Match Reports For Saturday 21st January Season 2005 - 2006
Mens 1st XI
Staines travelled to West Hamstead on Saturday. Following the success of last weekend Staines were hoping for another three points to maintain their challenge for promotion. It was West Hamstead however that started the game the strongest and were quick to open the scoring following some poor marking by Staines. However, as the first half developed Staines began to stamp their authority, and were soon to draw level with a fantastic reverse stick strike by Andy Evans. The scoreline was then extended further when Stuart Hall converted following goal mouth scramble and it could well have been 3-1 had Staines not had another effort disallowed.
Staines failed to build on the platform established in the first half and a rather lack lustre display enable West Hamstead back into the game. Mid way through the second half West Hamstead drew level. Both sides then had opportunities to take the three points, but some poor finishing and some good goalkeeping kept the scoreline level until full time. Staines still remain only two points from the top of the table but will need to be more consistent in their approach if they are to remain in contention for promotion.
Mens 2nd XI
Mens 3rd XI
Mens 4th XI
Mens 5th XI
With a few dust down matches over the Christmas break with the team spread between Vets (trust me, some of us look old enough), the 4’s and the 6’s it was time to put the 5’s back together and get focus on our target for the season. The big P.
Early meet with a short trip away at St Pauls. W&W was the opo this week and we felt that we would have the upper hand after a good first game win at home.
Goalkeepers are a strange bunch of folk with strangely similar traits:
They can also be a bit forgetful. I know Fun-time is reaching the higher levels of childhood but we are going to have to put L and R on his pads poor chap
Once FTF could defend himself we set in about the W&W massed hoards.
We won 7-1 with FTF’s helmet of unstoppability only slightly tarnished.
Good game was had by all.
MOM The votes were split across 3 players this week but runaway was Smarty with a landslide 5 votes (big change from his “no chips” days)
DOD was a much closer run affair. The Bling twins managed to hog most of the votes with Chrissy Bling sneaking the Wayne Kerr trophy this week with his ball wafting antics.
Next week we see a 6 pointer with Cheam visiting the home ground.
Come on you Blues
Mens 6th XI
Mens 7th XI
Mens Centurions
Ladies 1st XI
It was a disappointing result for the home side as they prepared for their return to League action this weekend away at Havant.Despite being without the influential Ruth Hine and Ros Suter this is a game Staines would have expected to win against a side currently top of South Div 2.Hawks looked the hungrier of the 2 teams for large periods of the game and Staines were indebted to 'keeper Maggie Owens for some great saves in the first half.It was against the run of play however that Staines took the lead,on the stroke of half time.Sarah Chandler finishing off a fine routine.
The second half proved just as frustrating as the first for the home side as Staines struggled to find their rythmn and it wasn't long before Hawks were level.An intercepted pass out of defence was cooly finished by the visiting centre forward.Staines were then dealt another blow as the ever dependable Jo Strudley had to come off due to an injured wrist.The better chances started to come Staines way and Chandler and Mel Martell both went close.With 7 minutes remaining Hawks got the winner with a well taken penalty corner.
Coach Seamus O'Connell will be looking for a vast improvement come Saturday as Staines look to maintain top spot in South Division 1 with Epsom only 3 points behind.He hopes to have Hine back from injury but will be without both Suter and Claire Woods for the game.The squad has been boosted by the return of Ellie Chapman who's been away travelling for 6 months.
Ladies 2nd XI
Ladies 3rd XI
It was almost as bright as a summer’s day as Staines donned their shades to head down to Teddington. Once more the entire team made it there with good time (must have been the early meeting time!!) and showed great innovation in reserving car parking spaces!
Team talk over and done with in the changing room – the ladies went out on the pitch to witness Teddington being put through their paces by their coach in a giant callisthenic warm up. Not wanting to be considered unfit the ladies did their own version (Smithy still as uncoordinated as ever laughing her way through them – mainly at herself). We lost the toss and ended up playing into the scorching sunshine (why did you go all the way to OZ JT when you could have popped down to Teddington?!). Our first casualty of the game was Von von von von von for whom it appeared the warm up was a little too much!? As she had pulled a muscle! Never fear, super sub Michelle stepped on at left back and she was the scariest left back that I’ve come across in a while….!!
Staines played out of their skins and were unlucky not to hit the backboard. Lizzie and Linda managed to use the press super effectively and Teddington couldn’t get the ball through their sticks of steel. Debs also had a good game at right mid – connecting well with Ingrid at the back!
An increasingly tired Staines went into half time frustrated but determined to succeed. We had more chances than Teddington and we had less players carded (ie we had none!) but still we couldn’t convert. The oppo’s forwards even began buttering Burkie up saying how she was the best defender in the league…. Well, on Saturday her performance proved it as she managed to pick off the ball from any of their attack without even moving. Amazing.
Sadly, the devil of the day was Burkie’s bunion. Yes, it managed to score a goal not for Staines but for Teddington. Unbelievable. Three minutes left and Burkie’s bunion handed it to Teddington. Staines fought back but the bunion won it.
Apologies JT for losing in your absence.
Onwards and upwards at home against Hayes next week – sadly it’s another early start!!!
Ladies 4th XI
Ladies 5th XI
On Saturday the Ladies 5s turned up nice and early to play Sunbury. Arriving we had the pleasure of the 3s to wait with until everyone had arrived. Eventually we trekked to the pitch, and went for a run. The team consisted of, Katie, Carolyn, Hazel, Heather H, Penny, Moi (Emma), Heather F, Charlotte, Sammy, Ali, Carole, and two guests; Ellie and Julia (twins…….identical twins……slightly confusing!!). May I mention the last time we played Sunbury was a extremely tough match, and the score ended up as 5-4, funnily enough we couldn’t convert the 4/5 short corners in a row!
Anyway, as we started the game we had some short easy passing to get round them, as Heather H said “they have wisdom,” I was afraid that the “we have legs” phrase was coming next! So, the game continued, changes were being made and advice was being given thanks to Looby shouting away from the sideline. A couple of times they got close, but defence kept getting it out. Carolyn belted it, and Hazel helped. It was a very exciting for both teams; brilliant work was going on between the forwards Ali, Carole and Julia. At half time the score was 0-0. This was harsh as we knew the second half Sunbury would really put on pressure as they needed a win to keep their position in the league table. A big discussion developed in the half time talk, as everyone got confused as to who they were marking, I suppose it is going to happen when both teams are subbing every fifteen minutes!
The second half everyone was out to get goals. The ball went back and forth as midfield chased it about. But thirteen minutes into the second half Staines scored, as Julia put it in the back of the net assisted by (her twin) Ellie, also with the help of Captain Ali. This showed Sunbury that we wanted to win so badly, and it just encouraged them to put more and more pressure on. Even with the amazing ones and twos between Ellie and Julia, we couldn’t hold Sunbury off, and eventually at 9 minutes they evened up the score. The race was on to see if a second goal could be conceited by either team. Though the end was too close and the game finished up at 1-1. Staines played extremely well……not too sure about Sunbury!
Results of Man of the Match ended up a draw between Carolyn and Katie. Now the Doris of the Day was most unfair. I’m sure most of you will agree with me that the same person shouldn’t get Doris four or five weeks in a row. Well I, Emma Crawley, have been getting the vote for many weeks in a row! I’m just nominated when no one can think of anyone else because my counting really isn’t that bad!! (One, two three, four, five, seven.) At least it wasn’t just me this time, Sammy shared the vote. Thanks everyone for coming along and playing.