury, James Ireson, Andres Labourt.
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Gore Court - 12ish @ Dulwich College
Men's 2s vs. Beckenham & Bromley 2s: Lost 0-8
What can you say? We were beaten (nay given a lesson in hockey) by the imperious league leaders. Fast pitch, fast and fit opposition with finishing that the 1s would have been proud of, while we were frustratingly off form, flat footed, floundering, focusless(?), fitness left us, far too few of our team 'turned up', f***. Forewarning of future frees to the 3s for any feckless fellows who fail to front up for future fixtures..... (AB)
Team: Wiggy, Ferg Jagger, Pully, Alex Brown, Ed Stevenson, Aido, Banners, John Nurse, Matt Groom, Joe, Paul H, Laurent, Potty, Garth
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Maidenhead - 12:30 @ JAGS
Men's 3s vs. Bromley & Beckenham 3As: Won 3-0
A deserved win, but one we made very difficult for ourselves. B&B actually started better than us and we helped them out with deft skill in passing straight to them continually for the first 10 minutes. Just the sort of thing that builds confidence. Luckily for the 3s, and slightly against the run of play, Nick Jacob seized on a stray pass and ran through on the goalie to slot home. The game then became ridiculously open, but with no penetration from either side into the D. With me umpiring the half-time talk was left to Nick who no doubt told the team to keep their discipline and control. Nick then dutifully picked up a yellow card to ensure B&B could really start to attack. What followed, however, was our best spell of the game, with THD looking far more likely to score. MOTM and golden pint winner Robby Layton was again immense at the back, and with strong play through the middle B&B desperately fouled Foggy in the D giving THD a flick. Lee Snowden stepped up and scored, but had to re-take as the keeper wasn't happy with the formalities. With his legs shaking like a dog having a crap in the wind, Lee scored effortlessly again to everyone's relief. There was time for Lee Tearle to pull off two magnificent saves before the 3s then pressed forward again and cemented the win with a well worked move, Nick again on target. Hammertime.
Team: Lee Tearle, Thom Ruane, Rob Glavin, Robby Layton, Kieron Norris, Wes Cole, Adam Taylor, Mike Killen, Will Atkinson, David Fogden, Alex McDonald, Lee Snowden, Nick Jacob.
Scorers: Nick Jacob (2), Lee Snowden.
Umpire: James Terrett
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Maidenhead 3s - 15.30 away
THD Tornados: No game
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Maidenhead 2As @ Crystal Palace
THD Diamonds vs. Bromley & Beckenham Weazels: Won 2-1
Among the many goals scored by the Diamonds this season, none has been sweeter than the one that sealed this exciting encounter at Dulwich College on Saturday. In a game neither side deserved to lose, Arthur Mitchell popped up at the far post to round off a stirring five-man move and leave the sizeable THD touchline contingent purring with delight. There was also relief as the Diamonds got their promotion push back on track against opponents who were a far cry from the team outplayed 4-0 earlier in the season.
No doubt fired up by that result, B&B had THD on the back foot from the start and scored from the penalty spot before the home team had even ventured out of their own half. It took a while to get going, but once Warren Holme had picked his spot from a short-corner - a two inch gap between the keeper's pads - THD were always in control despite a handful of chances for B&B. In the end, superior fitness proved the key as we consolidated second spot ahead of our top of the table clash with Hampstead & Westminster Spaniards.
Team: Paul Reid, Rob Thomas, Tom Chicken, Gus Barnard, Graeme Evans, Warren Holme, Will Morgan, Simon Canter, Nick Hart (sadly, in his last game before returning to Bath.... bye), Dominic Peyton, Ollie Walton, Arthur Mitchell, Irfan Begg
Scorers: Warren, Arthur
Attendance: 6, maybe 7
Next match: Saturday 28 January vs. Hampstead & Westminster Spaniards - 11:00 @ JAGS
THD Royals vs. Indian Gymkhana 6s: Lost 1-2
There are three very notable things every time one of the men's teams plays an Indian Gym side away. Firstly they always play ringers distinguishable by the international tracksuits they wear at the side of the pitch and during the warm up. Secondly at some point in the game there will be a fight of some form with lots of insults being hurled and thirdly there will be a curry after the game.
Depending on how you like your hockey matches, this trip to the end of one of Heathrow's runways bucked the trend and contained only one of the above - the good curry after. I for one was shocked considering the first game I played against them involved two of their players getting straight red cards inside the first ten minutes, one for punching me while I was still playing in goal; needless to say he came off worse.
The game itself much befitted the first game back after the Xmas break. If you called it pedestrian then you would probably be insulting pedestrians everywhere. It was an even game, the only differenece being the oppo converted a couple of their short corners and we didn't convert enough of the chances we had whether that be through bad finishing or bad decisions when it came to the final pass. To be honest this isn't that much of a problem if people were to make the effort to get to training.
So onwards and upwards to a grudge match against Maidenhead at the College on Saturday. God I really hate them and Reading as well. If we lose, when you return to the club and see a scruffy drunk in the corner it will be me trying to drink myself to death - any help with this will be greatly recieved. (CR)
Team: Kim Keats, Gavin Lawson, Mark Annera, Doug Heard, Will Pendrill, Keith Howick, Andy Bond, Chris DeSouza, Oliver DeLaFosse, James Kingdon, Ian Roberts, Richard Mead, Mehraab Nazir, Chris Richman
Scorer: Oliver DeLaFosse
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Maidendead - 10:30 @ Dulwich College
Women's 1s vs. Barnes, Hounslow & Ealing: Won 3-1
Third time lucky! Following two previous attempts to play this fixture (cancelled - frozen pitch), we were dreading crawling along the South Circ only to have it called off again. But the freezing weather had gone, the pitch had thawed and the algae, such a popular habitant of many water based pitches, was also enjoying the slightly milder temperatures. Our oppo hadn't had much luck so far this season, nestled at the bottom of the league with nil points, and despite calls of not being complacent etc we all knew that this should be a guaranteed three points for us.
And we started well enough - the first 10 minutes saw some fantastic play, great interlinking and a general ability to pass the ball to each other. After so much pressure it only seemed right that all that hard work should be rewarded with a goal - Charley nipping in on a short corner to put us ahead after 9 minutes.
Unfortunately we also hit the self destruct button - BHE started getting their own play together and exploited any weaknesses in our defense. They hit us hard on the counter attack and got numbers forward, which ultimately ended with them equalising when they outnumbered us about 3:1 in the circle (our 1 was Pipes!)
So, 1-1 it was at half time. Surprisingly, Will was fairly calm and barely raised his voice but merely explained how we were much better than this! So, a revived 11 hit the field and within a minute of the re-start Gemma had put THD ahead with a disguised pass that crept inside the post. The remainder of the half played out as we started. The defense gelled once more and kept out the BHE forwards who were pushing hard to find the equaliser. A particular mention must go to Lou and EJ who worked tirelessly up front, and who took advantage of a counter attack to get us a third goal, on the stroke of the final whistle. (The highlight of the day though had to be the traffic jam that Rosie caused in the car park, while stretching her hamstrings, when a team of footballers arrived....eyes certainly not on the road ahead of them! Oh to be that flexible again....)
Team: Pipes, Kath Sowter, Alex Crawford, Jenni Martin, Hannah Cooke, Nicky Prior, Gemma Baker, Faye Billing, Charley Williams, EJ Barry, Lou Morgan, Martha Harvey-Jones and Rosie Carter.
Scorers: Charley, Gemma and EJ
MOTM: Lou and EJ
Women's 1s v Holcombe (HA Trophy round 2): Won 3-1
Despite B's efforts at getting us into some sort of kit uniformity, it was Holcombe who had that professional look, already warming up when we arrived and clad head to toe in matching club kit. We'd prepared ourselves for a tough encounter, and on first sight they looked formidable. They were riding high in their league, scoring lots of goals and obviously up for this match.
But you can't judge a THD book by its cover. We may have appeared more laxidasical in the warm up, but we were obviously just saving our energy for the pitch. And it seems as though the countless pass-and-move exercises in training had finally paid off as we started to practice what Will had been preaching. We passed the ball wide, backwards, forwards, at pace and to each other....textbook......and looked in control. Alex, Faye and EJ seemed to find countless gaps down the right, winning numerous short corners, one of which Martha converted with a sweet strike to put us ahead.
Again we pressed hard - i'm not sure how much Pipes, Kath or Jen had to do in the first half - and another short corner / martha / strike routine put us 2 up. Unfortunately, Charley, just returned to playing following the removal of stiches from her thumb, found herself bleeding from the lip, following a stick/elbow in the mouth, and back at casualty for more stitches....so a slight team change brought on the new club international superstar, Penny, at CF. She immediately made her mark. With lightning speed, she pounced on a through pass, only to be wiped out by the advancing keeper. Penalty stroke awarded and up stepped the unfaultering Kath to give us a nice 3-0 lead into half time.
It was probably tiredness that crept into the THD legs in the second half, but a rejuvenated Holcombe side came out and started looking more threatening, marking tighter so we couldn't find the same gaps as before down the right and looking to hit us on the counter attack. However, we still had most of the ball, and kept winning short corners; it was after one short corner (and a slight altercation between coach and captain on the sideline - for which she later apologised!), that Holcombe bounded up the pitch and got one goal back via their high-scoring centre forward.
But with only ten minutes left, the game was won. THD held firm, took back the reins and steered themselves into the third round. Good weekend all round.....
Team: Pipes, Alex Crawford, Kath Sowter, Jenni Martin, Nicky Prior, Hannah Cooke, Faye Billing, Gemma Baker, Charley Williams, Lou Morgan, Martha Harvey-Jones, EJ Barry and Penny Stephens.
Scorers: Martha (2) and Kath
MOTM: Gemma Next match: Saturday 21 January - Friendly vs. Brighton & Hove - 14.30 @ Dulwich College.
Next trophy game: Sunday 12 February vs. Maidenhead - details TBC
Women's 2s vs. London Wayfarers 1s: Lost 1-4
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Oxted 1s - JAGS
Women's 3s vs. Wanderers 2s: Lost 1-2
This is going to be short - I should have written it after the game as I know I can't quite remember the detail other than..
Roz scored a great goal from a short corner giving us a 1 goal advantage which we hung onto for a while before Wanderers equalized. In retaliation we quickly scored another goal again from a short and a strike from Roz but unfortunately the celebration was short lived. Yep, it was disallowed something to do with the height and the back board - but we heard it honest ump - apparently only got the noise due to deflection off the GK stick otherwise it would have hit the netting in silence.....
We kept the pressure on only to let them score in the last few mins and disappointed headed back to the club. Next week.. (LC)
Team: Lou Curry, Dulcie Davies, Karen Dodds, Lucy Gaskin, Erica Goldsmith, Roz Hornsby, Emma Matabalavu, Mo O Brien, Stacey Sellman, Kate Vicary, Anna Stuttard, Fatitana D'Onafrie
Scorer: Roz Hornsby
Player of match: Dulcie Davies
Umpire: Si Riley
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Reigate - 12.30 @ St Bedes School, Redhill
Women's 4s vs. Byfleet Ramblers: WON 4-2
First outing of the new year and the Women's 4s had a completely new side by the looks of it! After going one nil down within fifteen minutes, with all the play in our half for the first thirty, we stuck to our guns and were rewarded right in the dying seconds of the half by a well taken goal by Lynsey. 1-1 at halftime then - and although it was fortunate to have had the chance in the first half which was mostly spent in our own half, parity was a great thing to have. A little reshuffle of the players by the skip during the break and we were ready to go again. They came back strong despite our very early set of short corners and unfortunately a deflected shot off two of our players at one of their shorts beat the effervescent (?!) Jess to nestle in the back of the net.
Now, this is where the whole new year new aspect thing comes in... rather than accepting that with twenty to play that it was game over, something happened to the team - they pressed very well and pushed the "we've only got one route out" Byfleet back into their 25. A short corner was won and was expertly touched in at the near post by the injector, Rosie LV: 2-2. The third goal came from open play after a good session of passing and a determined run and shot by Sophie. Byfleet started to lose their sense of humour and their captain had a full on-pitch strop before pass back - her team did not respond though, and the final coup de grace was delivered after a goalmouth scramble again by Sophie after another strong run through the faltering Byfleet midfield who had all but packed up their kit already. So 4-2, a great result to start the year with. Three goals in the final 9 minutes proving that it really isn't over until Claire's boyfriend says so... (TB)
Team: Jess Sellman, Rona Francis, Rosie Le Voir, Helen Clark, Lindsey Maclaren, Janine Nicholls, Lynne Ruddick, Isabel Drewe, Jena Kitley, Sophie Carter, Claire Whitehead, Lynsey Bilsland, Marie Smith, Andrea Vicari, Ashley McDonald
Scorers: Lynsey (1), Rosie (1), Sophie (2)
MOTM: Rona - star in new role as sweeper!
Umpire: James Perrott
Next Match: Away at Woking, 11.45, 21 January
Women's 5s: Won 10-0 (that's the rumour anyway)
No show from our opposition. They couldn't get a team together (or bother to come all the way in from Thames Valley, perhaps?).
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Guildford 3s - 11.00
Women's 6s v Barnes Hounslow Ealing 7s: Lost 0-4
A game that should have been a win to us this week turned out to be a 4-0 disappointment. Not helped by they who would not let us on the pitch at JAGS before 11 am to do the usual warm up etc. Some fantastic passing between the halves and forwards with Pippa, Gigi, Michelle and Vicky working hard, but they just could not put the ball in the back of the opposition's goal. Ellie Johnston had a great game (our junior keeper) clearing some great balls out of our D, but unfortunately the defence did not get behind them and so the balls came straight back at them. Some loose marking meant that the 4 goals were scored by the opposition capitalising on our error. Shame as we beat them at the beginning of the season. Hangovers, back aches and trips to the dentist aside, we actually did play well as a side this week. Thanks to those who turned up to support us and give us the encouragement we so desperately needed. (VW)
Team: Ellie Johnston, Kate Straker, Jo Hillyer, Jess Beach, Clare Montagu, Mae Lynne McDougall, Pippa Haworth, Michelle Morgan, Emma Gilchrist, Shona Welch, Gigi Ho, Isla McGregor, Victoria Wright, Katie Stone, Lucy Gilchrist
MOTM: Michelle Morgan
Umpire: Ian Wright
Scorer: If only
Next match: Saturday 21 January vs. Bank of England 2s - 12.00 @ Bank of England
THD Dragons vs. London Edwardians: Won 8-5
The weather was considerably better for the return fixture than the previous week - ensuring a strong bench and improved vocal support (no chattering teeth on the sideline). The team started well against an Eds oppo that wasn't much changed, apart from greatly improved attitude, which was to have a few laughs! First half the teams were quite close in effectiveness, score 2-1 at half time, although the Dragons showed their flair with great passing around the midfield, bursts of pace from the Jacob up front, and a couple of great finishes.
In the second half, we really moved up a gear - the midfield took control (Ratty, Snowy, Verity and Saul) and almost the whole team got in on the scoring action. The sheer pace of the Richman up front bamboozled the keeper not once, not twice, but three times....... the slo mo action replays were faster than the original goals (if you catch my drift). The Chelle, Gilchrist and Kate "got involved" in some great moves down each wing, and the Jacob turned up the pace to score another. The remainder of the season wouldn't be worth living if I didn't mention La Muldoon slotting a classy straight strike penalty corner. However the unrestrained gloating in a most unladylike manner under the nose of the tall, dark and handsome No 4 from Eds (just because he happened to be there, of course) is also worth a brief mention. He seemed to take it pretty well...... even when subsequently repeated for every single goal scored by the Dragons..........
Unfortunately the lack of natural born defenders started to tell and a rather relaxed approach to marking (it's a Sunday game after all) saw Eds start to creep back into the match. Ably assisted by their new player, JC - clearly confused by his debut at sweeper, who in the spirit of the game felt it more appropriate to pass to the oppo - not once, not twice, but definitely more than three times........... Final mention goes to our top quality umpire who showed the Eds lot how it should be done - and this week was generally obeyed without backchat apart from Snowy (shame on you!). Great team performance against good opposition - good run around, relaxed game, lots of laughs and goals. Exactly what playing mixed on Sundays is all about...... (LP)
Team: Jeremy Porter, Lucy Partington, Kate Vicary, Verity King, Lou Curry, La Muldoon, Michelle Morgan, Emma Gilchrist, Lee Snowden, Saul Kornik, JC, Ratty, Chris Richman, Nick Jacob, Nick
Scorers: Chris Richman (3), Nick Jacob (2), Nick, La Muldoon, Emma.
Umpire: Si Riley
Next match: Sunday 22 January vs. Optimists - 13.30 @ Battersea Park |
