Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

Due to unavailability Ashford were only able to field seven of their normal first team squad for their second South league of the season, away to local rivals Staines. EMMA HYNES and KIM SHEFFIELD were brought in to make their first eleven debuts; whilst TRACEY HOLLAND retained her place at right back after her debut last week and second team keeper LIV SUTTON was playing her first 1st XI game of the season.

Unfortunately Ashford got off to the worst possible start, when they conceded a soft goal after they were unable to clear a short corner after only three minutes of play. The rEd & Blacks then fought gamely for an equaliser with JACKIE PARSONS and STACEY KENWARD going close after KATIE GREEN and ANNIE NEYTON had combined well down the right flank. Their good work was soon outdone though when Staines scored a second goal once again from a short corner to go 2-0 ahead and fourteen minutes again they added a third from a sharp shot. The Ashford keeper LIV SUTTON then did a good save to keep the score at 3-0, but was unable to save the penalty flick which was awarded against Ashford just before half time. Thus the score was a convincing 4-0 to Staines at half time.

After the interval Ashford battled vainly, but again Staines scored early in the second half from a short corner following poor defending by Ashford. An injury to defender TRACEY HOLLAND then hampered Ashford further and Staines added a sixth goal shortly after. The game then evened out for a long period, with NICKY DALY working tirelessly in midfield, but Ashford were unable to penetrate the Staines defence. Near the end of the game JO PARKINSON cleared a shot off the line, but she was unable to do anything about the seventh and final Staines goal which followed good work down the right flank. The 7-0 defeat was Ashford’s worst defeat in the League and also for many a season. Next Saturday Ashford are at home to high flying Teddington, when hopefully they will be back at full strength.

Team:
O. Sutton (GK), E. Hynes, J. Smith (Captain), S Kenward, K Sheffield, H. Hull, N Daly, K. Green, T. Holland, A Neyton, J Parsons, B Griffiths.

If a hockey game could be the baddest. bad day at a bad office in Bad city, Badlands, this was it….

Ashford Scorers:
Dan Rose (2), Andy Sonden (2), Chris Davies

‘The I.C. is Dead, Long Live the I.C.’

The burdensome mantle has now fairly and squarely passed to Big Amit aka the A-man aka the Amster. On Saturday he achieved something that will someday change the way hockey is played, if they make him the GB head coach, the Olympics in 2012 are in the bag. All it took was 8 words, I’m afraid I cannot repeat them else they lose their magical power. Having passed onto us the universal mantra of total hockey, off the team went inspired by the Big Man’s words. I think we might have forgotten for the first 10 or 15 minutes though.

Eastcote were a mixture of skilful old boys and skilful young boys and there also appeared to be about 16 of them. Man with dodgy headband was causing us some problems at the back and we made up for guile with a lot of hard work. Gradually we settled down and bagged 2 goals through Dan ‘Rosie’ Rose midway through the half. The first was made by Elliot Smith who did a horrendous stick tackle which their umpire managed to miss and the Rosie made no mistake from 3 inches out. Closely followed by No.2 where the Amster got off his treadmill at the back and smacked in a free hit which Rosie managed to get a stick to and it drifted in just inside the post…it probably did help that their keeper was the same size as ‘Private’ Ryan. The game continued to be fairly even and it was not surprising when they pulled a goal back as my cry of ‘mark the headband!’ went unheeded and it was 2-1 at half time.

Half-time our resident cheeky boy, Chris ‘the Arse’ Davies drew on all his tactical knowledge which lasted 5 seconds, Amit murmured the Words Of Power and off we went in a dreamlike state to play the second half. We played really well, defending in depth, breaking quickly and playing as a team and the chances came thick and fast. Shaggy was like a man possessed, the man who spent all season getting 2 goals, he scored 2, had one disallowed incorrectly and Chris nicked one off him when it was going in! I suspect he also won the Lotto and got some serious sugar later…great times for Team Ashford and long may they continue!…

And lets sing it again while we still can…. ‘top, top, top, top, top of the table!!!’

Ashford Scorers:
Anthony Sheard

First game in a new league and despite the best efforts of the captain the 6s were only able to put together 8 players for this match and even though the opposition lent us a player the depleted team that took the field faring the worst.

Swans were soon into the attack and it took some heroic tackling from Bob Evans, Howard Nicholson and young Ian Doggett to keep them at bay. In goal Tom Johnston looked solid and in control and up front the treble strike-force of Shaun and Craig Smith and Anthony Sheard caused the home side some problems as the Ashford team passed the ball around well. After 15 mins Swans went ahead from a short corner with Johnston in goal not quite reaching the strike. Ashford had one really good chance in the half with Craig Smith not quite connecting with a perceptive Evan’s through ball.

Half-time 1-0 to Swans.

The second half saw Ashford upping the effort and a number of good breakaways occurred. Craig Smith had the ball in the net but was outside the D and Shaun Smith went close a couple of times. There was still some sturdy defensive play from the Ashford backs with the guest player performing well against his colleagues. With five minutes to go Ashford mounted an attack on the Swans goal and Anthony Sheard slotted home for the visitors. Although Swans came back hard the grizzled veterans of the Ashford defence held firm.

A great display by all the players and it proves that when things are difficult Ashford sides can rise to the challenge.

Thanks to Surinder Jhas for his umpiring.