Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

The Ladies 4th XI have a rearranged Middlesex League match v Staines Ladies 5th XI (away) at Feltham Community School this coming Saturday 29/3/08 at 11.30am.

In addition, on Saturday April 12th Bruce Cotton’s testamonial game AHC Legends (Men’s and a smattering of Ladies) v AHC Colts of 1994 will be played at Short Lane at 1.30pm and will be followed by an Ashford Antiques (AA’s) game v Windsor Royalists at 3.0pm.

Both matches will be very much social events, especially Bruce’s game; so if you aren’t playing please come along and give Pauline, Bruce and the girls a good send off before they emmigrate down under this summer, and also give the AA’s a cheer as well.

Ashford Scorers:
Kim Downs, Kirsty Boxell, Lisa Napper, Eline Sibia

It was a grey and windy morning on Saturday 13th January when Ashford Ladies 4th XI played Chiswick Ladies 4th XI at home. Ashford had the first push-back and drove forward from the off culminating in a penalty corner for the home team. Kim Downs drove the ball in hard and Gillian Clegg smashed the ball towards goal. The keeper managed to get a foot to it but Kim was there for the rebound and Ashford were 1-0 up.

Ashford continued to press forward in the first half, moving and passing the ball towards the goal where Kim Downs had 3 consecutive shots on goal saved by Chiswick’s keeper. Chiswick rallied well and had some good runs towards the goal but Ashford’s sweeper Doreen Brown wasn’t letting any of them through!

Chiswick started the 2nd half with a run towards the Ashford defence who held their ground and swiftly moved the ball back up the field to their forwards. Kirsty Boxell made a brilliant run into the D and picked up a cross from Ashley Brewster, driving it home past the keeper making it 2-0 to Ashford. Ashford continued with their confident attacking playing which culminated in yet another goal. This time Lisa Napper struck the ball 2 yards inside the top of the D finding the goal easily and leaving the Chiswick players for dust with her celebratory run!

Chiswick refused to give up hope and a stray ball making its way past the forward pushing Ashford centre back Lianne Patterson was quickly pounced upon by a Chiswick player who pushed it through the defence towards the Ashford goal. Fortunately goalkeeper Ali Boxell had enough time to clear the ball from the D with a scuffed shot that went the opposite way to its intended direction but was picked up by the defence and cleared back up the field!

Ashford continued to press hard until the end and were rewarded with their fourth and final goal a few minutes before half-time. Kim Downs pushed in the ball at yet another penalty corner and Lisa Napper struck hard at the goal. Chiswick’s goalkeeper saved the shot but Eline Sibia was on the post and neatly tapped the ball in. A fantastic game of hockey enjoyed by everyone. Well done Ladies!

Team:
Ali Boxell, Linda Burne, Doreen Brown, Jane English, Karen Fowler, Lianne Patterson (C), Ashley Brewster, Hayley Eames, Lisa Napper, Eline Sibia, Sue Westlake, Gillian Clegg, Kim Downs, Kirsty Boxell

Ashford Scorers:
Lisa Napper

The Ladies 4th XI had a wet league match to start the year, at home to Eastcote 4th XI. The final score doesn’t really reflect the game as it was a lot closer, with the Red and Blacks still in the christmas spirit - giving as well as receiving! It was only 1-0 to Eastcote at half time and after going 2-0 down, Ashford battled back to 2-1, when Lisa Napper scored from close in. But the home side then conceded two more goals near the end of the game to finish 4-1 down, and very disappointed.

Ladies 4s only had the bare 11 players on Saturday against West Hampstead but they fought hard and gave 100% committment to the game. Unfortunately Kirsty B was injured during the warm up and so in the second half she moved from defence to attack. Becky Hewes therefore dropped into defence and had a great game. Everyone played really well, tireless work from the midfield of Sue, Bryony and Hannah created a couple of chances. New colt Nicola Croxon battled well up front but unfortunately the strong WH defence stopped any attacks from Nicola, Emma and Kirsty. Brownie and company battled in defence and gave the WH forwards trouble from getting a shot on goal at first. However West Hampstead openned the scoring from a slight defensive error to make it 1-0 at half time.

The second half saw West Hampstead step the game up and gain several short corners. Their straight strike routine had obviously been well practised and with the ball being quickly pushed straight back in the D, the WH striker belted the ball home. Their next short corner was disallowed due to ball not being stopped outside the D, but the WH Striker amended that error when she buried another straight strike from a short corner to make it 3-0 to the visitors.

Team:
Charlie Kerridge-Smith, Doreen Brown, Linda Burne, Jane English, Kirsty Boxell, Sue Westlake, Bryony Smith, Hannah Richards, Emma Billens, Becky Hewes, Nicola Croxon.

The Ladies 4th XI resumed their league fixtures this week, after a break in the schedule last weekend and no opposition teams available for a friendy. First up at a rather cold and frosty Short Lane, the Red and Blacks played host to a Winchmore Hill & Enfield team that were only 1 point below them in the league making this a bit of a division 3 crunch match.

The game started off fairly even although Winchmore Hill & Enfield were looking the stronger side. Good defensive work by Ginge, Linda, Kirsty and Hannah kept the score 0-0 at half time with some fine saves by Charlie.

There were some great runs up the pitch from Ashley and Gillian but unfortunately the Winchmore Hill & Enfield defenders kept our young attackers - Bryony, Nicole and Kirsty S - from scoring.

The team battled well with everyone giving 100%. Hopefully next week the team will be back at full strength to face Teddington.

Team:
Charlie, Ginge, Linda, Kirsty B, Hannah, Ashley, Gillian, Sue, Lisa, Bryony, Becky, Nicola, Kirsty S

In their second league game of the season the Ladies 4th XI travelled to PHC Chiswick, who had finished 3rd in Division 3 last season. The home side fielded a strong team but the Red and Blacks played poorly, especially in comparison to their excellent performance the weekend before. Failing to find the backboards once, the home side kept Ashford on the back foot for most of the game.

Ashford Scorers:
Gillian Clegg (2), Gill Waite, Kirsty Boxell

Starring in the club’s first fixture of the 2006/07 season, the Ladies 4th XI travelled to play Eastcote in their first Division 3 match. Starting with a good pace the Red and Black’s were 2-0 up within 10 minutes due to acting captain Gillian Clegg scoring twice from short corners.

Defender Gill Waite then added a third, again from a short corner. As if a three goal lead wasn’t enough to take at half time, Ashford notched up their fourth in the dying minutes of the first half when Kirsty Boxell tapped in a good shot from Kim Downes.

Easing off in the second half the Red and Black’s allowed the home side to come back into the game, pulling back two goals over the course of the half but come the final whistle Ashford were still convincing winners. Newcomer Ashley Brewster was player of the match.