Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

Ladies hockey Saturday 21.1.12
The Ladies 3’s game today was conceded by the opposition, so they had a 2-0 walkover and the three points keep them in 4th place. The ever keen 3’s squad decided to meet up at Short Lane to practice instead and coaches Bubbles and Mark Appleton turned up to put them through some drills. . Pleased to report that the 1’s won 3-2 away and scored in the 2nd minute (well done Nicky Benedict) and move up to 5th place in the Premier division. The 2’s were held to a 0-0 draw at home despite the opposition only having ten players, but still remain in 4th position. The full results were:

1st XI beat Hendon & Mill Hill 1st XI 3-2 (away)

2nd XI drew with Hendon & Mill Hill 2nd XI 0-0 (home)

Funnily enough, the two men’s games played at Short Lane were also 0-0 draws which is very unusual for our pitch/teams!

Besides the league fixtures already confirmed for the Men and the ladies 3rd team this coming Saturday 14/1/12, there is now an additional fixture at 10.30am at Short Lane, between the Ladies 2nd team and Southgate Ladies 4th team. This is a reaarranged league fixture from before Christmas. There may also be a Ladies 1st team friendly at 3pm at home, but this has yet to be confirmed. Come on U Red & Blacks.

Apologies that we haven’t been able to update the website, but there are the following friendly and two rearranged Men’s League fixtures this coming weekend. Sorry, I haven’t got push back times for the Men’s games, but they are all afternoon matches:

Home Games
Ladies 1st XI v Sunbury, Walton & Weybridge Hawks 1st XI at Short Lane at 1.30pm

Away Games
Winchmore Hill & Enfield 2nd XI v Ladies 2nd XI at 1.30pm

Epsom 1st XI v Men’s 1st XI

West Hampstead 6th XI v Men’s 3rd XI at 2.30pm (League)

Leighton Buzzard Fledings v Men’s 4th XI (League)

Good luck all.

The Xmas newsletter 2011 has recently been sent out to members via e-mail and it contains all the latest AHC news, information from Ashford (Short Lane) Sports, Ashford Antiques gossip and the league tables for all teams at the half way stage of the season and lots of other articles. Please contact me president@ashfordhockeyclub.co.uk if you haven’t recieved a copy and we hope to have a copy linked to the website soon.

Plans have been finalised so….

FRIDAY 9TH DECEMBER

Ashford Ladies are obvioulsy classy ladies so get you party frocks and celebrate Christmas in style at Soiree (did you like my little play on words in the title?!)

TIME: 8pm at Soiree or maybe a bit earlier for a cheeky one somewhere before? Food served at 8.30pm
PLACE: Soiree, Staines (just up from pizza express, before roshni’s)
DRESS CODE: Dress to Impress!! (think people are thinking dresses/similar to last year!)
COST: £20 to include own area with delicious buffett including hot and cold selection, disco and dancing the night away!

I know its not far away, so need to know numbers pretty quickly, and £10 deposit asap. If you definately want to come, but not going to be at club to pay deposit before the 9th Dec, just let me know!

The more the merrier and if you want to bring a friend thats great, just let me know for numbers!

Please can you give your deposits to captains on sat (or let them know you definately want to come)

Thanks
Em

Ashford Ladies 3s – Home to PHC Chiswick, WON 3-0 (Chloe Russell, Nicki Davis, Nikki Croxon)

So the Ladies 3’s were at home against Chiswick and we were ready for a good game! We started off strong, attacking down the right side hard with Chloe Russell working extra hard to get the ball down the line to Megan Hurley. Not long into the game this worked and the ball got back to Chloe in the D and she took a shot at the goal from an angle that didn’t seem possible to score from but she did and we were winning 1-0. This was just what we needed . In the second half we continued to all work hard and the attack came from the right and left side with Jenny Tippell in the middle fighting strong to get the ball up the pitch. Ellie Watson displayed some beautiful skills alongside Jenny as she went round their players without any trouble. Then Abi Frith got a break on the left and after going round a few people, got the ball to Nicky Davis who hit it at the goal for their goalkeeper to try and keep it away but Nicky was too quick and there was our second goal!

Our defence remained strong throughout the game with Charlie Poulter in goal making some saves but we didn’t have much to worry about with our defence working hard to clear the ball. We had a few chances to score, one of which was Chloe Russell showing true commitment when she dived for the ball but unfortunately missed and hurt her elbow. We also lost our left back, Irene Okello to injury for 10 mins but she came back on fighting and got the ball down the wing which then went into the D for Nikki Croxon to score her first goal of the season making it 3-0! Brilliant result for Ashford 3’s ! The start of many wins to come!

Whilst the times against fixtures seem to have a bug, here’s the times for you as per the latests fixture sheet I have…but please, do check in with captains and let them know your availability…just in case there’s been another update!

SAT 22nd OCTOBER – also PLACE YOUR BETS SOCIAL from 7pm
ladies 1s vs Winchmore Hill HOME at 10.30
Men’s 1s vs Wallingford HOME at 12
ladies 3s vs PHC CHiswick HOME at 1.30
Men’s 5s vs Marlow HOME at 3
Men’s 2s vs Gerrards Cross AWAY at 12
Men’s 4s vs Oxford AWAY at 2.30
Ladies 2s vs Eastcote AWAY at 3

SAT OCT 29th
Ladies 3s vs Hendon & Mill Hill HOME at 12
Mens’s 2s vs Maidenhead HOME at 1.30
Men’s 4s vs Oxford Hawks HOME at 3
Men’s 1s vs Oxford AWAY at 1
Men’s 3s vs Phoenix & Ranlagh AWY at 2.30

We’re doing our first shopping event this week! With some exciting options for us….so bring a friend, grab a drink from the bar, and have a mooch whilst gossiping.

7.30pm to 10.30pm on Thursday 13th October

Come and peruse and purchase the following:

Jewellery from Stella & Dot
Kitchenware from Jamie at Home
Lingerie from Bluebella
Beauty from Avon
Cards from Phoenix Trading
Jewellery from Amber Designs
Scarves & Accessories from Moosbags

AHC is hoping to register itself in the England Hockey initiative shown above, by inviting any Ladies who used to play and are interested in returning to hockey, to come along to the first hour (7.30-8.30 pm) of Ladies winter Wednesday training sessions during September (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th) and 5th & 12th October. If you know anyone who maybe interested please bring them along or let Emma Hynes or myself know and we will contact them. They just need to turn up in sports kit and trainers, we can supply a stick.

The AHC pre-season Newsletter has been e-mailed/posted out to all paid up members today. Or view it on line here. Pre-season Newsletter;
Hard copies are also available at the Clubhouse. Men’s, Ladies and Colts midweek winter training dates are contained in the latest, 6 page edition of ‘Read & Black’, details of the forthcoming Club Day on 3/9/11, along with all the other latest and other Club information. Please contact your team captain, the Men’s and Ladies Club Captain or pressofficer@ashfordhockeyclub.co.uk for further details.

‘Ashford will be kicking off the 2011-2012 season with our club day tournament on Saturday 3rd September. Meeting at 1pm for registration, we’ll be holding a mixed team, mixed ability tournament! Exact team size dependent upon numbers, but usually around 6-7 aside playing on half a pitch…a more gentle reintroduction into the game . Games should start at 1.30pm. Alongside the tournament, we’ll also be hoping for sunshine as we get out the BBQ and to have some social beers. If you are definitely able to make it or are hoping to, please let us know to aid catering. Should you know someone interested in playing hockey for Ashford, this is a great chance to come and meet us…so bring them along! Hope to see you there, Hynes, Lucy, Wendy & Cole’.

Ladies informal, I hour weekly, pre-season fitness training for the 2011/12 season started on Wednesday 3rd August. It will continue every Wednesday starting at 8pm and it mainly involves some gentle hockey related exercise drills on the hard play area. All existing and new members are very welcome and of course it is followed by a drink and chat afterwards. Come on down if you can.

Saturday 8/1/11

It was a return to hockey for the Ashford teams yesterday and the Ladies first team had a friendly game whilst the second and third teams had rearranged League games. The first team were at home to an Amersham & Chalfont St Peter team comprised of mainly second and third team players, and the Red & Blacks won 5-1. Ashford were 2-0 up at half time through a converted penalty flick from Holly Busby and an excellent team goal put in the net by Kelly Taylor. Lucy Uttley scored two in the second half, whilst Nicky Benedict added the other. It was a good warm up game played in a friendly spirit before the Red & Blacks return to league action next Saturday, away to Hendon and Mill Hill 1st team next, who are two places below in the League.

The second team were the star side of the day as they thrashed bottom of the League side Eastcote 4’s, at Ashford by the big margin of 11-0. The Red & Blacks had a strong side out which is settling into the new formation introduced by Club coach Jeremy Clarke and the game was won by half time when the Red & Blacks were 6-0 up The goal scorers were Gillian Clegg 4, Clair Emmerton 3, Hannah Stokes 2, Tracey Holland 1 and Becky Hewes 1. Unfortunately the third team suffered another heavy defeat, losing 6-0 away to PHC Chiswick fifth team. Next week both the second and third teams have tough away games against the teams placed second and top of their respective Divisions.

The annual start of the season Club Day will be held on Saturday 4th September at Short Lane, starting at midday and all current, past and would be players of all ages and abilities are welcome. Your Team Captains’ will be sending out further details soon, but please make a note in your diary.

In addition, if you fancy giving hockey a go and haven’t played before, please come on down..