It was a mixed weekend for Holcombe’s sides with the men, women and mixed team all in action.
18/02/17 1.30pm
England Hockey National Premier League
Clifton Robinsons HC 2-4 Holcombe HC
Scorers: Clifton Robinsons HC: Hannah Coulson, Joanna Leigh
Holcombe HC: Sarah Jones, Leah Wilkinson, Emily Maguire, Lucy Wood
Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, Bristol
After last weekend’s postponed fixture at East Grinstead, Holcombe ladies face a similar battle at the top end of the table as they travelled to third place Clifton Robinsons.
With the Bristol side sitting just 1-point ahead of Holcombe, Kevin Johnson’s side knew that a positive result on the road was crucial to maintaining pace at the top of the Premier League.
Fresh from their considerable journey across from Kent, it was the visitors that started the brighter.
An energetic opening period for Holcombe was rewarded inside 3 minutes with a goal from Sarah Jones. Captain Steph Elliott’s through ball found Leigh Maasdorp in the Clifton circle who managed to lay the ball off to Jones who finished from close range.
With Clifton Robinsons receiving the wake-up call that was handed to them in the early exchanges, the game levelled out with both sides showing good attacking promise.
18 minutes in however and the home side were back on level terms.
After an initial penalty corner broke down at the top of the circle, the ball was slipped to Hannah Coulson who fired the ball goal wards and in off the diving Aurora Mears’ glove in the Holcombe goal.
If drawing level was a relief for the home side, it was short lived as Holcombe immediately wrestled back the ascendency. A renewed sense of urgency from the Kent side led to them earning a penalty corner of their own just 3 minutes later. A well-executed move led to vice-captain Leah Wilkinson getting the vital touch to restore the 1 goal lead.
With time drifting towards the interval, Clifton found themselves back on level terms through Great Britain International Joanna Leigh. Another penalty corner for the home side led to another straight strike from the top of the circle. A lifted hit towards goal struck the face of Leigh’s stick and flew past the stranded Mears’ to the delight of the increasingly vocal home crowd.
With the sides level at 2-2 going into the second period, any hopes of a closely fought contest were largely quashed inside the opening few minutes. Holcombe again started the stronger and were rewarded for their efforts 4 minutes in through Emily Maguire. Another penalty corner for Holcombe was clinically converted by Maguire as Holcombe regained the lead for a third time in the contest.
As the half wore on, Holcombe’s defence held firm and on 46 minutes they finally earned the cushion they had been searching for. A well worked move led to Nic White unleashing a shot from the top of the circle and Lucy Wood was low in front of goal to deflect in from close range to extend the advantage for the visitors.
The renewed confidence that inevitably accompanies a goal away from home stayed with Holcombe throughout the rest of the game until the final exchanges. With the points almost secure, Holcombe were content to sit deeper with Clifton Robinsons pushing desperately for a way back into the contest.
A disallowed goal for having struck the foot of a Clifton player led to an increasing air of frustration around Coombe Dingle Sports Complex as Holcombe came away with all 3 points to leapfrog their hosts into third place in the league with an additional game in hand.
Holcombe forward Leigh Maasdorp was pleased with her sides’ performance; “I thought it was a really tough, competitive game of hockey. We knew how important it was to come away with three points not only in the context of the league but also for our confidence going into a tough double-header next weekend.”
Next weekend, Holcombe face a struggling Bowdon side at home on Saturday before travelling to second-placed East Grinstead on Sunday. They do so without Ellie Watton (GB) and Erin Hunter (SA), both of whom travel to South Africa to face off as Great Britain travel for a training camp.
18/02/17 6pm
England Hockey Men’s National Premier League
Surbiton HC 3-1 Holcombe HC
Scorers: Surbiton HC: Luke Noblett, Jonny Gall, Alan Forsyth
Holcombe HC: Gareth Andrew
Sugden Road, Surbiton
In an unusually warm game on Saturday night, Holcombe travelled to Surbiton, looking to maintain the gap between the two sides in the Premier League.
Both sides faced challenges with injuries and unavailabilities for the contest; Holcombe were still without Middleton, Lewers, Ames, Ward and Robinson while the hosts were missing Drayton-Chana, Farrington, Ansell and Furlong.
A packed crowd at Sugden Road saw the home side start on the front foot, restricting the Kent outfit to playing deep within their own half.
Holcombe, content to sit and absorb the pressure, launched a number of counter attacks in response but no periods of sustained pressure led to Harry Gibson remaining largely untroubled in the Surbiton goal.
Early chances for the prolific Alan Forsyth and Dave Beckett went begging before the first penalty corners were awarded. Alternative moves from the home side saw Australian Luke Noblett’s efforts saved by George Pinner.
Knowing the threat that the depleted Holcombe side posed as the contest wore on, there was an increasing sense of frustration around Sugden Road as the home side failed to capitalise on their extensive possession and territory.
With the game scoreless at Half-Time, Holcombe started the second period far brighter, working the ball around well under considerable pressure from the home side.
11 minutes into the period and Holcombe had the advantage. Captain Richard Lane turned brilliantly in midfield to break the press and carry straight at the heart of the Surbiton defence. A well timed ball through to Nick Bandurak was turned across the face of goal for Gareth Andrew to turn in from close range.
A renewed sense of desperation from the home side created an intense and open period of play and two goals in 5 minutes turned the contest on its head.
After being denied a number of times in the first period, Luke Noblett finally got his reward with a well-placed drag flick just 5 minutes after Holcombe had taken the lead.
Shortly afterwards, it was the home support in full voice again as their tally for the afternoon was doubled through the unlikely source of Jonny Gall. Alan Forsyth did well to work some space in the Holcombe circle before his spin towards the back post was touched in by the Surbiton defender.
With just 15 minutes to play, the game reached fever pitch as both sides opened up in search of a crucial fourth goal in the contest.
Holcombe immediately responded with some strong attacking play to force a number of opportunities in the final third. Nick Bandurak stole the ball from Luke Noblett on the half-way line to break into the Surbiton circle, only to see his reverse stick shot well saved by Gibson.
A well worked move down the right hand side shortly followed and James Steadman managed to lift the ball over the Surbiton stopper from an acute angle, only to see his effort just miss the far post.
With just 8 minutes remaining, Holcombe won a penalty corner after some great work from Gareth Andrew. A well worked move forced a controversial decision, ultimately ruled in favour of the home side. The evident frustrations and subsequent desperation to force a way back into the contest from the visitors left them committing men forwards, leaving themselves vulnerable at the back.
With time running down, Surbiton’s talismanic Alan Forsyth worked the ball in from the left baseline to cut in field and finish past the stranded George Pinner to secure the points for the Sugden Road outfit.
Speaking after the game, Holcombe’s Captain Richard Lane was left with mixed emotions on his side’s performance. “We’re relatively pleased with the performance on the whole, although there are some key areas we must improve on for next week. We scored a great team goal, but we were a bit sloppy at times in defence.”
Next week, Holcombe lose yet another play in Goalkeeper George Pinner as they welcome Loughborough Students to Holcombe Park on Sunday afternoon. Pinner joins Sam Ward and David Ames from Holcombe as they travel to South Africa for a series with Great Britain.
19/02/17 1.45pm
England Hockey Mixed National Trophy
Holcombe HC 4-3 Reigate Priory HC
Holcombe Park, Rochester
Sunday afternoon saw the second round of the England Hockey Mixed National Trophy take place at Holcombe Park as Holcombe welcomed Reigate Priory.
In a well contested but well natured game, Holcombe started in the ascendency and created a number of openings in the early exchanges. Chances for Harvey and Garbett went begging until a well worked move down the right created the opportunity for Harvey to score from close range. With his striking hitting the body of a defender on the line, he stepped up to convert the subsequent penalty stroke to give the home side the lead.
Reigate came straight back into the contest and dominated proceedings, moving the ball well and creating a number of opportunities. Some sloppy play from Holcombe led to cheap turnovers deep within their half and they were often indebted to their back line of Trunks, Pittard and Setterfield to keeping their visitors at bay.
With their first penalty corner of the contest, a low drag flick from Tom Pickersgill was deflected high into the Holcombe goal to restore parity and give Reigate a deserved equalizer.
As time ran down before the interval, a head injury to Reigate forced an early break as the half was cut short. Some well needed rest for some and a chance to invent a new sport for others was well received as the two sides shared a joke or too after the initial concern.
The extra break allowed both sides to re-group and the subsequent intensity of the second half proved its’ value.
The game opened up as both sides went in search of crucial goals. Strikes from Nick Bandurak and Ian Harvey put the home side 2 goals clear, only for Jared Oliver to turn in from close range after the home side were left exposed at the back.
A fourth goal for Holcombe through youngster Sophie Snell looked to have sealed the points, only for Pickersgill to score a third for Reigate to leave a tense few minutes at the death.
Holcombe held strong to secure the victory and with it, a place in the third round of the competition, to be played on March 5th.
Holcombe Player/Manager Paul Garbett was happy with his side’s performance; “It was a great game of mixed hockey with two sides that were giving their all to win. Fortunately for us we kept our composure to see the game out and continue in the trophy!”
@BandurakWriting www.nickbandurakblog.wordpress.com
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