The winners in the Astro Draw for December 2008 are:
Well done all we will get the cheques to you ASAP and if anyone wants to subscribe to the draw, download the relevant form off the website and forward it to the treasurer@ashfordhockeyclub.co.uk.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy 2009.
Click here for more details about the draw and an application form.
Ashford Antiques (AA’s) 4 v Sunbury Stars of the Past (SSOP’s) 2
Short Lane 20/12/08
The Antiques won 4-2 today and so regained the Challenge Cup in front of a big crowd in mild conditions. It was 2-1 at half time, with Gillian Clegg opening the scoring with an individually worked goal, the Sunbury Stars of the Past (SSOP’s) then equalised and official OAP Lynne Morgan managed to put the AA’s 2-1 up with a screamer on the left from the edge of the D just before half time. The AA’s put the SSOP’s under pressure at the start of the second half but the green’s broke away and snatched an equaliser. The AA’s old heads on the pitch then showed their superior fitness and Annie Neyton got a fine individual goal to make it 3-2 and in the final ten minutes, AA virgin Tracey Walsh (nee Jones), who had made an excellent debut on the right wing, connected with one by the right post to ensure that we regained the Challenge Cup from Sunbury. Several players put in fine, confident performances including a storming one from Annie Neyton, the aforementioned Tracey, Alex Saunders, the effervescent Kirsty Rossington and Gillian Clegg, who was voted the AA’s player of the match by the SSOP’s. One of their supporters won the supporter of the day, despite Val Baldwin wearing some flashing decorations and Emma Hynes turning up with a massive hang over! Sunbury also won the annual quiz for the first time ever, so congratulations to Angela of the SSOP’s. AA’s Carol Stedman & Sally Woodhead came second and the new pairing of Joy and Jane Williams came third. Thanks as always go to Aunty Shirley Winson (nee Tarling not Temple as suggested by two entrants!), for marking the quiz, Rosemary for the food, Tracey Apples for helping out in lots of ways, sexy Santa for giving the prizes out and things!! Thanks also to all the spectators and supporters, young and old, especially Kirsty R and Richard for travelling down from Grantham to play/support/take the photos.
AHC SIMPLY THE BEST!!
Team; Ali Boxell, Doreen Brown, Alex Saunders, Ali Donelan, Jackie Parsons, Kirsty Rossington, Lynne Morgan (Captain), Annie Neyton, Freddie Newman, Sue Westlake, Gillian Clegg, Tracey Walsh, Val Baldwin
Umpires: Lesley Mitchell/Carol Davies
The AHC Christmas Newsletter has been e-mailed/posted out to paid up members today and will be posted on the website soon. Copies will also be available at the Clubhouse tomorrow (20/12), when the Ashford Antiques (AA’s) will play their annual fixture against Sunbury Ladies Stars of the Past at 1.30pm, spectators welcome. The Children’s Party for all ACC and AHC members offspring aged between 3-12 years old will follow at 4pm, tickets £2.50p each. On Monday 22nd there will be the Teenagers Disco and Pool competition, tickets £3 each and there will be the usual New Year’s Eve Disco and Party on 31/12, tickets £10 Adults, £5 Children. All tickets are available for purchase from behind the bar. The Clubhouse hours over the Christmas period have been circulated to AHC members and are displayed around the Clubhouse. The grounds and Clubhouse will be closed on Christmas, Boxing and New Years Days.
Ashford 4’s 3 Gerrards Cross 3’s 1
Scorers - Bert (2) Dawson
What a difference 2 games make! 2 wins - 6 points - and a move up to a healthy 8th place
Important win given GX were just above us and in truth we dominated the game and could have won handsomely, but then most of us aren’t the best looking so fair enough.
0-0 at half time was a worry as we failed in front of goal but nerves were settled when Bert Hewes scored from close range and then Dawson scored a well-taken second galloping into the D to reverse-smack home. A few minutes later, The Lip read the defensive pass across the D and nipped in to set up Bert for his second. He then decided he didn’t want a hat-trick but got another as he missed a hat-trick of pretty open goals! But we’ll let him off.
The game was pretty much over then but there was still time for the customary opportunity for Neil to send off Bubbles - as Bubs dived at the ball and player with everything he had - he didn’t even say ‘but I got the ball!!!’
3-1 the final score, very pleasing end to the first half of the season and we hopefully can kick on in the New Year
Ladies League Hockey 13/12/08
Middlesex Premier
Ashford 1st XI 1 v Mill Hill 1st XI 1
In torrential rain and cold conditions, Ashford entertained the team five places below them in the League, Mill Hill 1st XI. Unfortunately injury problems prevented regular squad members HAYLEY EAMES, LAURA QUINN and JACQUI BASHFORD from appearing for Ashford, but regulars EMMA HYNES, ANNIE NEYTON, KIM FRY and JACKIE PARSONS were all back in League action. Coach MANDY WAIN also kept faith with youngster KELLY TAYLOR. The opening twenty minutes of the game were very even and set the pattern for the rest of it, with both sides giving one hundred percent in effort and both creating goal chances. Ashford were able to secure a short corner early in the game though and JACKIE PARSON’S good first time strike was stopped by the Mill Hill keeper and was followed up well by ANNA PROTHEROE, but ANNA’s accurate shot was cleared off the goal line. Several more good attacks were mounted by Ashford, but the Mill Hill defence stood firm and defended well. Likewise the visitors also attacked ferociously, but Ashford keeper SAM GRANT and stalwart defenders KIM FRY, EMMA HYNES and the ever reliable SOPHIE SMART kept the lines clear and dealt well with all the Mill Hill forwards could throw at them. In the second part of the first half both sides secured the goal they were after. Ashford’s came from a good short corner routine that saw ANNA PROTHEROE injecting the ball to JACKIE PARSONS, who switched it to ANNIE NEYTON who struck it cleanly into bottom right hand corner of the net. Thus a very even first half finished honours even, with the score line being one goal each.
After the interval both sides continued to battle hard and gradually Ashford edged on top. However they weren’t able to convert the numerous short corners they had and Mill Hill always looked dangerous on the break. Once again the Ashford’s defence stood tall and coped well with all the Mill hill threats on goal. The Red & Black midfielders were also playing well, with Player of the Match NICKY BENEDICT and youngster ANNA PROTHEROE catching the eye in particular. As the game wore on a draw seemed like the only likely result, especially as once again the Red & Blacks had a goal bound shot saved on the line. However, with only two minutes of the game left, Mill Hill nearly snatched a win after they gained a short corner and it needed some nimble foot work from Ashford keeper to keep the marauding visiting forwards at bay. Ashford then cleared their lines and hung on until the end of the game to earn a well deserved point from an even and hard fought game. Coach MANDY WAIN was pleased with the ever improving team work and the way every Ashford player worked hard and well for each other.
The result keeps Ashford in a healthy fourth position in the Premier League at the half way stage of the season with five wins out of ten games, which bodes well for the second half of the season. The Red & Blacks recommence their season with a home game against sixth in the League side West Hampstead 2nd XI on Saturday 10th January 2009.
Team; S. Grant (GK), K. Fry, S. Smart, E. Hynes, L Young, J. Parsons, A. Neyton, S. Kenward (Skipper), N. Benedict, A Protheroe, K Taylor, P Worsfold,
Bottom of the Table Ashford 2s played 2nd placed Southgate 3s last Saturday. Southgate came out strong from the start and Ashford spent most of the first ten minutes defending until they settled down and after ten minutes play and gaining a second Short Corner, Maria Cavilla converted this one by hammering home a straight strike into the bottom left corner. They was some great play and fantastic passing and linking between Baker, Symes and Smith setting up Newman, Cavilla and Siwek to gain several more shots which just narrowly missed. A great stick save by the Southgate, if somewhat illegal, stopped Holland from getting another and the score remained 1-0 to Ashford at half time.
In the second half Southgate came out determined to get an equalizer and their hard work paid off after 23 minutes with a two on one scenario with the Ashford Keeper following a fantastic first time save from Keeper and Player of the Match Liv Washer. Stunned and maybe disorientated by this equalizer, Ashford were again caught off guard and following a defensive error from Ashford led Southgate scoring once more 5 minutes later now making it 2-1 to Southgate. This was very unfortunate as Liv Washer had made several great saves and was keeping Ashford in the game. Ashford heads did not go down however and some great play led to a shot from Holland being chested down by the Southgate keeper. Perseverance from Ashford led to a Short Corner 1 min from full time and this was again converted by Cavilla with a straight strike from Cavilla this time to the bottom right. A well deserved draw by Ashford and some confidence building should help them to secure a win against Aces next Saturday who are just above them and give them a chance to move off the bottom of the table.
Team: L.Washer, E.Sibia, W.Baker, L.Bowen-Davis, H.Hull, S.Symes, J.Smith, S.Clarey, T.Holland, H.Siwek, M.Cavilla, K.Taylor, V.Newman
Ashford 4’s 2 City of Oxford 3’s 1
Scorers: The Banker, Fat Dan
Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? When Lennon was shot? When England won the footie World Cup? Now one more for the list - where were you when Fat Dan unleashed the fabled Tiger Shot? I know where I was, by the 25 yard line of the Astro…
Many thought it a children’s tall tale. Now we know it’s all true…years ago, as a wee chub, Dan journeyed to the Himalaya’s to learn the art of the Tiger Shot from a secret sect of mute monk’s (which took a while). Dan has been threatening the Tiger Shot for nigh on 20 years and finally, after years of practice and self-denial, he was ready to unleash it.
The game was a blur of Ashford pressure and desperate COO defence - Fat Dan was his normal self putting a shot wide only for Davey M to steer it home, they should have been 2 up when, from 2 feet out and with a defender prone on the line, Dan managed to lift the ball over the bar to the disbelief of all but obviously this was all part of a greater plan.
Having allowed COO to equalise, the last 10 minutes saw Ashford camped in the oppo 25 and doing everything (but failing ) to get the winner. Quite a lot of people were watching mainly due to Fry impersonating an outfield player but they may have been attracted by the burgeoning cosmic energies as the Great Moment approached…
Seconds to go, and The Lip passed it from the left to Fat Dan just outside the D, he wheeled (slowly) and turned his marker, and the ball rolled into the D….time and space seemed to bend as Dan unleashed the Tiger Shot, and an eldritch bolt of energy launched the ball past the keepers head and into the roof of the net…complete silence followed by pandemonum followed by the final whistle…even more astounding, Dan was seen at the bar buying a huge round!!…
Well worth waiting 20 years for, the Shot I mean…well done, FD!…
The winners in the Astro Draw for November 2008 are:
Congratulations and your cheques will be with you soon. There are extra monetary prizes available in the December draw, which will be made on Saturday 20th December, so if you haven’t any tickets download and complete the necessary form now.
Click here for more details about the draw and an application form.
30/11/08
Wimbledon U18 0 v Ashford U18 2
Match report written by Eline Sibia
With the disappointing defeat of last season strong in the minds of the U18 Ashford girls, they faced Wimbledon determined to win. With coach LAURA QUINN unable to make the game, the team had the extra incentive to make her proud. The first half showed that the U18’s weren’t about to let the Wimbledon girls walk all over them, with 3 attacking short corners, it was unlucky that none of them developed into a goal. Wimbledon did succeed in getting a break, which ended in a short corner but the fast running of ANNA PROTHEROE and a great deflection from goal-keeper SARAH STEDFORD stopped the opposition from scoring. The rest of the first half showed great balls down the line and some lovely passes particularly from new-girl EMILY REED, BECKY HEWES and MEGAN CONELL. The end of the first half came quickly with the score 0-0.
After a quick chat from manager ALISON BOXELL the team was fired up for the continuation of the match. The U18’s were quick to start and the second half brought the first goal of the match as EMILY REED dribbled past numerous players and took a hard strike at goal, which was sure to go in but at last second the goal-keeper stepped in to prevent it, luckily NIKKI CROXON got a tap in and the Reds were up 1-0. Little did they know the drama that was about to occur, as skipper KIRSTY HULL managed to get a team green for some unfortunate tackles which only seconds later, resulted in a yellow card for what mistaken as sarcasm and back-chat, by the umpire. With only 10 players the girls batted bravely on, with one of LAURA QUINN’s favourite quotes drilled in their minds ‘Attack is the best form of defence’ the girls managed to keep the play mostly in the Wimbledon half. Just after the skipper had been allowed to return, Ashford was awarded a short-corner. KIRSTY HULL injected it to ANNA PROTHEROE who smashed the ball, in what can only be described as a scorcher in the corner, making the score 2-0. The girls did not allow the score affect their play as they carried on in the same fashion. Some brilliant play between KELLY TAYLOR, EMILY REED and NIKKI CROXON meant there were some more chances in the semi-circle but the score was to remain 2-0 when the final whistle went. Overall there was some great hockey and despite the rain, it was enjoyable to play.
South Bucks 3’s 4 Ashford 4’s 1
Scorer: Gordo
Deserving to lose to the bottom-of-the-table team is not good - despite taking the lead after 15 minutes Gordo putting away a Big Amit shortie, we never convinced…
We were a few light but we can’t hide from the fact that virtually all the team were off their game…City of Oxford are now bottom and are next game up, pretty much must-win for us….
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