Match Reports – Saturday 22nd February 2025

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Women’s 6s 2 – 1 Sunbury & Walton Hawks 4s

First Half
We went out on the pitch determined to win in order to climb up the table. We started out like a
team that had had a week off (!) before finding our stride and using the width of the pitch to
make secure passes and put pressure on the opposition defenders. We secured a goal early on
from a penalty corner with Amanda hitting the ball into the bottom left corner. Later in the first
half, the opposition managed to work their way through a strong defense, scoring an equalising
goal, making the score 1-1 but we kept the pressure on. Anne sent a lovely ball up the right
wing which Frankie picked up and carried on with the run before crossing it into the D, where
Lucy was perfectly placed to tap it in to the goal, 2-1 to us at half time.
Second half
With a rousing half time talk from the captain, we went all out to try to make the win secure.
However, the opposition were also playing some very attacking hockey, wanting to score an
equaliser and Freya made a couple of good saves in goal. The opposition were awarded a
penalty corner that was well defended and we kept piling on the pressure with lots of shots on
goals, unfortunately none were converted. But with our increased marking and possession we
were unlucky in the 2 nd half not to score again, final result 2-1 OC’s moving us up to a very
respectable mid table position.
Player of the match
There were many nominations for player of the match this week which showed how well
everyone played. The joint players of the match were Ness (who made many great passes and
ran to the ball to intercept really well) and May (who used impressive skills to transfer the ball
to the forwards). The other nominations were:
Anne
Lucy
Kate
Amanda
Emma
Leah
Frankie

 

 

Hamstrings  1 – 4  East Grinstead

“A Tale of Two Steves”
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.
Late team news screwed up everyone’s Fantasy Hockey teams, as previously-ever-present Jamie succumbed to a bout of woman-flu. Huge thanks to the Three Samurai who helped us out, as our plucky bare 11 took on the 16 of East Grinstead. Our Samurai guests were used to being surrounded by high energy and 3D skills, and so immediately felt at home in the team of Old Buggers.
Despite heroic defending, and a few chances in attack, we were 2-0 down by half time, to two softish/dubious short corners. The team spirit held for the 2nd Half, with Nige marshalling the defence. They bravely battled to hold the fort, with Rosco clearing out the D, even when 2 of his team mates also tried to nick the ball off him.
A chance to get back in the game, and Steve M’s penalty flick was low and hard and wide of the GK – at least, that was the theory. In reality it looped into the Goalie’s orbit for an easy save, and the GK was so grateful that he thought about giving Steve a full smacker on the lips, even though permission had not been granted.
Still we pressed, and eventually Mike’s tireless running set up a galloping Paul down the wing. He fired it in, a melee ensued, then up popped “Stephen Lee-thal” to coolly slot home his first ever OCs goal!!
You couldn’t fault his ambition and enthusiasm, but at 4-1 down with 5 minutes to go, Steve M’s call to his exhausted team mates for a “High Press!!” went down like a sinkhole in Godstone High Street.
Like yet another instalment of the internationally bestselling The Hurst Chronicles saga (available now on amazon ), everybody couldn’t wait for it to finish.
Eventually losing 4-1 to a decent EG side, who deserved the win, we felt that our full team could certainly have taken ’em.
Goalscorer & MOM – Stephen Lee

 

 

 

Women’s 3s  5 – 0  Sunbury & Walton Hawks

It was an early start this morning for the Ladies 3s as we arrived at 9:15 for our match against Sunbury & Walton Hawks. There was some slight anticipation about what the game would be like, which unfortunately did live up to expectations…
We headed to the pitch and got a decent warm up in, managing to avoid the majority of the worms and bird poo on the pitch, and after a few last minute toilet trips, we were ready. It perhaps wasn’t our great start, whether that be due to the early meet or a week off of hockey over half term, so it took some easing into the first half before we kicked into gear. As always, Helen and Ele’s communication from the back started to help get us into the game, and thankfully we managed to get a goal – a great pass from Jenny which led to Sam tapping in it. As Grace said at half time, it truly was a “class goal” and just what we needed to prove we were the better team. A slightly less eventful first half ended 1-0 to OCs, and after our half time talked fuelled this week by squashies and jelly babies, we were ready to go again.
The second half started strong, we were back playing our game and were ready for more goals. With Elle providing speed from the back, and Jo in our mid line transferring the ball around, we were able to secure a short corner. Our usual huddle gathered at the D, and it was Jacqs at the top who was going to strike the ball to the right post for Ailsa to tap in – clearly a change of plans as Jacqs smashed the ball bottom left. 2-0 OCs. The next chance came as Georgie quickly took a free hit and played a lovely cross which Molly tapped in, yet some questionable umpiring led to that goal being disallowed. This didn’t stop Molly though, as moments later she managed to score another… and then straight away another! Our oppo were clearly starting to get agitated by our goal scoring streak, and a few disagreements started to break out on the pitch meaning Georgie had to go for a sit down after the umpire was a little rash with his cards. Our fifth and final goal came as Honor found herself in our attacking D, and smashed the ball right into the back of the goal – her celebration was one of the highlights of the match.
Overall, we won 5-0 with Jasmine having to do very little in our own goal. Man of the match went to Jacqs, although she claims the true man of the match was more specifically her feet! Great result ladies!

Puricrans  3 – 1  St Albans 

Following a two week break due to a bye and half term we travelled to St Albans, always a tricky drive and tricky game. Both turned out to be true.

A scratchy first half for us was due to being slightly ring rusty and facing a determined St Albans side. We had a few decent chances that on another day would have been taken whilst never being put under pressure at the back. Eventually we took the lead midway through the first half with Andrew Sanders scoring a trademark deflected goal from a shot come cross from Jon Marnitz only to be pegged back by conceding a short corner after 25 minutes, the oppo’s first real attack, that was converted. Belief grew in the St Albans ranks as we conceded much of the initiative we had gained.

With Andy Macleod struggling with a hamstring issue our main attacking outlet was blunted and we became frustrated and could not retain the bal. A positional shuffle and bringing the hobbling Andy M back on saw us score two quick goals in the last 10 minutes when we scrambled home a good corner sealing the game with Andy M fired in a cross that was deflected home. Our determination to win the game carried us through the last 15 minutes that secured the win.

Although we had some final pressure to soak up we claimed the 3 points and moved back to the top of the table.

Thank you Micky Finnegan for helping us out at the 11th hour.

The next three games see us playing the teams in 3trd, 4th and 5th and therefore the league defining period.

Player of the match:-  Mike Finnegan

Goals:- Knapp 2 Andrew Sanders 

 

 

Ladies 5s 3 – 0 Teddington L6s

With a squad of 12 we knew it was going to be a tough match today and were hungry for a win to keep pushing for that top league spot.

From the whistle we pressed hard and, from a goal mouth scramble were tantalisingly close to scoring before seeing the ball whistled past the far post.

With the defenders putting in a solid performance and marking well, there was the chance to press resulting in a number of opportunities for the forwards and midfields with Bernie converting the first one after 12 minutes: 1-0.

Unfortunately, now down to 11 due to injury, everyone dug hard and we played some fantastic team hockey resulting in some great runs up the wings by Chloe and Sophie passing in to Izzy and Bryony, maintaining possession and moving the ball quickly around resulted in the 2nd goal coming after a shot by Karen and deflected into the corner by Bernie 2-0, HT.

The second half showed the opposition coming out strong and Sam playing in goal (aided from the sideline by Jack!) made some confident saves to keep a clean sheet, helped by the great work from the forwards pressing the oppo’s 16’s.

Our attacking hockey came to fruition and, after some dominating runs,  we won a penalty corner. Paula stopped and slipped to Izzy who put the ball in the back of the net, coming off the keepers pad and deflecting into the top corner.  Unfortunately, much to everyone’s surprise, the goal was disallowed due to the trajectory of the ball from the initial shot.

We kept pressing and won another penalty corner, with exactly the same stop and slip this time Izzy played it back to Paula who put it in the back of the net, 3-0 final score. Well done to everyone for their 100% work rate and Nic for her versatility in position moving.

Player of the match Sophie Chalkley.

Written by Sarah Chalkley