Men’s 1st XI 2 – 6 Teddington 1st XI
The clash between Old Cranleighan Men’s 1s and Teddington Men’s 1s promised to be an exciting field hockey match, with Teddington striving for promotion to the Premier Division.
Teddington struck first, capitalising on a moment of poor defending by OCs Unfortunately, OC’s bad luck continued when they accidentally hit their own foot during a penalty corner, denying them the chance to level the score. The first half was evenly matched, with both teams sharing possession and opportunities. However, Teddington seized the advantage when a pass from the backline found its way to their striker, resulting in a quick sequence of passes culminating in a well-placed shot. At halftime, Teddington led 2-0.
Teddington maintained their momentum into the third quarter, capitalising on loose balls and defensive errors to convert two short corners into goals. OCs struggled to make effective use of their possession, and their defence appeared vulnerable.
Finally OCs managed to get on the scoreboard with a great team goal. Joe intercepted an aerial pass and swiftly moved the ball to Broe out wide, who delivered a well-placed pass into the circle. Heywood showcased his skills by eluding several defenders before rifling the ball into the net.
However, Teddington responded promptly, with a controversial short corner leading to another goal, 5-1.
In the final quarter, OCs showed resilience and determination. JJ fired a powerful drag flick into the net, providing a glimmer of hope. The team displayed a stronger performance, but it wasn’t enough to change the course of the game.
The match ended with a final score of 6-2 in favour of Teddington. It was a game that highlighted areas for improvement for OCs before their next game.
Ladies 1st XI 2 – 2 Wimbledon 3s
After our incredible new and improved warm up lead by our amazing Jackie we were pumped and ready to fight. We knew it was going to be a difficult match but we were ready to stay strong and play our game.
Ladies 2s 2 – 1 Wayfarers 5s
The Ladies’s 2nd XI have had a flying start to the season, but following last week’s blip we were keen to get back to winning ways. Our opposition this week was Wayfarer’s 5th XI who are always a challenging opposition from a strong club.
As Storm Babet forced the rain to come thrashing down during our warm-up you would think the team’s spirits would be dampened. Au contraire! With fire in our bellies, we headed to our starting positions.
OC’s started strong we utilised the line ball and played it well out from the back, however even though we were by far the dominant team, spending the majority of the half on the outside of the attacking D, we struggled to convert any of our chances. A frustrating but promising first half.
After half time it wasn’t long before the pressure we built upon in the first half allowed us to convert, and it came from a short corner – a rare occurrence for the Ladies 2nd XI. The ball flies out to the top of the D to Pricey, Pricey then slaps the ball back to Liz as the injector, cutting it back to Laura H who slots past the goalie over the line, 1-0. The goal was accompanied by a strong goal celebration, showing how much it meant to the team and to the goal scorer – pictures available to support!
As can be the way sometimes, not long after our goal our defences were down and Wayfarer’s, who had been building in confidence in the second half took a really quick ball outside of the D which resulted in a lifted deflection into the back of our net, nothing Jasmine could do, 1-1.
The rain finally paused and the sun broke through and shone a piece of magic on to the pitch as the ball made it’s way to Jess inside the D who took aim and sent a rocket into the backboard, OC’s are back on top, 2-1.
Then the team just had 10 minutes to hold on, it wasn’t pretty and definitely not our best hockey however to do well in the season sometimes you have to come through these ugly games, and that is what we did. Final whistle, 2-1.
Shout out To Ele (MoM) and the rest of the defence who tackled and played the ball out from the back confidently.
A shout out also has to go to two excellent umpires who kept the game moving swiftly and as we look ahead to the rest of the season OC’s are still in amongst it near the top of the table. With a week off next weekend the team plan to work on our clinical goal scoring to see us reach our goal of achieving promotion.
MOM: Ele Lunn
GOALS: Laura Hutton & Jess Quinton
Ladies 3rd XI 6 – 0 Richmond 4s
Sitting at the top of the table and feeling confident we headed into our match away against Richmond. We came out with intensity and within a few minutes had several shots at goal. We played some great hockey, working the ball around the defence to open up the pitch. Some great runs into the D led to a few short corners and Lauren scored our first of 6 goals after it ping ponged around a few players and found the backboard. We kept the intensity high and kept possession for the majority ofthe match.
Continuously pushing their defence hard leading to our next goal from Manny with her trademark torpedo hit from the top of the D. Our 3rd goal from Jess Q with an impressive strike from the edge of the D, our 4th goal came from a perfectly weighted ball from Georgie through to Yas who finally got past the keeper. Our 5th goal came from a surprised Josie whose lightning quick reactions picked up a kick from the keeper. We kept the ball in their D and a missed shot at goal from Yas bounced to Lauren who smacked it past the keeper for our final goal. It was a great team game and another comfortable win under our belt.
POM – Lauren A
Goals – 2 x Lauren Anderson, 1 x Sarah Mann, 1 x Yasmine Weeks, 1 X Josie Perrin, 1 x Jess Quinton
Ladies 4th XI 5 – 1 Barnes 7s
Jacqs Stacey, at the 20 minute mark, was the first of the team to find the goal and 5 minutes later she popped another one through. Following Jacqs’s lead, Poppy Protasiuk brought them to 3-1 at half time.
The second half saw L4s dominating with multiple narrow misses. An interestingly worked penalty corner saw Poppy slipping her second one past the keeper.
For the second time this season, L4s were awarded a penalty flick. Bernie bravely stepped forward to take the shot. Despite playing a perfectly placed ball, the keeper managed to save it. Determined to get a goal under her belt, Bernie decided to go ‘old school’ and get her goal during open play.
A fantastic 5-1 win from a team that played a brilliant game together.
Player of the match goes to Bella Perry.
Written by Paula Dormer
Mens 4s 1 – 6 Barnes 3s
We was thumped.
A top of the table clash saw Barnes 3s cement their place at the top as they gave us a lesson in a destructive performance. Our unbeaten run of 50 weeks and 20 games was over.
The previous Saturday ended with us bemoaning our playing on the sandy wastes of Oaken Lane with a very prophetic wish of a wet Saturday morning to counter the sand on the pitch. Storm Babet did her best and produced a perfect storm to make the pitch excellent. Try as she could with a monsoon 12 minutes from the end Babet could not come to our rescue as at 0 – 5 down CJ and CB decided against abandoning the match even though a few of us pleaded them to do so.
The first 5 to 10 minutes gave no sign of what was to come as we had 2 half decent chances to take the lead. The well organised and hungry Barnes side woke up and once they scored two goals in close proximity the writing was on the wall as we were not second best to the 50/50s but third best.
A good distribution from the back was supported by a fast and aggressive midfield and forwards who worked very well together. A very good short corner routine produced 3 goals either side of half time as we became less and less effective.
Eventually and with a couple of positional changes we started to match the oppo but were 6 – 0 down by that point. At last we created good chances but their hitherto untroubled keeper stepped up and made 3 top saves. Eventually one found its way past the guy with the pads only to be stopped by a foot on the line. The resultant stroke was converted. We should have sneaked a second consolation right at the death but that would have been scant reward for a drubbing.
Even in this heavy defeat there were some top performances with Fraser receiving a unanimous M o M award and Nashy fighting in the midfield although outnumbered 3 to 1 for the bulk of the game.
After successive defeats in November last year we would have poured scorn on a prediction that we would run away with the league and be 4th after 5 games in the league above. Just now need to go on another 20 game unbeaten run.
Thanks CJ and CB for umpiring a combative game played in exactly the right spirit and well done Barnes for retaining their 100% record.
M o M Fraser
Goal – Knappy
D o D Either of Guy or Millsy for leaving their kit at Oaken Lane post match.
Ladies 5th XI 0 – 5 Teddington 5s
The glorious sunny hockey days we have got used to, unfortunately ended on Saturday. The ladies 5’s made their way in the rain to Teddington to take on their ladies 5’s.
After cheering on the Ladies 7’s on the sidelines the ladies 5’s were ready to get their heads down and play some hockey.
The first half got started and the ladies 5’s had a really good start, with some nice passes between the midfield. Unfortunately, Teddington managed to get three early goals despite Naysa’s ( who was making her ladies hockey debut!) fantastic saves. Even though we were three goals down early on, the Ladies 5’s stayed positive and carried on fighting. Teddington were held back for the rest of the half and the score line remained 3-0.
After some well deserved haribos and a motivating chat from our captains, the ladies 5’s were ready to give their all in the second half. Teddington scored two early goals in the second half.
Still despite the score being 5-0 the ladies 5’s were still positive and kept fighting. The rest of second half saw some wonderful hockey from the ladies 5’s.
Teddington had 5 short corners in the second half and the defence managed to stop 4 of those from going in. Special mention to Lily who managed to last minute stop the ball from going over the line!
POM – Holly with special mentions for Frankie (Jr.) and Phoebe
Warriors 3 – 1 London Wayfarers
J Factor helps Warriors to first win of the season
Pre match, top of the league Barbarians must have been thinking that the match against winless Warriors would be an easy Saturday afternoon. What the stats didn’t tell them is that this performance and ultimately the win had been coming with Warriors, whilst winless, not having been outplayed so far this season.
Hamstrings 1 – 0 Richmond Rogues
“The most one-sided 1-0 match I’ve ever been involved in” according to the Richmond Skipper and that makes two of us!
On a wet afternoon on the Oaken Lane pitch (which is better with a good soaking) we gathered a few OC friends to make up the squad numbers, perhaps had too many on the bench for this particular match and opposition.
We dominated from start to finish with golden glove nominee, Nige Hawes, only really having one save to make all game. On the whole we played some decent hockey albeit in a formation that was much debated at half time. Thank goodness it was only 5 minutes long, or we could have been there long enough to miss the evening rugby where the result was also surprising only a 1 point game.
The stats would look ridiculous on every front, plenty shots on target, even more off target, loads of short corners, we simply could not put the ball in the net until around the 60th minute when Simon Quints tucked a well deserved goal away. Irrespective of the formation we played too narrowly but with many of our regulars not available, we were a new (not young) team and overall played well and enjoyed it.
Richmond were getting frustrated now and made some pretty poor tackles which lit the fuse for Tissy & Quints on a couple of occasions in what was generally a game played in good spirits. We go again in a few weeks.
MoM – Toby Stevenson
GG – Nigel Hawes
Goal – Simon Quinton
Ladies 7th XI 0-10 Teddington 6s
The weather was not auspicious. Rain. Rain and more rain. This did die down a little and I encouraged the team to go out for a warm-up. Whilst staying dry and warm to out the goalie kit on, obviously.
With only 11 players against the team second in the league, we were facing an uphill battle. They had 16 players (half term clearly starts later in Middlesex). We had two over 70, two back to hockey playing their second game in 10 years, and one junior playing their first adult game. So fluidity and snappy teamwork was an unlikely ask.
Nadia Di Meo had asked to play forward, but with a strange presentment offered to play back – gratefully accepted by Annie who would otherwise have been centre back!
And so it proved. Teddington were on us from the off, pushing forward and scoring twice in quick succession.
With centre-mid Veele having to leave the pitch because of an injury and unable to run, Sarah Schuer at left back also found that she was unable to run, so we were shortly down to 9.5 players. With heroics from Sarah, Nadia, Pam and Belle, even Georgina, gamely playing down from the 6s couldn’t save us from a first half drubbing of 7-0. That said, Teddington had around 10 short corners and only managed to score from one, so I would be quite embarrassed if o were them.
Jeanette, Jane and Annie came back to help out in the second half, which ironically allowed them to push forward at times as we seemed to be better organised. We had a couple of incursions into their D and some good crosses scooted across the goal, alas without troubling their keeper.
Abigail Panditharatna had a storming second half at right mid, learning on the job, and enabling those of us in the D to have a breather. Carol Jacobs put in a star guest appearance, bolstering the defence.
Veele tried to play again, but was eventually forced to retire injured. This left us with 10 wet and weary fighters, all pressuring, running to them and trying to make them play. With at least another 10 shorts against us (each one greeted with a cheer by Nadia), they managed to score from 1 (although I am sure it came off the attackers foot, not her stick). With two more goals from open play, we definitely acquitted ourselves better in the second half. Belle, playing right back ran second at the short corners and saved at least two shots from scoring with fantastic deflections. Sarah never went off, although she felt unable to run and put herself squarely in the way of several shots and got in some very important tackles. Pam, as always, got stuck in, organised the defence and ran one of every short.
I am not sure what Di Meo means in Italian, although Nadia says it is a mafia name (you play where you like every week now, Nadia!). I am sure it should be Di Leo, as Nadia, like everyone else, played with the heart and soul of a lion! The team never gave up, regardless of how they felt. It was awesome to see that, and at the end, the scoreline go ten second half was a reflection of how much better we played then.
I saved far more than I let in, but couldn’t have done anything without the rest of the team.
POM Nici Goldsmith
Honourable mentions to Belle and Abigail.