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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.
Fri 17-Nov-06Issue 08
Opponents quake and crumble at the prospect of playing us. or so it seems from not one, but two, opposition teams cancelling games rather than take on the might of THD. So, the women's 5s enjoyed a week off while the women's 2s took commitment to a whole new level by training on a Saturday morning instead - appearance of the team members only realistic with the promise of Jackie's teas. Other than points gifted by wimpish opposition, there were some notable achievements. The men's 1s managed to notch up several impressive goals in a satisfying victory, and also managed to locate the previous week's match report on the way. The women's 3s earned an important win while the women's 1s stormed into the next round of the cup in a triumphant trip to the seaside. The weekend also saw several draws and a few losses, including a particularly frustrating one for the women's 6s. The annual pilgrimage from the Swan to Battersea Park to continue the celebrations of Mark's birthday took place on Sunday, resulting in a bruising but victorious encounter for the Dragons.
Reports by: Andy Balchin, Wes Cole, Mark Jones, Bill Dowie, Chris Richman, Kath Sowter, Gemma Baker, Emma Parker, Marie Smith, Gigi Ho.
Men’s 1s vs Henley: Lost 1-2
A lot of commitment and work rate created a number of chances. On another day and with Lady Luck on our side the result could have been the other way. The only area for improvement was composure in the D. (AB)
Team: Duncan Holmes, Will Nurse, Chris Smith, Tom Cross, Richard Banwell, Laurent Ferron, Andy Balchin, Gary Boucher, Graeme Fotherington, Gareth Weir, James Ireson, Rob Heath
MOM: Banners
TFC: Navy Duncan
Scorer: Will Nurse
Men’s 1s vs Slough: Won 5-3
Slough are always difficult opposition to play against. They are very unpredictable and have a couple of very skilful players that are able to cause any team problems. After going 1-0 to a goal that was virtually kicked in by their attacker, we thought it was going to be another of those days. However, we worked tirelessly and got just reward when Rob showed great composure in the D to net after some great work with James Huntley. Another goal from a short corner saw us go into half-time with the lead. We continued to work extremely hard and were able to extend our lead further with a neat goal by Laurent. Slough got one back before Rob scored a bit of a wonder goal. Slough caught us napping at the back to reduce our lead, but with a few minutes to go the game was made safe with goal that could have been called an “own goal” apart from the fact that there is no such thing in hockey! Great win attributed to some hard work, a team making the leads for each other and great composure in the D. (AB)
Team: Duncan Holmes, Will Nurse, Chris Smith, Tom Cross, Richard Banwell, Laurent Ferron, Andy Balchin, Gary Boucher, Graeme Fotherington, Gareth Weir, James Ireson, Rob Heath, James Huntley
MOM: Rob
TFC: Duncan “The Sailor”
Scorers: Rob Heath x 2, Gary Boucher, Laurent Ferron, Andy Balchin
Next game: vs Trojans, 12.30 DC
Men’s 2s: No game.
Next game: Teddington 2s (A) 12.45 push back
Men's 3s vs. Oxford 3's Drew 1-1
Reminiscent of the Wolves Season 05/06, drawing seems to be a habit we've sadly developed. A great opening 10 minutes with a top team goal finished by Steve Reeves but sadly that was about it as we lacked clinical finishing up front, at the back we conceded too many short corners and in the middle were over worked by considerably younger legs. Now is the time to make the difference with wins up until Xmas needed to keep us in playoff contention. (WC)
Team: Jeremy Porter, Wes Cole, Robbie Layton, Alex McDonald, Ed Gardiner, Mike Killen, John Holmes, Tim Sylvester, Steve Reeves, Nick Harris, David Fogden
Scorer: Steve Reeves
Next match: Saturday 18th home vs Maidenhead
Tornados vs Old Loughts Foresters: Lost 1-3
There is something particularly English about underachieving... however, there is something universal about misery. If our season was a boxer it would train like Tyson but have a glass jaw like Bruno's. Off the pitch everything clicks better than a hoard of locusts but on the pitch there is a shyness to perform that even the Stephen Fry would struggle to understand. While the season has a lot more time left than Saddam Hussein it could equally come to a sticky end just as quickly if the poor form and silly losses don't come to a stop. (MJ)
Team: Alex Timmer (GK), MJ, Rolly Ferneaux, Charlie Krasun, Dougal Davis, Simon Wilshire, James Perrott, Arthur Mitchell, Simon Riley, Will Lucas, Alex Fishwick, Nick Jones, Loz Mockery & Tom Alexander.
Scorer(s): Tom Alexander
Man of the Match: Arthur Mitchell
Umpire: Aidan Brock & Chris Richman
Next game: Saturday, November 18, 2006 Teddington Men's 4s away
Diamonds vs.Hampstead & Westminster Spaniards: Drew 0-0
These are the guys who got promoted with us last season, and are sitting mid-table, so a good test of our progress. An inspiring, competitive match saw both sides come close to snatching victory, with a draw being a fair result in the end. OK, so (yet again) we didn’t score, but this time it wasn’t down to profligacy. Gus returned for his first match of the season, having finally discovered his stick after moving house over the summer. Rusty? Not a bit of it; from the back of the diamond (with a small ‘d’), he never stopped running, and allowed Andrew to try his hand at centre forward. Linking up with Warren, this put the fear of God into the Spaniards, who were regularly on the back foot and resorted to several last ditch tackles which ought to have been severely punished; that they were not was partly explained after the game when one of their umpires asked for his card to be signed. Can’t complain, though, since the blind eye was sometimes watching us, too.
This weekend, it’s the League leaders.............(BD)
Team: Paul Reid, Tom Illingworth, Billy Dowie, Tom Hulbert, Stephen Higgs, Seamus Betts, Warren Holme, Simon Canter, Conor Bond, Andrew McConchie, Bob Morris, Angus Barnard
Next game: Saturday November 18th vs. Old Loughtonians 5ths. Home at 12.30, JAGs
Royals vs. Blackheath Heathens: Lost 1 – 2
This was a big game for us, if we’d have won we’d have moved up a place and kept up the pressure on the top teams. Unfortunately we were found wanting.
We dominated the first half and went into half time one up with hopes high to push on and finish off our grass hockey playing oppo. However as frequently happens with the Royals we forgot that we were better than them and instead of the passing possession hockey we played in the first half we decided that a more agricultural game was called for in the second half.
This has frequently been a problem with the Royals, although over the last four weeks that problem seemed to have been solved, if this continues to happen then another season of lower mid-table rubbish looms. We have now lost three games this season against sides that are considerably poorer than us. As a captain this is the most frustrating aspect of the job, I think that if it continues to happen then maybe a change of leadership is required. (CR)
Team: Gavin Lawson, Andy Bond, Aidan Brock, Hamza Hudda, Mark Annear, Dom Peyton, Ed Allen, Kim Keats, Doug Heard, Colin, Akash, Mike Wright
Umpire: The Vicar
Goal: Chris Richman
Next Game: Richmond @ 3:30 DC
Women’s 1s vs Buckhingham 1s: Drew 2 - 2
We have all come to rely on Pipes to having done her homework on the opposition, arrive early in order to check out the facilities, and then be the first to use them when they eventually open. Others couldn’t wait (Lou?!), so it was just as well we were in the remotest and woodiest of locations…the wonderful and picturesque Stow School . Predictably the usual suspects were late, which on this occasion was for no other reason than the distance from the School entrance gates to the pitch being 72miles! Buckingham (as Pipes told us) had the best scoring record in the League, and the mighty THD the best defensive record, so on paper this was always going to be an interesting game. We started well and despite having to deal with some strong and aggressive play from Buckingham, managed to hold our own with some good strong defensive work from the back four. We looked dangerous up front with EJ and Faye combining well on the right to open up the Buckingham defence on several occasions. Lou (as ever) worked tirelessly up front, and Gemma, Lisa and Faye in midfield looked dangerous going forward. Towards the end of the first half Jenni found herself in space at the top of the D and dispatched a reverse stick shot into the corner to put us 1-0 up. Minutes later Jenni struck again with a beautiful strike from the edge of the D and we deservedly went in at half time 2-0 up.
The second half saw Buckingham come at us, but we had several opportunities to score again and hit the post twice through Jenni and EJ. There was some superb defensive work, notably from Lisa who made several excellent covering tackles, but Buckingham’s pressure told and they eventually scored with a hard push from the top of the circle into the corner of the goal. Even though we continued to look dangerous going forward, we couldn’t find another goal, and typically with a few minutes to go we lost possession, found ourselves outnumbered in the D and Buckingham equalised. Whilst a draw away to a strong side may have seemed acceptable at the start of the day, we played well enough to win and this felt like two points dropped, not one gained.
Team: Pipes, Alex Crawford, Kath Sowter, Clare Byrne, Nicky Prior, Lisa Cox, Gemma Baker, Faye Billing, EJ Barry, Lou Morgan , Sharon Smith & Jenni Martin
Scorers: Jenni (2)
MotM: Kath Sowter
Women’s 1s vs Eastbourne 1s (Womens Trophy Round 1): Won 5-1
We were determined to put the previous day’s frustrations behind us and put in a solid performance against Eastbourne, who are currently in the league below us and most likely determined to cause an upset. We were down to a squad of 11 but fortunately everyone made it to the South coast (just) in time for the start of the game. The pitch was sticky and rather slow and pushing the ball was generally out of the question unless you wanted the opposition to intercept it (a challenge we so relish...). Anyway, the first goal was a well taken penalty stroke by Kath, the foul won by Sharon after a good run into the D. Our second was a slightly-less-well-struck short corner by Alex, which dribbled so slowly over the line that it completely fooled the opposition and just about made it over the goal line. At half time we were 2-0 up and in control, although Pipes overheard them say that we weren't as good as they thought we'd be.....which called for action.
They put on a half court press for most of the second half, EJ tippy-tapped the opposition in circles, Lou scored a hat-trick (the third of which she truly meant as she almost blasted the ball through the netting) and we gifted them a consolation goal when, due to a slight communication error, neither Gemma, Alex, nor 'backer-upper' Faye stopped the ball on a short corner and it went all the way up the other end for a goal. whoops. still, never mind......
(This result was made all the sweeter on hearing the news that Richmond had knocked current holders Hampstead & Westminster out.......) (GB)
Team: Pipes, Alex C, Kath, Clare, Muldoon, Lisa, Gem, Faye, EJ, Lou and Sharon
Scorers: Kath, Alex, Lou (3)
MotM: EJ
Next match: Purley Walcountians, Away 1pm
Women’s 2s: Cancelled
Next game: vs. London Edwardians, 11 am DC
Women’s 3s vs. Old Kingstonians 1st XI: Won 1 - 0
After, for some of us, almost two hours of suffering Mo’s dulcet tones in the car, we arrived safely and it seemed the team could sense victory in the air even before we began. Following the warm-up (or lack of for Lou and Emma who got lost in the wilderness of the grounds after the rest of the team sped off into the distance - or at ‘more of a stroll’ according to volunteer umpire Chris C) – and a fervent and victory-inspired team talk from our captain, the team looked ready to do their thing. We had certainly upped our game and there was some impressive movement of the ball between the backs and midfield and exciting runs from the forwards, creating more than enough goal-scoring opportunities. On the occasions where Kingstonians broke through our defence, we were more than thankful to see the return of our player of the match Dulci in goal, who made some heroic saves. Our first goal finally arrived after an effortless display of dribbling around three players by Beth, who then cracked it into the back of the net to give us a 1-0 lead. Despite a few hairy moments towards the end of the first half we maintained our strength at the back and restricted the opposition’s ability to dominate the game (and managed to rattle a couple of them as well for good measure). So a sterling effort from all and as the final whistle blew the team basked in the glory of their second but well-deserved victory of the season! (EP)
Team: Lou Curry (C), Dulci Davies, Jen Watson, Karen Dodds, Rosie Le Voir, George Hills, Lucy Gaskin, Emma Parker, Beth Little, Mo O’Brien, Helen Shackleton, Sophie Carter, Rachel.
PoM: Dulci Davies
Next game: Saturday 18 November v. Wanderers 2nd XI (Home)
Women’s 4s vs. Epsom lost 3-1
We should have won (again), we didn’t (again) still we wont let it get us down (again). For the first half we dominated the game, and at half time we were leading 1-0 with a goal from Jena. Despite the fact that a lot of us were playing out of position (Epsom away at 10am will do that to you) we were definitely the better team. And then we entered some kind of black hole and came out 3-1 down. No idea what happened, none of us could really make sense of it so we will have to raise our game and next week show old rivals Byfleet - yes it’s grudge match time again - that we are a team to be reckoned with! (MS)
Team: Olivia Salau, Anna Stuttard, Lindsey Maclaren, Suzy Medcalf, Mary Cook, Marie Smith, Lynne Ruddick, Kate Lievesley, Jena Kitley, Ash McDonald, Claire Whitehead, Penny Ganser
MOTM: Jena (and very well deserved)
Umpire: Steve Powell
Next match: 11am vs Byfleet at JAGS
Women’s 5s: Opposition withdrew
Next Match: Away v Shirley Saturday 18th November 10:15 pb
Womens 6s vs. Guildford 4s: Lost 3-5
The question on everyone’s mind this week was could we make it a hat trick? Having started a winning streak 2 weeks ago and with a home advantage it certainly looked possible as we started positively after an early goal by Michelle. Guildford however came back twice and we found ourselves 2-1 down. Undeterred we battled on with our well-rehearsed ' W' and 'pressing' formation' and regained good composure with good midfield links from Alanna, Karen, Katie, Mags and Claire. All that short corner practice finally paid off when Gigi hit the backboard from a short just before half time to equalise at 2-2. Ferrett’s talk geared us up further for more goals but unfortunately Guildford’s doddery umpire developed a penchant for awarding dodgy goals as well as free hits to his team with no explanation whatsoever and we struggled to retain possession as we did in the first half. Although we scored again (fairly of course) via Pippa, we were beaten by a team whose main player on pitch held a whistle instead of a hockey stick. We'll stuff them on the return game...
Many thanks to Ferrett for her presence and guidance although we will tie you to the chair next time you come!! (GH)
Team: Polly Willis (GK) , Shona Chambers, Jess Beach, Kate Straker, Mags Alyward, Clare Montagu, Karen Logan, Alanna Macintosh ,Pippa Haworth, Michelle Morgan, Gigi Ho, Vicky Wright
Scorers: Michelle Morgan, Gigi Ho, Pippa Haworth
Umpires: Bridget Morley and a Guildford cheat.
Next Match: Sat 18th Nov. Away v Bank of England 1030am
Dragons vs UCL Academicals: Won 4-2
Now the scoreline looks like it was a lot closer than normal... only four goals scored and we let a couple in... but truth be told - 50% of the team were still drunk/tired/sick from various other activities so we decided to go easy on them. Perhaps the last minute panic that we were short of players may have unsettled us... or maybe not as multiple people came out the wood work to be part of the legend. For their part most played in good spirits although one-evil (and a lot rubbish) girl, henceforth only to be known as the Thumbinator, managed to injure three Dragon's thumbs - and having seen Ed shoot on his reverse stick you'd be forgiven for thinking they were all his and on one of his hands! But alas no... get well soon Longbeard! That aside there's something about student bashing on a Sunday that makes getting up worthwhile... next week we travel virtually no distance to beat another collection of hapless no-hopes!
Team: Aidan Brock (GK), MJ, Chris Coleman, Si Riley, Ed Marland, Dave Casement, Si Wilshire, Lucy Partington, Emma Parker, Sarah Buxton, Sarah Longair, Anna Stuttard & Linds McLaren.
Scorer(s): Si Riley (2), Chris Coleman & Sarah Buxton
Umpire: Selina Leleu
Next game: Sunday 26 November Real Battersea Mixed 14:00 Battersea Park
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