General News
News > Newsletter 2006/07
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 29-Mar-07Issue 25
The end is nigh... non-hockey partners are busy making plans for the summer and people are already planning thier holidays. Indeed your regular editor Sarah Longair is already away! That said - she deserves a break after 24 issues of the tribune!
So what happend this week... well, there's a lot to talk about but I'll leave most of it to the author's below! However, there are a couple of things that I will mention...
All that remains - before the season is completely finished - is to thank everyone who put in so much effort this season... the players, umpires, captains, committee members and anyone else whose supported the mighty Red & Green army over 2006/07. Perhaps we can all raise a glass together at the centenary dinner...
Reports by: Rob Heath, Mark Jones, Bill Dowie, Chris Richman, Kate Selway, Lucy Partington, Emma Parker, Lucy Snell, Stephie Engeler, Margaret Aylward & Mark Jones (again).
Men’s 1s vs. Banbury: Won 5 -1
And so we went into the last game of the season, knowing that our final league position was not entirely in our own hands. We needed one of three results to go our way, and we had to win or draw. So we decided to win…
First 5 minutes, a pass, a neat deflection by Rob, a little help on the line and we were one up. Some dodgy tackling, a short corner and Will N flicks us two nil up. A square pass at the back intercepted, ball rolls wide, keeper beaten and from no angle Andy makes it 3-0. Great work by the defence, especially the Piggy in the middle and Gary on the line saw us safely into the break.
Second half saw them come back at us early with a quick breakaway goal (for about the 40th time in the season) teaching us to keep possession. Which we did. Some good play for 10 mintues was rewarded with a shortie, which Gaz slotted home off our most successful variation. Another poor pass intercepted and Will N did well to get out of the ensuing confrontation with 5 Banbury lumberjacks with all his limbs intact and a stick in hand. Oh, and he scored from the baseline. 5-1 up was a good scoreline… which Rob and Will P did extremely well not to change (both keeping the balls out of the goal… but at different ends).
And so ended the season of numbers: 4 births, 1 engagement, 1 goalkeeper turned sailor, 7 games lost by one goal, 22 points from the last 12 games, the first positive goal difference in 6 years and the second highest number of points in 6 years. But, if you go to www.south-league.com there is no comments page, there is not even a photo page with Tom C, Bubs and Sam displaying their respective clothing-layering techniques nor a sepia toned one with Banners. There is, however, a thin red line below the two teams with 30 points and negative goal difference. TH&D sit on 29 points below this line.
This means that we have to wait for the result of the play-off between Sheffield and Oxford Hawks, to see whether we avoid playing in the play-offs. Whilst we have ourselves to blame for being in this situation, let’s hope someone takes a look at the league and sees that it is odd that a side that only lost half their games are facing relegation?
Team: Pigden W, Banwell R, Ferron L, Boucher G, Smith C, Weir G, Hiley S, Brown A – FOOD BUSINESS UNIT, CROYDON, UNITED KINGDOM, Nurse W, Ireson J, Fotheringham G, Heath R, Balchin A, Hunt-Leigh J
Scorers: Nurse W (2), Heath R, Balchin A, Weir G
MOM: Pidgen W – outstanding debut (flick saved)
TFC: Heath R – open goals and stuff
Men's 2s - No game
Men's 3s - No game
Tornados vs. Alleyns Old Boys: Drew 3-3
So the season has finished apparently… time for friendlies and tours then! With the paint still drying on last week result the Tornados agreed to an impromptu friendly against Alleyns Old Boys (and Alleyns not so Old Boys). Friendly may not have been the phrase to describe the match… perhaps spirited would be better. At the end it was honours even… probably shouldn’t have been as both teams had ample opportunity to win the game – but then the Tornados are saving themselves for the Play-Offs… proving that there’s more than one team in the club still vying for silverware.
Diamonds vs. Hampstead & Westminster Spaniards: Lost 0-4
Our last League game of the season. We had already avoided relegation, and Spaniards had made the playoffs, with no chance of promotion, so there was a bit of the Touring spirit about the game - although you wouldn't have thought that if you'd witnessed the tackle their captain put in on Seamus just before the end. Seamus, that's unfortunately what happens when you are simply better than someone and they can't live with it.
Royals vs. PHC Chiswick 4s: Lost 0-2
Ok so if the Tornado's are "The most successfull team in the club" (TM) then the Royals are clearly "The strongest team in the club" (TM). So there you go The Royals "Propping up a London League near you now".
Team: Gavin, Will, Keith, Andy B, Matteau, Mike Mc, Mike W, Simon, Tom, Jones, Colin, Akash, Chris R
Umpire(s): Nick Jones & Richard Mead
Women’s 1s - No game
Next game(s): Sat 31st March v Surbiton (away). 11.30am start. We need to win by 6 goals to win the league!!! Sun 1st April v Kingston-Upon-Hull (away). 12.00pm start. Trophy semi-final......
Women’s 2s Double Header WeekendSat: Women’s 2s vs. Croyden MO: Won 6-2
After days of angst, the Captain finally found an 11th player on Friday afternoon (who went on to scoop player of the match and, probably, pass of the season). Despite the best scoreline of the season the match did not start promisingly. Penny clearly has a rogue SatNav (or maybe she just left home at the time we were due to meet) as she arrived on the pitch a minute before the start time battling against the Arctic wind arriving at the same time. We chose to head into the wind to start with and the oppo promptly scored twice: the first from a corner, the second from a deflection in front of Pipes (although there could have been an oppo foot involved). EJ then decided this mediocrity had to end, took the oppo by storm, and scored a great individual goal. Several others followed as our moods lifted: Sarah B whacked in a particularly fine specimen from the top of the D. Suddenly the annoying oppo forward causing problems for the back 4 didn't seem to matter that much. Shame they hadn't organised any teas though.
Sun: Women’s 2s vs. Old Cranleighans (SP) 1s: Drew 2-2
1. We turned up with a full team and full complement of top THD umpiring talent (thanks Lou, Marilyn and Ferrett - shame we couldn't have asked Marilyn or Ferrett to umpire for them......) 2. We warmed up in a mudbath and then played in a sandpit 3. We scored a great "goalmouth scramble" goal to go 1-0 up and totally controlled in the first half thanks to a rousing talk from "the manager" - keep structure and play defensively. Worked a treat. 4. We then allowed them to score two from shorts into the right post (thanks for coming Partington). Captain took this personally and proceeded to drill her own top of the D short corner shot inside their left post (doesn't do to copy) 5. We had a 15 minute spell during which we allowed Shorty and Pipes to take a "how to defend" workshop. I personally learned a greatdeal, none of which I will ever be able to repeat. 6. The game ended 2-2, which we all sportingly agreed was a jolly fair result. 7. We ate half a sandwich each and toasted Zoe's allegedly final THD performance with cups of tea. 8. We drove home.
Team: Pipes, Kate, Hannah, Lucy P, Shorty, Lou C, Biba, Sarah B, Emma, Zoe, Jenna, Sophie
Motm: Shorty
Umpire: Lou Campbell
Women’s 3s vs. Barnes Hounslow Ealing: Won 4-0
After the bloodshed in our first encounter with BHE, the team vowed to display as much tenacity as before and show no mercy. The first half started fairly even-stevens, although not without some superb chances for us resulting from good use of the width in midfield and some excellent balls into the D - but unfortunately none in the direction of the goal line. As the rowdy one at the back for BHE was given what-for by umpire Kath - followed by a torrent of abuse by the rest of their defenders - we continued to put good pressure on. However, we could clearly all benefit from some striking practice in the D.
In the second half, the team showed more structure and benefited from some cracking balls provided by Sophie and consistent hard work from Helen up front, which eventually saw the first goal trickle over the line past their goalkeeper… nevertheless, a goal is a goal. With a 1-0 lead the team were spurred on to secure the victory they deserved and clearly looked the better team throughout. The defence worked hard with a couple of great saves from Olivia and some convincing tackles and clearances by Jen, Stacey, Karen and Emma M. As BHE continued to create a quivering wreck out of their umpire and concentrated on abusing one another further, we instead focused on slotting in a further three goals making it a hat-trick for Helen (Happy Anniversary) and another for Mo. Another solid victory which secures us as top (of the second half) of the table.
Team: Olivia Salau (GK), Jen Watson, Stacey Sellman, Karen Dodds, Emma Parker, George Hills, Lou Curry, Sophie Carter, Mo O’Brien, Helen Shackleton, Emma Matabalawu, Beth Little.
Scorer(s): Helen (3) & Mo
Women's 4s vs. Epsom Ladies 4s: Lost 2-1
On a miserably cold Saturday morning in March the Ladies 4's dragged their slightly worse-for-wear selves to the world's bounciest pitch. Following what was probably the world's briefest warm up, the match started. Things did not start well . . . after conceding an early goal, our goalie being literally battered by the oppo and two long pauses for head injuries to the oppo we finally got into the swing of things. With some much appreciated support and guidance from Gem on the sideline, we fought back to 1-1 at half time - thanks to a goal from Emma during a half which had some lovely runs down the wings by Emma and Kate, strong battling by Penny up front and some great distribution by Jena as centre mid, not to mention a combat roll from Rona.
The second half was an uphill battle but featured some great passing, hard work by the midfield, solid defending at the back, some unfulfilled opportunities at the other end of the pitch and a lovely (ahem) goal saving clear off the line by yours truly having fallen over our poor keeper. The oppo just wouldn't let it go no matter how many of them we tried to decapitate, so they kept pushing and the match winning goal came for them a few minutes from the end.
Overall a great team performance and as our coach for the day said... we should be proud of the way we played.
Team: Olivia Salau, Rona Francis, Lucy Snell, Anna Stuttard, Seline Leleu, Sarah Anderson, Jena Kitley, Mary Rose Cook, Emma Billsdon, Kate Lievesley and Penny Ganser.
Scorer: Emma Billsdon
MOM: Lucy Snell
Umpire: Steve Powell
Women’s 5s vs. Cheam 3s: Drew 0-0
When the match started the sky was very grey and we could hardly see the ball on the pitch. It was the second last match for the 5s and an very important one as well. To escape relegation, the team needed a win! But the things weren´t going that well… The first half of the game was dominated by Cheam but THD had good chances and they kept on fighting. Three times the ball was nearly in the goal, two times the post- very unlucky! Now everybody was really nervous especially the girls of the other team. Suddenly they were celebrating a goal but the good umpire had seen that it was scored from outside the circle. No goal for them…Luckily we had good support from the back and from the sideline because Ferrett and Peter kept on shouting at us. After a really useful and positive half time talk we were ready to beat them.
Team: Sally, Fatima, Martina, Len, Helen C, Helen F, Andrea B., Andrea V., Stephie, Del., Kate, Ferrett
MOTM: Stephie
Next Match: Saturday 31 March vs. Barnes Hounslow
Women’s 6s vs. Kenley Ladies 1s: Lost 0-2
Last game of the season for the sixes and we were playing the 2nd highest team in the league. Our season took a not-so-nice turn and we found ourselves third from the bottom and needed a point to guarantee we stay up or otherwise hope Epsom don't win all their final matches. Unfortunately there were no "Roy of the Rovers" moments in this match and we lost 2-0, But none for Epsom either as they lost also, so safe for another season!
Umpires: Provided
Dragons vs. Optimists: Drew 4-4
The pre-match build up was a frenzy with players and fans alike going mad for the return of the Parrot. Yes, JT was gracing the pitch and the fine feathered one was “up-for-it”. A heady encounter that saw less umpires than vegetarians at an abattoir. Still the honourable nature of both teams meant that an umpireless encounter was possible. The optimists were expectedly sans-keeper but the Dragons had come prepared with a spare (albeit rubbish) keeper. The weather was perfect the hockey less so. That said all enjoyed the match and finishing all square was the right result. So the sun goes down on another season and all those who played are left to reflect on what was & what could have been… thank god there’s only a few weeks until tour…
|
