It was the perfect weekend for Holcombe’s senior sides as both the men and women won.
19/11/16 12pm
Investec Women’s National Premier League
Holcombe HC 3-1 University of Birmingham HC
Scorers: Holcombe HC: Ellie Watton (x3)
UoBHC: Amy Costello
Holcombe Park, Rochester
After conceding a last-minute equalizer away at Bowdon Hightown last weekend, Holcombe women returned home to face a stricken University of Birmingham side.
With England U21’s departing for Chile ahead of their Junior World Cup campaign, the University side was missing no less than 9 players as they made the long trip south to Holcombe Park.
Driven by recent results and the desire to stay in touch with double-champions Surbiton, Holcombe were buoyed by the return to fitness of talismanic midfielder Sarah Jones after picking up a hamstring injury in Manchester last weekend.
The home side took control from the first whistle, out-letting with pace and intensity, winning themselves an early penalty corner. With the ball striking a Birmingham player on the line, Captain Steph Elliott stepped up to take the subsequent penalty stroke.
Looking to go low to the goalkeepers’ right, the ball missed the target to allow an early reprieve for the visiting side.
Olympic gold medallist Lily Owsley looked a constant threat down the left flank throughout the opening exchanges for the University side but it was a driving run from Holcombe’s Erin Hunter that earned another penalty corner in the 8th minute.
With the initial injection off target, Leigh Maasdorp gathered the second phase to fire the ball towards the back post for an unmarked Ellie Watton to capitalise on the home sides’ early dominance.
University of Birmingham sprung into life and began to wrestle back some momentum from going a goal behind. A prolonged period of pressure lead to consecutive corners that were comfortably dealt with by the Holcombe defence.
Some last-ditch tacking from vice-captain Leah Wilkinson provided some respite for Grace Lawes in the Holcombe goal as the students created a number of openings.
Almost against the run of play, another driving run from Hunter down the left flank opened up a chance to shoot on the reverse stick. With Watton lurking in front of goal, the ball found its’ way to her through a crowd of bodies and she duly dispatched her second of the game 20 minutes in.
Holcombe still looked unsettled at the back as they gifted Katelyn Aitchison a glorious chance to halve the deficit but she couldn’t convert from close range with Lawes on the floor.
In clinical fashion, Holcombe went straight into the Birmingham circle and, after stealing the ball in a close contest, Watton fired home her third on the reverse stick to complete her hat-trick 5 minutes before half time.
With a 3 goal cushion at half time, it would appear that a routine second half would see the home side over the line but in truth it was anything but.
With Holcombe careless on the ball and making a plethora of unforced errors, the visitors were gifted a foothold in the game. Owsley continued to threaten and the Birmingham back-line, led by the commanding Rebecca Condie, were able to progress further and further up the pitch.
15 minutes into the half and the University of Birmingham earned a penalty corner. In the aftermath, Leigh Maasdorp was sent to the sin-bin for dissent and Holcombe faced a period of playing with 10.
Amy Costello converted the corner from a straight strike to set up a tense final 20 minutes. A number of chances went begging for the visitors and as the time began to wind down, Holcombe wrestled back some momentum to advance up the pitch and control the final period of play, securing a valuable 3 points that sees them return to second in the table.
“After quite an even first half, we were just thankful that we were able to convert our chances to give ourselves a cushion at the break,” said Holcombe Captain Steph Elliott. “We know that we can’t afford a performance like the second half again if we want to compete in this league but thankfully we were able to get the job done in the first 35 minutes. It’s all-eyes to next weekend now and we’re looking forward to the challenge of going to the Champions and producing a performance and result to be proud of.”
Next week sees Holcombe travel to double-champions and current Premier League leaders Surbiton who sit just 3 points ahead of them in the table in their final game before the indoor season begins.
Pictures supplied by www.groutphotography.co.uk
20/11/16 2pm
NOW:Pensions Men’s National Premier League
Beeston HC 2-3 Holcombe HC
Scorers; Beeston HC: Elliot Hibell, Chris Proctor.
Holcombe HC: Barry Middleton (x2), Sam Ward,
Nottingham Hockey Centre, Nottingham
Sunday afternoon saw Holcombe men head north up the M1 to repeat the cup tie of 7 days ago at Nottingham Hockey Centre. 
With Holcombe sitting top of the Premier League going into the final two games before the Christmas break for the indoor season, the Kent side knew that nothing less than a win against a talented and dangerous young Beeston side would be acceptable.
Beeston have enjoyed a strong start to the season and went into the game in third place, looking to close the gap on the visitors and last season’s Champions; Wimbledon.
The game began as entirely one-way traffic.
Beeston settled into their rhythm immediately and harassed the league leaders, applying pressure all over the pitch. In defence, they were led by the ever-present Ollie Willars and Richard Lawrence who commanded proceedings to their young outfit.
The early pressure was duly converted 5 minutes into the contest; England U21 International Elliott Hibell latched onto a dangerous cross from the right wing to deflect home from close range.
Where a response would normally be expected and received, Holcombe struggled to string any form of structured attack together and found themselves turning the ball over cheaply across midfield and the forward line.
Beeston looked to gain confidence from their pressure and forced a number of penalty corners.
The prolific Mark Gleghorne had a drag flick cleared from the line before repeating the feat moments later, only for Chris Proctor to pounce and double the advantage for the home side.
With the crowd growing as the half went on, the noise and atmosphere grew has Holcombe strained to wrestle back some momentum going into the break.
On the stroke of half time, Holcombe had a barrage of penalty corners; all four of which were charged down By Gleghorne to rapturous applause from the crowd, preserving their two-goal lead and leaving the league leaders with a mountain to climb in the second half.
After some choice words from Coach Julian Halls, the Kent outfit came out with a renewed sense of urgency and intensity, immediately wrestling back the momentum.
The hosts, content to sit deep, invited a barrage of pressure as Holcombe looked to carve out a number of chances.
A sliding deflection from Nick Bandurak was brilliantly saved Simon Hujwan in the Beeston goal before scrambling across to turn the Sam Ward rebound round the post.
From the resulting long corner, a fierce ball into the circle from Jonty Robinson deflected through to Great Britain Captain Barry Middleton who lifted the ball over Hujwan to give Holcombe a lifeline in the contest.
Just two minutes later and Holcombe had erased the deficit. Talismanic striker Sam Ward converted a diving deflection from close range against his old side to notch his 100th National Premier League goal of his career.
With Beeston on the ropes, Holcombe continued to apply pressure high up the pitch and were rewarded just 9 minutes from time. With the two goal scorers combining again, Ward spun from close range around Hujwan in the Beeston goal for Middleton to convert to complete the turnaround.
With time left on the clock, there was still time for controversy as Beeston had a goal disallowed. With the ball fired in from Josh Pavis on his reverse stick through a crowd of players, it struck the backboard. Immediate Beeston celebrations were met with immediate Holcombe protests and, after deliberation, the umpires overruled the original decision to disallow the goal on the grounds of the initial ball into the circle striking Pavis’ back-stick.
Holcombe survived and made a couple of late counter-attacks to close the game but secured their 8th win of the season in a five-goal thriller in Nottingham.
Speaking after the game, Holcombe’s Martin Robbins was pleased with his sides’ team spirit throughout their second half fightback; “It was a disappointing first half performance with too many errors and not up to the standards we expect. But with the spirit and work rate we have in this team we were never going to give up and performed much better in the second half. We’re glad to come away with the three points!”
The result sees Holcombe retain top-spot as they host Reading next weekend in their final game before they commence their indoor campaign.
Picture supplied by David Kissman.