Newsletter 2006/07

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.

Thurs 14-Sep-06

Pre-Season Issue

Welcome to the first Tribune of the 2006-7 season at Tulse Hill and Dulwich Hockey Club. With trials completed and training commenced, the season is up and running and one's mind moves straight away to the social events. Important dates for your diaries are listed below. Coming up very soon are the Golf Day, for the plus-foured amongst you, on Friday 13 October and the Awards Dinner on Saturday 14 October, a chance to don your black tie for dinner and disco in the clubhouse, transformed for the evening into stylish London nightspot, to celebrate last year's achievements and toast the new season.

There weren't many games at the weekend but the matches described below highlight our talent for playing in equatorial temperatures and an enthusiasm for the cause which suggests that one hockey game per Saturday just isn't enough. League games for most teams don't begin for a couple of weeks so in the meantime just sit back and enjoy tales of our friendly sporting endeavours in a desperate bid to prepare for the serious stuff.

Annual Golf Day Friday 13 October

Awards Dinner Saturday 14 October

Quiz Night Saturday 18 November

Xmas Party Saturday 09 December

End of Season Dinner Saturday 28 April

see www.thehockeyclub.co.uk/social/events.shtml for more details

Sarah Longair - Tribune Editor

match reports by: Chris Coleman, JT, MJ, Chris Richman & Kate Selway.

Men's 1s - No Match

Mens 2 XI vs Spencer 3s: Drew 0-0

Opening game of the season and just to prove we had worked harder over the summer and were fitter than the average bear, most of the team trained for ninety minutes prior to the game. With a few new youthful faces on the pitch, running was in abundance in the first 10 minutes until they all realised they had spent the last 3 years drinking too much and the pace settled down to the standard relaxed Saturday friendly. Debutant Ben Stevenson had the crowd on their feet half way through the first half after rounding the keeper before being shot by a bearded gentlemen crouched behind a grassy knoll and hitting the ground like he had just told Zidane he fancied his sister. Much of the first half was an even affair with flowing hockey being played throughout the team but lacking the composure to continue the hockey into the final third and create clear cut chances on goal.

The second half began in much the same vain with half chances being created for Nick Jacob and Potty but both coming to nothing which seemed to set the tone for the second half as tiredness set in with passes going astray and errors creeping in. However excitement at the last gasp short corner and a well timed "shotgun" from Chris Coleman aiming to steal any glory on offer but he shot like a typical defender and that was that, 0-0....in a hockey match.....rubbish!

On a positive note there was some promising hockey played by the team as a whole which, given the pre-match training and the fact that many of us had never played together before was encouraging. Also some confident debuts for Ben, Tom, Dan and Will were upsides from the game. Another upside was that I found out that all polar bears are left handed. Brilliant! (CC)

Team: Will Pigden (GK), Alex Brown, Dan Ellis, Ed Stevenson, Tom Mottram, Chris Coleman, Graeme Fotheringham, Joe Griff, Paul Harvey, Matt Groom, John Nurse, Richard Banwell, Ben Wordsworth, Nick Jacob, Andrew Potapa.

Scorers: None

Umpire: Simon Riley

Next Match: Saturday 16th September vs. Hampstead and Westminster 3s - away (12pm)

Men's 3s vs. Spencer 4s Drew 1-1

This year's pre-season lacked the Monday night jogging around Clapham Common and it showed as to a man we had all put on some excess timber over the summer. This coupled with the oppressive heat made the game extremely hard work for the team, although whilst we could breathe we played pretty well, moving the ball accurately and quickly. We are now looking quite old as a squad too - with the loss of Carl "The Roof" Hagger to Canterbury and replacements, Mark Pulford and Aidan Brock who showed that experience and aggression are still valuable assets in this team. Three substitutes were essential, with many of the team asking for themselves to be substituted rather than continue with the burden of jogging and sweating their way around the pitch. Rather than roll-off roll-on, our substituting resembled more of a sheep-dip, bounding off the pitch to take on water before another team-mate begged us to go back on - to great reluctance. Our defence, however was very strong and once organised, kept Spencer to a minimum of efforts. Our goal came in the second half, a series of quick passes taking us from our D to theirs with Nick Jacob firing home. The legs and lungs then started to give up (think Jade Goody in the London Marathon) and we conceded a goal where perhaps we should have dealt with it more effectively. Never mind. Trying to finish with a win we pushed on and put Spencer on the back foot, with debutant Edward Gardiner nearly banging in a short at the death but it wasn't to be. Riley was brilliant, umpiring all afternoon in the heat after running his socks off during the Tornado's game earlier. Thank you. The team need to get to Fat Fighters. (JT)

Team: Jeremy Porter, James Terrett, John Holmes, Robby Layton , Mark Pulford, Aidan Brock, David Fogden, Edward Gardiner, Will Lucas, Graeme Lyness, Simon Wilshire, Mark Jones, Nick Jacob, Chris Coleman.

Umpire: Simon Riley

Scorer: Nick Jacob

Next match: Saturday 16th vs. Hampstead & Westminster 4's - (Away) 10:30 Paddington Rec

Tornados vs Old Loughts Foresters Lost 1-6

With a team as rusty as a Titanic bulkheak and potential equivalent to 72 Theo Walcotts, the Tornados took to the pitch in the hideously warm and bouncey arena of JAGs Sports Club. After 15mins of watching the opposition score four goals while we all shuffled round like the living dead there was a spark. A glimmer of hockey began to show itself... There is certainly a lot of to celebrate here... apart from the scoreline. There's three weeks remaining before the season starts and that is more than enough time to sort out the team... in fact three weeks is enough time to watch series 1 & 2 of 'Lost' and still have no idea what is going on! The league may not be trembling yet... but by the time we get to the first match the oppos strip will be 'Pampers'. (MJ)

Team: Jeremy Porter (GK), MJ, Roly Ferneaux, James Perrott, Simon Wilshire, Alex Fishwick, Arthur Mitchell, Bob Morris, Dan Hopkins, Si Riley & Thomas de Waal.

Scorer(s): Si Riley

Umpires: JT & Andy Potapa

Next match: Saturday 16th vs. Hampstead & Westminster 7 ’s – (Away) 12:00 Paddington Rec

Diamonds vs Spencer 5s Lost 0-10

Royals vs Spencer 6's Lost 2-6

This was always going to be a difficult season opener even as a friendly, a scratch side against a team from two divisions above us. Having said this we equitted ourselves really well and the underlying feeling from the game is one of positivity. Spencer were for the first half the better team, however as per last season we managed to match and even better them for periods of the game. However when we slipped off our game we got punished and so went into half time 5 -1 behind. The second half was a different affair with us competing for the full 35 minutes and drawing it 1 -1. It could have been better with the best of the chances falling to us. I would like to thank those who doubled up for us, with special mentions going to Aidan who kept goal in two games without gloves and then played on pitch for the three's and Chris Coleman who played three games out on pitch. So another team two leagues above us next week away at Hampstead and another tough game.

Team: James Kingdom, Will Pendrill, Doug Herad, Chris Coleman, Aidan Brock, Foggy, Tom, Akash, Ed Allen, Stephen, Kim Keats, Mark Annear, Dan

Scorers: Chris Coleman 2

Umpire: Chris Richman

Next match: Saturday 16th vs. Hampstead & Westminster Spaniards – (Away) 13:30 Paddington Rec

Womens 1 XI - No game

Womens 2 XI vs. Wimbledon 2A: Won 3-0

Venue 12.00 at a beach in SW20, with temperature to match.

It's always good to hit the ground running at the start of the season, unless of course you are also hitting the ground with your stick in frustration at how on earth you managed, during the summer, to unlearn those hard fought for skills perfected at the end of last season. Despite a certain collective rustiness, however, the goals flowed freely in the 2nd half to give us a 3-0 lead, which came as a relief just as lack of match fitness could no longer be disguised. New additions to the team Lucy May and Claire showed admirable strength and zip, which helped to compensate for the limping gait witnessed in a couple of others. And Gordon's potential as 2nd XI Uber-Manager looked in doubt when he suggested a new short corner option that (i) involved going through a castle (!) and (ii) hadn't been discussed with the Captain first! (KS)

Despite all that, the victory was enjoyed by:- George, Kate S, Kate B, Lucy May, Lucy Muldoon, Nicky Prior, Bettina Wolff, EJ Barry, Emma Kitley, Claire Houslop, Harriet Gallagher-Powell, Oriane Abbonizio

Scorers: Oz, Claire, Kato

Umpire: Pipes

Next match - 2s v 3s at DC, 16 Sept, 11.00.

Womens 3 XI - friendly vs 4s: L2-3

Womens 4 XI - friendly vs 3s: W3-2

Womens 5 XI - No game

Womens 6 XI - No game

Academy

On the first Sunday of the season the junior club had 80 players, 6 adult coaches and 6 young leaders. A magnificient start at our new venue of Alleyn's school. The really encouraging thing is that all three sessions had new faces as well as those who have returned having attended last season.

One parent commented, "This now has the look and feel of a real hockey club and I know that my child will be well looked after."

We have worked on the structure, organisation and timings of sessions over the summer and with the aim of making hockey fun for players of every standard. The number of coaches and volunteers that we have means that we can give kids individual attention if they need it. I am positive that this is only the start and we shall only grow and grow.

Peter Berman (Head Coach, THD Hockey Club Academy)

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