Match Reports For Saturday 13th September Season 2003 - 2004

Mens 1st XI

Mens 2nd XI

Mens 3rd XI

Mens 4th XI

For a 4th XI match both teams fielded strong sides. Staines started strongly with a number of strong breaks down the right wing courtesy of Martin Kercher. It wasn't long before Martin Rengger in the centre took hold of a cross and slotted it nicely round the keeper into the back of the net.

The rest of the first half was fairly even, with Staines adapting to a large number of substitutions and player moves as different combinations were tried out. The second half started strongly with goals from Jeremy Raines and Martin Kercher.

Ashford managed a late goal from a short corner for some reason but that didn't spoil our day too much. Hopefully the 4th XI can build on today's performance and put together a really strong performance for the coming season.

Man of the Match - Sid for strong defending and good work from 16s Dick of the Day - Alex Sherman for not bringing enough pens to write the votes with

Goals
Martin Rengger
Jeremy Raines
Martin Kercher

Other noticeable performances
Rob Godfrey for some nice saves - deft touches round the post Phil Laszlo for vocal control

Thanks to
Alec for Umpiring
Ashford for hosting and providing teas

Mens 5th XI

Mens 6th XI

Mens Centurions

Ladies 1st XI

Very pleased to tell you that the Ladies 1st XI won 3 - 0 against Guildford (who were very annoyed). Great start to season.

Or

Arriving at Guildford's pitch on a hot sunny day, facing the South Division team with a 'young' squad of 17 who were taking photos of themselves, didn't put the 11 Staines players off. Ageist comments from the opposition only helped fuel Ruth Hine's drive to wobble around the entire Guildford team and lob the ball over the goalie's head for the first goal. Soon two more goals were to follow, another by Ruth and one from Alex Stacey.

What a result.

Guildford spent the rest of the match arguing amongst themselves and even apologised for their behaviour at the end of the match. Thanks to the entire team for a great effort.

Ladies 2nd XI

This proved to be a true warm up game for the start of the season, as temperatures soared and the team roasted in the heat! It also got off to a hot start, when Staines held the midfield and forced Eastcote to pass the ball around the back unable to find a way past the Staines attack from their first push back. This forced a clumsy pass from Eastcote which Juliet picked up and slipped to Hels White for her to slam home, and the game had only been going for 27 seconds! Eastcote then applied constant pressure but our defense did a marvellous job and thanks and praise has to go to Julie Purbrick who made some fantastic saves to keep Staines's lead. It was late in the 2nd half when Eastcote bagged the equalizer, which took a deflection into the top of the goal. This proved to be an excellent warm up game against our toughest opponents in our league this season, hopefully the next game will be battle for who wins the league title!! Should be an interesting season! Thanks to Ali, Hels Fisher and Yvonne for playing for the 1's and the 2's!!

Ladies 3rd XI

We were great! They were good but not good enough.... too b****y young to be playing against Staines vets aka ladies 3's... goal scorers - Tracey (4) Jeannette (1) & Claire (player of the match) (1).... stunning performance from yours truly at sweeper cum centre back (only joking!!!) on the whole a solid performance for the first game of the season....the only way now is up...!!!

Kerry Burke

Ladies 4th XI

A bit of a trek for our first game of the season, but after getting only a little lost in Central London we arrived at Wanderers' ground near the Oval ready for our first game of the season.

It was good to see some new players join us, Michelle, Tanya, Kerry, and Caroline although due to some last minute drop outs due to illness we only had ten players.

The weather was sunny and far too warm to be running around a hockey pitch, especially with one player short and no subs and we soon began to feel the pressure as Wanderers put their first two goals past us. By the end of the first half the score was 6-0, although after shuffling some players around at half time we managed to hold them to 2-0 in the second half leaving the final score at 8-0 to the home side.

First games of the season are always difficult, but despite the mitigating circumstances of having one player less, being effectively a new team playing together for the first time, and that the opposition were in the league above ours we were still left feeling disappointed by the result.

On the positive side however this is likely to be one of the worst matches we will have - things can only get better!

Player of the match - Elly Gadd
Highlight of the match - the teas afterwards which were lovely!