Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

With a bit of work and time Ian has managed get us some summer friendlies.

Hopefully each game will allow us to play slightly different teams with a mixture of 2nd XI down to 6th XI players.

For more information, contact Ian McAllan.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Ashford Hockey Club will be held at Short Lane on Thursday 15th May 2008 at 7.30pm.

A copy of the Agenda for the meeting plus the minutes of the previous AGM (June 2007) have been e-mailed/forwarded to all paid up Club members.

If you have not recieved a copy, please e-mail the secretary@ashfordhockeyclub.co.uk or contact her at the usual number as shown in the fixture card.

The AGM is the opportunity for everyone to hear about the current developments within the club and at Short Lane and to raise questions or comments on them. As a result, it is important that everyone attends so that nay proposals adopted are a true refelction of the members feelings.

Please make every effort to attend.

I don’t what to say about this game - still in a bit of a daze about how we managed to lose it. It was certainly nothing to do with the trip and the prep before the game as we had a very pleasant drive up in perfect conditions and were there before the oppo.

The pitch was the poorest the team have played on this season - a very sandy, slow, old astro that helped to close the gap between the teams and there were other problems with this game that we never came to terms with.

It was clear as day we were comfortably the better team with better players but we lost our discipline early on and spent the first half trying to impose ourselves on the game. We took the lead after 25 minutes from a short corner, Sharpey scoring, but with the game reverting to the fractious nature of the first 10 minutes, players from both sides were sin-binned and we let in a poor goal right on the half time whistle.

Although covered extensively during half time, our lack of discipline was an issue all second half and we never recovered from conceding a penalty flick the umpire admitted he got wrong after the game.

Even so the game was there for us if we settled and just played as we can (like we had against East Grinstead in the league playoffs the week before) but we didn’t and paid the price. The 3^rd penalty was right on full time.

At the moment, tough to take but we just have to learn from this and get it right next time. Thank you all (including Harlow) for your good wishes and support.

After looking forward to this game for 2 weeks – a home game in the quarter finals of the National Plate – and a chance to show off the boys and how good they are, the resultant mismatch was a bit of an anti-climax. However you can only beat what is in front of you and we certainly did that.

15 minutes in and we had already failed to convert 10 short corners before we managed to score from open play but from then on the goals went in steadily. 5 goals to the good at half time, another 7 were added in the second despite the best efforts of their ‘keeper who played very well. 4 goals for Sharpey, 3 for Shane, 2 apiece for Ryan and Rosie and 1 for the deceptively slow Elliot Smith.

So, the semi-final is away at Mansfield on the 27^th – I will be very pleased and impressed if you can come!

Goal scorers:
Shaggy, Big Amit

MoM:
Rhino

‘Imperial Airways! BOAC! Terminal 5! Concorde! That opera music on your ad! Complimentary hot towels! Willie Walsh - can you hear me, Willie Walsh! Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating!’**

Actually we came from 2-0 down to draw 2-all but it felt like a win as this ensured BA stayed below us and we cannot finish lower than 3^rd from bottom. Should we be awarded the points from the Harrow game – and all the signs are we will – then we will move up to the heady heights of 4^th from bottom!!

We had lost 3 players in the previous 2 days - BA were definitely stronger than the last game – they had Ravi – Teto’s cousin and late of our 2’s – playing and they started strongly pushing us back and dominating the game. Inside 15 minutes they had scored twice from slipped short corners and but for a super save from Ant and a bit of fortune we could have been 3-down with little prospect of coming back. As it was, we scored from our second short corner after 20 minutes, the keeper obviously expecting Shaggy to kick it or top it wide – well! How foolish of him!! The Shagster scooped it home viciously and we gained confidence and probably had our best period of the game. Right on the stroke of half time, we got a short corner and Big Amit lashed it in with malevolent glee.

The second half, the game was end-to-end with BA shading the number of chances but we had probably the better ones but surprisingly it stayed goal-less and we were more than happy with that.

We will be unlucky to go down given we should be above 3 teams – if we do stay up, it will be due to our dogged, never-say-die approach and team ethic – higher league, better quality oppo, weaker team, no recognised goalscorer – Team of the Year, did I hear?!! Hurray for us!!

** with thanks and apologies to Bjorge Lillelien

Departing pommie Bruce Cotton, managing the team for a last hurrah couldn’t fathom out ‘why this team isn’t top of the league’.

It was a master class in attacking hockey as Ashford rolled over a Sevenoakes side some 12 points ahead in the league.

The math was simple, a win by 4 goals and a defeat for Henley would mean safety for a side that has been inconsistent throughout the season but was coming into fine form.

Ashford started strongly with Barnes sprinting though the midfield to set up an early attack. This set the tempo as only a few minutes later Barnes again gave the attack some width by hitting a fine pass to the right wing to Holland who got the ball to Emmerton in the D to put Ashford ahead after just five minutes.

Midfielder and captain Smart wasn’t going to loose out on any glory as just four minutes later he laid on another fine pass to Emmerton to get his second.

Sevenoakes were unlucky in hitting the post but Smart carried on his attacking foray when he found himself in the opposition D with some space. He struck a shot that bounced back to him; he struck again with the same result until the 3^rd shot found Lewis who demonstrated to his more experienced colleague how to score.

So after just 20 minutes the Reds were 3 up and that’s the way it stayed until halftime.

The second half started spectacularly as Meadows crossed from the left, the ball went through to the back post as Emmerton dived and deflected the ball to hit his hat trick and 4^th goal for Ashford.

Just seven minutes later Smart beat two players as he had another foray into the D and hit a reverse stick shot, which ricocheted off a defenders stick. The keeper was left helpless as the ball arched above him and hit the bar. It just wasn’t going to be Sevenoakes day as the ball rebounded to Lewis to score his second goal as Ashford went 5-0 up.

In the 50^th minute of the game Ed Green hit a speculative strike into the D the ball again deflected off a defenders stick towards Lewis whose deft touch into goal meant that he was the second player to score his hat trick in the same game.

This was exhibition hockey as Ashford tore into Sevenoakes. The squad of 13 all contributed in keeping the tempo high with tired legs being replaced by fresh ones in a true 70-minute performance.

Sevenoakes did come back through a short corner strike well saved by Adam Smith but the rebound came back to a Sevenoakes player who managed to squeeze the ball into the goal.

Back came Ashford and it was a chance for Smart to score to reward his excellent performance making it 7-1. The best was yet to come as just a minute later Dan Holland beat two players and struck a superb undercut shot wide of the keeper to ensure that goal difference that was required was not in any danger- at 8-1 this was easily the most comfortable win this season. Just before the final whistle Sevenoakes scored another through a set piece but it was just a consolation goal as Ashford ended up 8-2 victors.

There’s a football team right now playing in the Premier league that wear red shirts.

They have a tendency to win matches with style, they are also the team that head the league and are going to be crowned champions. This Ashford performance was one that wins championships, and although it was a disappointing season overall, the lessons learnt meant that this team has evolved to one that can really compete for the top spot next time.

As it transpired poor Henley lost 2-1 to West Hampstead which meant that the goal feast at Short Lane provided more than entertainment. It also provided the warmth in freezing conditions of safety from relegation

The future’s bright, the future’s red.

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.

With the league won easily by Fareham, the only games of note are the ones at the wrong end of the table and Saturdays clash was an intriguing one for two reasons.

Ashford just HAD to win against a side that was in contention for the league earlier on in the season. Secondly it was the battle of coaches. John Shaw in charge of Oxford University, former GB player, having represented GB in two Olympics and Hockey World cup silver medal winner versus Guest coach Mike Williamson, former Wales International and Hounslow player in their heyday and now making strides as coach of Reading (and Wales) as they head towards their second consecutive title under his management.

In the end there was no contest in either category. Ashford looked comfortable for most of the game although the score line suggests otherwise and of the two coaches, Williamson got more out his players then Shaw did.

The omens were good when in the first minute. A ball played down the right found McFarlane in space. He looked up, beat his man and spotted Jimmy Webber in front of goal who took the ball onto his reverse side and slotted the ball in. The ease of the goal surprised the spectators and the bench and the low-key celebrations bore that.

Just 3 minutes later Ashford conceded a penalty corner that resulted in a drag flick low to Appleyards right, which hit the underside of his body and thudded into goal for stunned silence.

Back came Ashford as Jody Smith had a good run into the D won a penalty corner and the resulting flick from Jimmy Webber hit the post. Ashford were more then holding their own with good movement and passing. Oxford with nothing to play for looked disinterested and at times this looked like a training game. In the 17_th minute another attack won Ashford a penalty corner and this time Jimmy Webber found the gap just inside the right post to give Ashford a 2-1 lead.

Ashford looked more and more like the side in the top three rather then the bottom three and in the 23_rd minute a long corner resulted in McFarlane finding room in the D to strike at goal, the rebound off the keeper came straight back to him and this time he placed the ball to the left of the goal giving Ashford a 3-1 lead at half time.

Williamson’s talk at halftime was about moving forward and finding space behind the Oxford defence. Oxford started the second half strongly with greater purpose as they increased the tempo. Ashford on the other hand had lost some of their urgency with a two-goal lead already in the bag. It was inevitable that Oxford would pull another goal back and it was so in the 60_th minute when they won a penalty corner and the straight dragflick went through Appleyard’s legs to add some belief to Oxfords intelligent play.

Suddenly there was a reaction from the Ashford players and another attack won a penalty corner which Jimmy Webber flicking only to have it saved. The ball went to McFarlane whose strike was deflected in at the far post by Grainger.

With only 4 minutes to go that should have been it but a desperate attack by Oxford on the left after breaking up play forced Bryant to lunged into a tackle leaving the defence exposed resulting in a goal for them, making it 4-3.

There just wasn’t enough time for Oxford to build on the late goal and it was three wins on the trot for the boys in red.

Ashford are out of the relegation zone for now with just one game to go against Lewes who prop up the table. A win will secure their position in the league, ready to rebuild for next season.

Goals
Fat Dan, Adamski

Man of the Match
Dan Williams

Well this team talk was up there with the 8 Words of Power (which must never be repeated)…Big Amit obviously wanted us to go in hard, saying ’50-50 balls, I want us to go in hard, 60 per cent - 40 per cent balls, go in hard, 1 per cent 99 per cent balls’ and here he faltered but the team were ready and shouted ‘Go In Hard!!’…and it came to pass…

I should add one of the paragraphs below is not one of mine and was written by Fat Dan – see if you can spot it!

Anyway this was a rollicking good game – very open, lots of chances, a lot of effort and no little skill…any spectator would have enjoyed it, had we any.

We started very well and had a couple of chances straight off before Fat Dan used his weight advantage to score.

With their keeper performing heroics between the sticks Dynamite Danno knew he had to pull out one magical spell from his bag of tricks and indeed, did not let the public down. A ferocious drag flick from the edge of the area was unleashed and a ball of fire headed for the top of the net and the insurance on the nets would have to be paid out.

Yes, right, that happened after 5 minutes, well, we continued to play well but Witney unfortunately appeared to have read last weeks report because they were a good passing side, they were also young, fit, skillful and pacey – 4 attributes I am not happy to see in an opposing team. They equalised 15 minutes later through a bit of a soft goal but we could have had a couple more goals before Adamski reverse-slapped in a shortie for a rather nice goal, gotta say that I go in for the Gordo deflection on shorts and as Adam hit it, I had my hand over my head for protection, he is a serious Big Hitter!! Second half was fast and open much like the first, we were kind of hanging on for a fair amount of it while also looking very dangerous but it was fair enough though disappointing when they equalised with 10 minutes to go – and we were pretty happy with a draw against a good team. Last 2 games have been great and we have played well – unfortunately we did not continue that this week against a poor Harrow side and lost 2-1, Shaun Smith scoring his first goal for the 4’s from one of our few decent passing moves. Unfortunately for them, we discovered they had turned up with at least 2 first team players in their side – they didn’t play but their captain also played in the 1’s and he did play so we will have to see what the league makes of this

The long awkward drive, the cold wet weather and the lousy showers couldn’t dampen a sunny performance from Ashford as they grabbed another 3 points.

Chichester until recent weeks had been on the tails of Fareham for promotion and looked a well organised and talented team coached by ex England International, Ben Barnes.

Neither side created much in the opening salvo’s, Chichester with nothing to play for looked good but not hungry. Ashford were a little tentative which meant that the opening 25 minutes was littered with individual errors by both sides with very little creativity.

This changed in the 30^th minute as a careless pass by Olly Smith was intercepted easily and as Chichester counter attacked, Smith, in trying to recover possession committed a foul, which resulted in a flick. Barnes punished the mistake with a bullet of a flick into the top corner which keeper Fry didn’t even have time to flinch for.

Minutes earlier Fry saved a certain goal as the Ashford defence caught flat left him as the last ‘defender’. He managed to charge out to the edge of the D, diving to cut out a strike. His momentum took him outside the D which the umpire punished with a yellow card for handling outside the D. Fortunately for Fry and Ashford even the opposition coach implored the nearside umpire to help out, particularly as he had a clearer sight of the incident.The yellow was reversed but a short corner conceded which was cleared.

At the end of the first half there was only the flicked goal separating the two sides and the 2^nd half was full of possibilities. Ashford grew in confidence and just 7 minutes into the second half Ashford equalised. Jody Smith hit a pinpoint pas to Andrew Webber on the right of the D who squared it to Barlow in front of goal to make it a well-worked equaliser.

Granger, who looked out of odds as the high striker in the first half, looked a danger in the second as he started to exploit the Chichester defence with his pace and aggression. His unpredictability has a knack of working for Ashford and just 3 minutes after the equalizer he beat two players on the right, worked his way into the D and won a short corner. Jimmy Webber decided to go low and to the keepers left with his flick and the ball sailed in to make it 2-1 to Ashford.

The second half was starting to look good.

Chichester realized that defeat was staring them in the face and increased the tempo and pressure on Ashford. This resulted in 5 short corners in quick succession. A combination of fine saves and dogged defending kept Chichester out. Meanwhile Ashford looked to counter attack and played some of their best hockey of the season as slick and fast passing penetrated the Chichester flanks.

The final whistle was a welcome relief especially for the heroic defence who had put body and soul into preserving the lead. Olly Smith more then made up for his one error and he Sazegar, Bryant, Meers and Fry all contributed to a feisty and formidable performance which lifts Ashford to 8^th place.The drive back from Chichester was a lot more pleasant.

Saturday 8th March 2008

Please note that the Ladies 1st XI fixture v Teddington Ladies 2nd XI will now be played at 3pm, the Mens 4th XI game v Harrow 2nd XI at 4.30pm and the Mens 6th XI v Amersham & Chalfont St Peter 5thXI has been cancelled by the opposition.

If hockey were football then the return of Mike Williamson as guest coach would have been akin to the return of the messiah at Tyneside. The only other difference being that whereas Keegan is still looking for his first win, Williamson has already made his mark in helping Ashford secure a win against a decent mid table side away from home.

The win closes the 4-point gap to just 2 points from 9^th place, theoretically considered safe. Ashford started well and within 4 minutes were one up with J Webber assisting McFarlane to create an opening that was put away.

Ashford had much of the play in the first 20 minutes holding the ball well, creating good openings and so it was against the run of play that Hawks equalized through a defensive error by Olly Smith. His touch to clear was deflected to an Oxford Hawks attacker who scored from close range. The previous week this would have seen a collapse in morale and Oxford might have leveraged the equalizer to inflict more misery on Ashford. Under Williamson the team just carried on playing good hockey. The body language, work rate and the shape showed no evidence of changing.

In the 27^th minute Mcfarlane hit the post with a close range effort. The half time team talk was positive and attentive as the best hockey coach in the UK calmly reiterated the points that would, without question, bring victory. It was made so as Ashford won a penalty corner after 48 minutes and Jimmy Webbers drag flick deflected in off a defenders stick. Amazing that the bad luck of other games this season was exorcised by a deflection and a deserved lead.

This was followed by a clearance off the line by the Oxford defender a few minutes later. Granger then beat two players in an aggressive run into the D passing the ball to Andrew Webber on the flick spot to score a great team goal making it 3-1 to Ashford. Of course no game would be complete without at least one yellow card and the umpires had their fill from the action when they carded the Webber brothers in short succession.

The outcome was never in doubt after that, as Oxford Hawks looked second best despite winning 2 penalty corners near the end.

How strange that the same players who had been misfiring for the majority of the season looked like a top 3 side today not only in ability but also in belief.

With 3 more games to go and a tough one next week against Chichester, Ashford still have it in them to escape relegation and the next few weeks are going to be just as exciting and stressful as the run-in last season when promotion was the talking point.

Man of the Match
Ant Appleyard

Scorers
Dan Williams, Gordo

A new tip and a reminder this week - Tip no 4 for young, aspiring hockey professionals – don’t be cheeky to your mother and get yourself grounded so you can’t play hockey. I have been guilty of the first 3 but have never fallen foul of no.4 being a confirmed mummy’s boy.

I did however fall foul of Tip no 1 – don’t eat a curry the night before a game – especially not a Chicken Vindaloo! I knew at the time I shouldn’t be doing it but couldn’t help myself. Come Saturday and 5 no 2’s and I was feeling a bit light-headed – in fact a bit lighter generally – anyway with the thought of one of Rosemary’s teas later, I clenched everything together and curry-ed on with the game.

Aylesbury are a decent passing team and that is always a good way to play against us! Fortunately they were a little wasteful up front and Ant had his best game of the season for us and so we were only 1 down at halftime, which - again – became 2 soon after the restart.

As usual we then got our act together and started to have some possession and force the oppo back a bit – they also only had 11, which may have been a factor in the last 20.

We got one back midway through the half when a cross from a nameless person on the right found Fat Dan in time and space 6 or 7 yards out. All expected him to lift the ball over the bar as per usual but he didn’t get it quite right and flicked it into the roof of the net! OK Dan finished well! We gained confidence from this and could have had a couple from shorts and time was running out when Dicky Chessman picked up a clearance and cracked it behind their defensive line where Gordo was lurking out of position to do the Gordo deflection (copyright pending) from 4 feet out – cue the manly roar.

So our first draw, a great point and with 4 games to go, a strategic win i.e. in 2 weeks should see us stay up

Ashford go down in Kent

Ashford went to Maidstone with high hopes after a fighting performance last week against the league leaders but the story was going to become a familiar one after a decent first half performance was thrown away by a return, in the second half, to the sort of performance from earlier in the season.

The astro at Maidstone takes getting used to with its spongy texture making it difficult to keep the ball on the ground. Players with good technique can cope but even those players need more than five minutes to warm up especially if they are playing away from home.

Manager, Martin Smith was concerned with the low key warm up but nevertheless Ashford started well with good possession and pressure on Maidstone. The pressure told as 3 short corners were won and all 3 were cleared off the line. Maidstone have some fine players with good skills and accompanying the skill there is an element of steel with tough physical players prepared to use their body and strength, sometimes illegally, to gain advantage. Some of these ‘tackles’ may be punished more harshly in Middlesex then they are in Kent but would be perfectly legal on a rugby pitch.

It was against the run of play in the 21_st minutes when a hip high pass across the pitch from left to right found a Maidstone attacker un marked, he ran into the D and from an angle hit a shot that hit the backboard. Ashford came back and after some good attacks won a short corner resulting in Mcfarlane dragflicking the equalizer.

Ashford were comfortable at half time and were confident that superior fitness would give them the edge in the second half. That was short lived as a break from the right just 3 minutes into the half gave Maidstone the lead. 7 minutes later it was 3-1 as a short corner routine was dispatched clinically.

Ashford fought back and they were still in the game. Just as you thought the tide was going to turn Maidstone broke again and made it 4-1. There were still 17 minutes to go when Joe Lewis positioned himself perfectly at the far post to guide the ball for Ashford’s second goal The 5_th Maidstone goal was a great individual effort with the player running through beating 2 defenders and hitting a shot that thudded against the backboard.

The second half performance was disheartening; a lack of fight and passion with some naïve play and individual errors took away the good work of the first half. A missed penalty flick could have made it 6-2 minutes from the end as Appleyard, in frustration, clattered a Maidstone player.

The result leaves Ashford second from bottom with just 5 games to go and there needs to be a dramatic improvement over the next few weeks if Ashford are to play in this division next season.