Ladies 2s

L2-1

Ladies 3s

Ladies 3s played at Lee Valley against Chelmsford. With both teams sporting green and white combos there was potential for confusion but we came out totally focused and ready to bring our A game. We played some awesome hockey in the first half with several great attacks on goal. We couldn’t quite break through and end of half time was 0-0.

Second half we came out strong but Chelmsford had the advantage of having a few subs and in the latter part of the second half they managed a few successful breaks. Final score 0-4 to Chelmsford. We played some great hockey, stayed strong and kept fighting.

And good news – no injuries this week!!

Ladies 4s

Ladies 4s played against Old Southendians today on a pitch tucked away in the corner of an industrial estate.

Despite only having 9 players to their 11 we played really well and in my opinion were the stronger team.

In the first half they managed to score 4 goals but after some fruit and sweets at half time we came back eager.

Kwai and Jacqui scored a goal each and our defence kept the oppo from getting any more goals. Final score 4-2.

Also found out where our random extra win came from…apparently when we played them at home on the 17th Sept they had an unregistered player which caused the league strip them of the 5-0 win and give it to us instead (glad it wasn’t an error)!

Well done Ladies, what a great game!

Men’s 2s

Men’s 2s travelled to Colchester this afternoon expecting a difficult game after half the squad mysteriously fell ill this week/ got injured, leaving us with just 11 players. Not satisfied with the challenge we were already facing, Imran Arshad decided to make it even harder by turning up halfway through the second half (although, to be fair, we’d kept it at 0 – 0 until then). Some excellent play from our debutant forwards Dan and John meant that we were still in the game at half time, 4 – 2 down (goals: John and Ben).

Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. Don’t know what the final score was in the end, but great to see new faces in the team and some good performances which bodes well for the future!

POP: Tim Boxall pipped Ben Norton by 4 fines (I got 96). Not sure why?

MOM: John for the goal and great forward play

Men’s 3s

The men’s 3s went into the game against Colchester today knowing it was going to be tough as our opponents were second in the league. The first half was very one sided, they grabbed 3 goals from short corners and another which may have been just out of the d.

As a team we played much better in the second half with good link up play from Chris and Zain, Steve pulled off several great saves but unfortunately Colchester got another 2 and the game finished 6-0, full credit to each one of my players who worked their socks off to the final whistle.

MOM – George who stepped up on from the 5s and had a terrific game in centre mid with his non-stop work rate

POP – Chris for green card shenanigans

Men’s 4s

Fixture: Wapping 8s vs Men’s 4s

Pushback: 1600

Weather: Frosty (though perhaps that was just the rivalry?)

Fact of the Day: Ahead of his ill-fated expedition, Scott of the Antarctic was actually able to park his Ford Mondeo closer to the South Pole than any player was able park their vehicle to the Lee Valley H+T Centre on Saturday.

After suffering a close defeat on an ‘away’ trip to Wapping at the start of the season, Men’s 4s had the opportunity to reverse that result.. away at Wapping… again.

Skipper Gary ‘This Time I’d Better Not Mention That Some Of Us Have Never Beaten Wapping’ Joy fired the team up and WFHC started strongly; about 20mins in a slick front to back passing move was finished by part-time spreadsheet wizard, full-time poacher, Alex Heath.

The game was very even and not long into the second half Wapping got an unremarkable equaliser.

The 4s were quick to push for the lead and a lovely drag-flick finish from Oliver Loessl, which he claims was in the top left corner (not convinced, but my judgement of the flight of Oli’s balls[phrasing?] was definitely off on Saturday so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on that one)

The parking nightmare definitely helped Thomas Webb whose last-minute jog down from Leyton Mills inspired a MOTM display; stepping up for the 4s, he made as many stunning reflex saves as solid stops, especially late on as Men’s 4s secured the victory, 1-2!

A special mention to Horace Keating who has been outstanding for us and is deservedly going up to the Men’s 2s in the new year. On behalf of every 4s player we hope you play terribly, get dropped and are back playing in Div 6SE soon!

Men’s 5s

L5-1

Otters

L12-0