Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

In their second South League game of 2007, Ashford faced a trip up to Oxfordshire to play the return game against the team clearly top of league, Oxford University Ladies 1st XI, at their famous Iffley Road ground. The Red & Blacks were very pleased to welcome back regular goalkeeper LEANNE SERGEANT, but midfielders ANNIE NEYTON and NICKY BENEDICT were again missing and were replaced by youngster LIV YOUNG and the speedy HELEN SIWEK; whilst youngster and recent debutant ANNA PROTHOROE, continued in the defence. Oxford were able to field a few stronger squad of players than they did last week and after a recent defeat (their first of the season), they were determined to do well form the start.

As happened last week, Ashford conceded a goal with in a minute of the start of the game and were 1-0 down to a well taken goal before most Ashford players had touched the ball. Ashford gradually settled though and keeper LEANNE SERGEANT and defenders JACKIE PARSONS and DANI BROUGH contained the next few Oxford attacks well. Ashford then started to combine well and found some of the rhythm they had displayed last week. However, they weren’t able to mount many attacks and after some good short corner moves Oxford notched another couple of goals to equal last week’s tally of three. Another goal was then scored by the students before the end of the first half to virtually seal the game, with the score being 4-0 to the home side.

In the second half the Red & Blacks midfield kept working hard with KATIE GREEN, STACEY KENWARD, skipper JO SMITH and CLAIRE BRANT battling way, but they were unable to bring the hard running Red & Black strikers LIV YOUNG, LAURA SAMUOEL and HELEN SIWEK into the game very much. Another well executed short corner routine led to another goal to put them 5-0 up after ten minutes or so in the second half. Numerous good diving saves by Ashford keeper LENNE SERGEANT and stout defending then kept the score down for most of the second half. Tiredness due to the constant pressure eventually took its toll though and in the final five minutes of the game and the league leaders knocked in another three to make it a very convincing 8-0 victory for them.

The Red & Blacks are at home next Saturday at noon, when they play West Hampstead 1st XI, who are two places above them in the league and against whom they will be hoping their better form will result in some goals and maybe even points.

Team:
L Sergeant (GK), D Brough, A Protheroe, K Greene, S Kenward, E. Hynes, J Parsons, C Brant, J Smith, (Captain), O Young, H Siwek, L Samouel.

Ashford Scorers:
Ryan Holland

With Big Amit out due to bruised ribs, Big Ell out with a cracked rib and Shaggy playing with bruised ribs, maybe it was no surprise we were rib-bish… we can’t say we were rib-bed cos it was down to us we lost. West Hampstead are not a bad team but they are not that good either and their dodgy defence gave us enough chances in both halves to have won the game comfortably..

Having started reasonably well, we set the tone by missing 2 or 3 decent chances and allowed WH into the game and we had a couple of close shaves ourselves. We did not relax and play the hockey we can and it was not that surprising when WH scored after 20 minutes. After this we had 2 1-on-1’s before putting 2 good chances wide, we just didn’t have our shooting boots on.

Half-time 1-0 down and we set about sorting ourselves out…we did play better in the second half and after 10 or so minutes scored a really good goal…Shaggy on the left went on one of his meandering going-nowhere runs and actually got somewhere!! He passed to Chrissy D on the right who drew the defender before slipping the ball through to Rhino, he lifted the ball up on the run and volleyed it past the keeper for a cracking goal. This really got us going and we had our best spell of the game - in 15 minutes we had all the pressure and should have scored at least 2 goals from the chances we had…but…. we didn’t score and I’m sure you can guess, WH got upfield, got a soft short corner, we conceded a soft goal and that was that.

Results have gone our way despite this disappointment and we are level top and playing South Bucks, one point behind us, on Saturday so a real 6-pointer and we have to learn from our mistakes in this game. Shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves as we have had a fantastic couple of months winning 6 and drawing 1 of our previous seven. We need to show a good response on Saturday and I’m sure we will….come along and watch 3pm pushback….

Ashford Scorers:
Chris Davies, Robert Hewes, Bruce Cotton (2)

The pot of gold that is promotion to Open Division 3 came another step closer with this superlative performance and result which took the mighty Team Ashford to the top of the tree courtesy of South Bucks dropping 2 points to West Hampstead.

But before we get too cocky, the next 4 games see us play 4th/3rd/5th and 2nd so let’s see where we are then!!

Back to this game and a big fillip was the first game for us of hockey guru Bruce Cotton who was to have a major effect on the midfield and team as a whole. Of course just to even up the karma./yin yang thing, Big Amit had to retire after 15 minutes due to his ribs playing up..Baby Ell slotting in to centre back. We did not start well as per normal and Eastcote dominated the first 10/15 minutes as we struggled to find the fluency of last week. However we got through that without conceding and Chris Davies deflected in a Big Amit whack to put us one-up and settle our nerves.

We then dominated the rest of the game, hard to pick out people as the whole team performed well. The youngsters provided pace and excellent technical skills while the old boys played steady and calm - we played with width and time on the ball with Bruce pulling the strings in the middle. By half time we were 3-up, the ball was worked into the D to Chris who reverse -sticked it past the keeper for Bert Hewes to push home, the 3rd was from a shortie and an old 1st team routine ‘the old faithful’ - out to Bruce, passed right, returned to Bruce who flicked home…he cotton miss…

The second half we pushed very hard for more goals but were possibly over -eager, Eastcote had a little more of the game and I don’t know how they didn’t get at least one goal with one chance put wide from 2 yards with the keeper beaten, excellent pressure from Bubbles. Ant also saved a penalty to keep another clean sheet for the 4’s before Bruce scored his second, receiving the ball just outside the D, he wrong-footed his marker before smashing the ball home. An excellent effort and result but we are going to have keep this level of performance up over the next few weeks.

In their first South League game of 2007, Ashford faced the team clearly top of league Oxford University Ladies 1st XI. The Red & blacks were very pleased to welcome back midfield terrier ANNIE NEYTON and to give young starlet ANNA PROTHEROE her first team debut. Unfortunately a kitchen accident meant that regular midfielder NICKY BENEDICT (nee DALY) was a late withdrawal from the team. After an initial downpour, the sun came out and that seemed to set the mood for the game, which was competitive, but played in a good spirit throughout.

Despite a thorough warm up, Ashford were caught flat footed in defence and Oxford opened the scoring within the first minute when Sumpar struck the ball home from close in. However, far from being deflated the concede goal spurred Ashford on and they played some fluid hockey with JACKIE PARSONS in her new slightly more forward sweepers role, and LAURA SAMOUEL in free running yet deep lying striker role, both excelling. The whole team were working hard though and combining well, playing strong constructive hockey to dominate the first quarter of the game. After sixteen minutes of play the Red & Blacks gained a short corner and although JACKIE PARSONS and KATIE GREENE combined well, KATIE’S shot was saved. Oxford hit back and went close on a couple of occasions, and Ashford keeper LIV SUTTON also made some fine saves to make sure the score remained at 1-0. In the second part of the half Ashford continued to play their best hockey of the season, with STACEY KENWARD, CLAIR BRANT, KATIE GREENE, ANNIE NEYTON and JO SMITH working hard in the midfield as was SUNNY POTTAY up front, whilst ANNA PROTHEROE was staring on her debut, and EMMA HYNES and DANI BROUGH were leading by example with some timely tackles and strong distribution play.

After the change round Ashford were slightly slower to find their rhythm and Oxford’s forward Barnes scored a neat flicked goal from a penalty corner after seven minutes of play to put them 2-0 up. Barnes got a second goal from open play shortly after to put the visitors 3-0 up. However, Ashford battled hard and got some good moves going and despite a head injury to player of the match DANI BROUGH, and then a leg injury to ANNA PROTHEROE late in the game, their team work never faltered. The play continued to flow well as both teams continued to press hard, but the final score remained at 3-0 to Oxford. Although Ashford lost, it was an encouraging result against the league leaders and Coach BOB THORNALLEY was extremely pleased not only with their new formation, but with every player’s performance and their new found confidence and high level work ethic. The Red & Blacks will have to do it all again next week though as they travel to play the return fixture against Oxford at their historic Iffley Road ground. Hopefully Ashford will maintain their new found form and give the visitors another hard game.

Team:
L Sutton (GK), D Brough, L Protheroe, K Greene, S Kenward, E Hynes, J Parsons, C Brant, J Smith, (Captain) S Pottay, A Neyton, L Samouel.

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:
Dan Rose (3), Amit Bhamra

Saturday had a bizarre, surreal quality to it - there were various signals to this but the only one I can think of now is Amit’s exhortation in his pre-game spiel for the midfield to be ‘up and down like a horse draws’ (or similar).

With Shaggy out, Ian McAllan was drafted in and we were nervously watching out for the sniper on the grassy knoll. Prior to the game, the umpires came up to us and informed us due to the new EH rules, they would not be blowing for feet unless it was deliberate! While one of the umpires was not as strict as this, the other lad stuck to his guns so we endured an extremely frustrating first half where the ball pinballed off feet and we played merrily (or not so) on. Sometimes it did work for us as one time a free hit was shelled in, hit my foot, hit Bubbles foot and he cleared - play on!!

Bicester were a bit more composed than us first half and were passing better, they got behind us a few times but either didn’t make any use of it or Tom saved fairly comfortably. In contrast, we had one chance (apart from a couple of shorts) and scored. Baby Ell passed to Bert on the left who lashed in a cross which Rosie (now sporting what looks like the Veronica Lake look) deflected past the keeper. 1-0 at half time but we had quite a few things to sort out half time.

Second half we put aside the re-invention of the hockey rules and really stepped it up as a team - we stretched Bicester with both Elliots giving us good width and James (who played well throughout) and Rosie started to dominate. Second goal was a superb team move down the right, Big Ell made some space and slick inter-passing between him, James, Chris and Rosie set up the latter to reverse-stick home. Soon after Amit lashed in a cannonball shortie before Ryan crossed from the left. though the ball was raised it was perfectly safe, and Rosie had time to draw the keeper, walk round him and complete his first senior hat-trick - well done, Rosie!

We still had time for a bit of drama as although ‘Coach’ nearly went down, the inspirational caption, Big Amit, did go down like he’d been shot - don’t suppose the stick hooked round his ankle helped either….I’m going to resist comments like ‘earthquake’, ‘Richter scale’ and ‘the astro will never recover’ as that would be rude. Also worthy of comment was a fantastic point blank reaction save from Tom to keep our sheets clean. So three points to maintain our second position and we made a ‘break’ for the snooker club to be first in the cue for grub.

Ashford Scorers:
Maria Cavilla

The Ladies 2nd XI contested what can only be termed as a “close affair” at home to West Hampstead Ladies 3rd XI. At half time the Red and Blacks were unfortunate to be 1-0 down, and after an inspiring team talk returned to the pitch determined to level the match. Thier efforts we’re compelling and resulted in numerous attacks, creating a few clear cut chances, but the home side were unfortunately to see all of them go wide. To compound their misery in front of goal, a defensive error then let in West Hampstead for thier second, midway through the second half and whilst Ashford did eventually score a late goal (Maria Cavilla) following a melee, they were not able to grab an equaliser. Player of the match was Sam Kendall, who controlled the midfield well and sweeper Jackie Parsons also performed excellently.

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.