It was a big weekend for Holcombe Hockey Club with both the men and women picking up great wins.

 

04/03/17   6pm

England Hockey Women’s National Premier League

Holcombe HC 4-0 Reading HC

Scorers: Holcombe HC: Leah Wilkinson, Leigh Maasdorp, Nicola White, Erin Hunter

Reading HC:

Holcombe Park, Rochester

 

Following last weekend’s dramatic win at East Grinstead to secure a vital six-point weekend, Holcombe welcomed a struggling Reading side to Holcombe Park.

The visitors came into the game with just two points to their name in the campaign so far. With just four games to go before they took the field at Holcombe Park, a six-point gap separating themselves from the relative safety of the relegation playoff sport was in desperate need of bridging yet the task of tackling second placed Holcombe away from home was a formidable one.

As the rain swirled around an increasingly windy Holcombe Park, the home side, winners of their last 3, who wasted no time in restricting their opponents to playing from deep within their own half.

Holcombe’s intensity and movement led to the visitors being unable to sustain extended periods of pressure on Holcombe’s defensive unit, resulting in Grace Lawes having a relatively quiet opening period in the Holcombe goal.

After 17 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken. A well worked penalty corner was converted by Vice-Captain Leah Wilkinson from close range. Reading looked to respond with some pressure of their own and forced a couple of penalty corners of their own.

One worked move struck the head of a Reading forward before a later corner cannoned into Emma Trunks’ knee as the visitors were unable to create a shot on goal.

Just 10 minutes after their first and Holcombe had doubled their lead. Captain Steph Elliott played a defence-splitting pass from inside her own half to set up a high Leigh Maasdorp. With just the goalkeeper to beat, Maasdorp was able to control the pass on her reverse before firing high into the net.

Holcombe continued to press forward and were rewarded again just before the interval.

Great work from youngster Emily Beeney stole the ball just inside the Reading half before a playing through Nicola White and Quanita Bobbs with just Amy Gibson in the Reading goal to beat. White, dummied the pass to Bobbs before beating Gibson to extend the Kent side’s lead to an unassailable 3 goals.

After such a positive opening period, it took just 5 minutes of the second for the game to stay true to form. A well-structured attack released Erin Hunter on the right shoulder of the circle. Having mis-hit her strike on goal, the bouncing ball slid under the left foot of Gibson to compound a miserable evening for the visitors.

With the game won, the intensity filtered from the contest and neither side really pushed on in the latter stages. Grace Lawes was untroubled in the second half and fleeting chances for Quanita Bobbs and Leigh Maasdorp went begging as Holcombe produced a clinical and professional performance to win 4-0.

Captain Steph Elliott was thrilled with her side’s performance to claim their fourth consecutive victory and remain unbeaten in 2017; “I thought we played some nice hockey and Reading couldn’t handle our pressing at times. We did have a rocky first 10 minutes but apart from that I felt like we controlled the game, moved the ball well and scored some great goals as well as missing a lot more opportunities to score! Regardless, we’re happy to pick up the 3 points and maintain second place in the league.”

With just 3 games remaining in the regular season, Holcombe have a 5 point lead over third placed East Grinstead as they look to secure a place in the playoffs at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.

 

 

05/03/17   2pm

England Hockey Men’s National Premier League

Holcombe HC 5-1 Brooklands MUHC

Scorers: Holcombe HC: Nick Bandurak x2, Robert Field, Barry Middleton, Iain Lewers

Brooklands MUHC: Sam Perrin

Holcombe Park, Rochester

 

With a return to winning ways last weekend against a struggling Loughborough Students, Holcombe welcomed Brooklands to Rochester on Sunday. The visitors, having been denied an invaluable three points against Surbiton last weekend by a late equaliser, came into the game full of confidence as they looked to amass important points in the bid to secure their premier league status.

The home side welcomed back Barry Middleton and Iain Lewers from the Hockey India League but were still without George Pinner, Sam Ward, David Ames and Jonty Robinson.

After driving wind and rain had threatened throughout the warm-up, a clear and warm sky welcomed the two sides as the game began at a frantic pace.

Holcombe created early chances as they enjoyed the majority of possession and territory. Brooklands defended well deep within their own half and clear-cut opportunities were therefore hard to come by.

A penalty corner a piece left the goalkeepers largely untroubled as Brooklands’ intensity and work rate paid dividends in keeping Holcombe at bay. Mid-way through the first half however, the home side finally made the breakthrough.

A driving run from James Steadman down the right flank led to a fierce cross flashing across the Brooklands circle. Robert Field managed to get in front of his defender to deflect the ball high into the visitors’ net and settle the home crowd.

The intensity never wavered as the half wore on and Chris Scott in the Brooklands goal was called upon on more than one occasion to keep the score at 1-0 as the two sides went into the break.

After taking the chance to regroup at the interval, it took just two minutes of the second half for the lead to be extended. A penalty corner was converted from the top of the circle by Nick Bandurak to double the advantage for the home side.

Further chances for Gareth Andrew and James Steadman went begging but a mere 4 minutes later and Holcombe had their third. After a strong run down the right, Steadman’s cross rebounded off the advancing Scott from the Brooklands goal as he clashed with Nick Bandurak who was sliding in. The loose ball fell to the trailing Barry Middleton who made no mistake from 8 yards to score on his return and first game for the club since the end of November.

As the game began to open, Brooklands earned themselves a penalty corner of their own. A worked move rebounded out to Sam Perrin who converted from close range to reduce the deficit and silence the home crowd.

Just 5 minutes later and the pivotal moment of the game sealed the points for the home side.

With the score at 3-1, a Brooklands penalty corner was flicked wide by Captain Peter Flanagan. The loose ball was gathered by Iain Lewers who fired a stunning 75-yard pass up the field to Robert Field. Field span to lose his defender before playing in Nick Bandurak to chip the on-rushing ‘keeper with his first touch and seal the Holcombe victory.

With 15 minutes still to play, Holcombe had opportunities to extend their lead still further and even had a fifth goal controversially disallowed. With time winding down however, they got their reward through another penalty corner. A worked move was deflected into the defender on the line for a penalty stroke. The subsequent flick was sent firing into the roof of the net by Iain Lewers as Holcombe ran out comfortable winners.

On his return to domestic hockey, Barry Middleton was very happy with the team’s performance; “It was good fun being back in with the team. It was a tough game and Brooklands made us work really hard to get a win. It was a great result to get us closer to our aim of making the playoffs in April.”

The win maintains Holcombe’s position behind leaders Wimbledon with just 3 league games remaining in the regular season.

Pictures supplied by www.groutphotography.co.uk