Men’s 1st XI 3-3 Coventry & North Warwick 1st XI

 

Goals: Ben Scott, Joe Kopka, Lloyd Atkinson

 

Saints went into their game with Coventry hoping to make it three wins on the bounce but knew this would be there biggest test yet. A strong looking Saints side dominated possession in the opening 15 minutes only to see three short corners and several chances go begging. Against the run of play it was the away side that opened the scoring after a mistake by the Saints defence and Coventry soon doubled their lead after they got the better of Saints down the left side to set up their second.

 

Saints did not panic and when they won their fourth short corner of the game, Ben Scott flicked home to have the deficit going into half time.

 

Again, Saints started brightly and controlled the game and equalised through Joe Kopka scoring his third in as many matches. Five minutes later Lloyd Atkinson did well to deflect a high ball into the net to take the lead for Saints after some great work by Matt Wilde. At this point it should have been easy for the home side but Saints took their foot off the gas. A succession of mistakes let Coventry attack time and time again and they eventually equalised through a very weak short corner. Ben Stephenson then saw yellow for a bad challenge and it was Saints who had to hand on until the final whistle.

 

An exciting game but Saints will be disappointed to drop two points. Next week they travel to Rugby for another tough match.

 

 

 

Men’s 2nd XI 5-0 Barford Tigers 2nd XI

 

Goals: Dan Rose (2), Andy Smith, Scott Mahoney, Tom Scott-Collins

 

Saints 2nd XI made a fantastic start to their league campaign with a well-deserved victory away in Birmingham.

Pre-match didn’t get off to the best of starts as Liam Cassidy arrived 30 minutes late for the meet (despite his girlfriend having arrived bang on time!!) ensuring half the team left late for the drive up the M6! Coach Colyn Biddle frank team talk seemed to do the job as the team came out all guns blazing for the start of the match.

Dan Rose opened the scoring following a fast counter-attack. This led to wild celebrations from Saints away support (all 4 of them!). Minutes later the score was doubled as Andy Smith sneaked in at the back post. After this fantastic start Saints then took their foot off the gas as they began to carelessly give away possession. Shortly before the end of play in the first half, Saints scored a third as Scott Mahoney found some space on the left of the D to hit the ball firmly past the keeper.

 

Half-time team talk led to an old fashioned ‘rollicking’ from Colyn as the team had been sloppy in possession and failed to take all their chances.

The second half saw Saints continue to pile forward, however chances again went begging. Midway through the half saw Northampton finally score goal number 4. Tom Scott-Collins ran through the defence and beautifully chipped the ball over the keeper from the top of the D. The final goal of the game fell to forward Dan Rose. Who neatly reverse sweeped the ball in from close range.

 

Other notes of interest from the day:

• Danny’s stunning aerial that went about 2 foot off the ground!!
• Andy Smith for trying to shin the ball into the goal!
• Colyn for trying his best to break the water bottles.

 

MOTM: Josh Hawkins for a dominant display in midfield.

DOTD: Andy Smith – for reasons mentioned above!

 

Squad: Sam Biddle (GK), Guy Roberts, Danny Whitfield, Pete Riches, Matt Gausden (c), Josh Hawkins, Athiq Thamby, Liam Cassidy, Max Heaphy ,Lee O’Donnell,  Tom Scott-Collins, Andy Smith, Dan Rose, Sean Henry, Scott Mahoney.

 

 

Men’s 3rd XI 14-0 Chesterfield 3rd XI

 

Goals: Pibworth (4), Morgan (4), Mitchell (2), Dale, Hillier, Gamble, Whittaker

 

Massive sympathy for Simon Thompson in goal who for turning up with the team an hour early and didn’t touch the ball the whole game. Also to Chesterfield to, for having to travel 90 miles with only 10 players on one of the hottest days of the year.

After Andy Dale had run through the importance of passing (it really is important), rather than being selfish, also to have plenty of water (really needed),  Saints set about the task in determined fashion hitting several well worked goals despite ‘not so clinical finishing’. To be honest I can’t remember what order goals came in but I remember Mitchell weaving in and out and around, to score a couple of crackers. Whittaker, Gamble, and Dale each scored one, with Dale absolutely lambasting the ball in to the roof of the net after the defenders backed off. Hillier added to his goal tally from a penalty corner, as Chesterfield must have felt the day couldn’t end soon enough. Pibworth scored 4 of the usual miss-hit 2 yard goals, and Morgan also scored 4 but from what I remember they were of a much better standard.

 

Defenders often must feel hard-done by in match reports as they don’t always get to claim the goals (apart from Hillier), so I’ll say it… WELL DONE Dale, Croutear, Roberts and Hillier…and Thompson, for the clean sheet and not letting the ball into the 23.

 

This must have been one of the first matches I have seen so much unselfish play. Play was knocked around with pace, midfielders used the width well, and forwards learnt the lesson of passing back, rather than trying to take on the whole team. This meant that the likes of Down, Mcilwaine, Whittaker, Gamble, Mitchell and Rowlands could exploit space and create chances for Bigley, Pibworth and Morgan.

 

Saints now sit pretty and the top of the East Midlands Prem, with a very healthy goal difference!

 

Squad: Simon Thompson (GK), Andy Dale (c), Adam Croutear, George Roberts, Jason Hillier, Nigel Down, Ian Mcilwaine, Dan Whittaker, Will Gamble, Sam Mitchell, Chris Rowlands, Sam Bigley, Luke Pibworth, James Morgan

 

Loughborough Town 5th XI 1-4 Men’s 4th XI

 

Goals: Ant Condon, Ally Rose, Greg Summers, Matt Swansborough

 

Phew What a Scorcher!

 

Loughborough switched on the heaters for this season’s opener, dispensing with their traditional tactics of fisty-cuffs and a rubber pitch to gain home advantage. And it appeared to work. Toiling in temperatures of 27C, Saints went dizzy and let Loughborough’s dome-headed ringer skip through the defence and put the home side one-up in an otherwise forgettable first half.

 

After a half-time roasting from Jim Phipps, Saints came alive in the second period. The equaliser was scored by Ant Condon, and although he couldn’t remember exactly what happened, apparently there was blood and bodies.

 

Despite some fish-like floundering from Scott Bashford, and James Ruse being confused, Saints persevered and began to dominate. Ally “Steroid” Rose made it 2-1 with a “poorly-placed” drag flick into the oppos’s net.

 

The biggest danger to the visitors’ was the sniper in the nearby MOD barracks, who picked off Ally and Evan Morris. Saints forged forward regardless, and scored their third courtesy of some fine wing-work by Max Dymmond and Joe Cliffe, culminating in an “average” reverse by Greg Summers which bobbled over the line.

 

Max…turned provider again with an intuitive lob into the D which was dispatched into the onion bag by a “ridiculous” Matt Swansborough cover drive.

 

The Fantastic Fours will need to be quicker out of the blocks next week against The Furious Fives.

 

MOTM: Ally Rose(drag queen)

DOTD: Matt Swansborough (ridiculous)

MVP: Max Dymmond

 

Squad: Scott Bashford (GK), James Ruse (c), Jim Phipps, Ally Rose, Joe Cliffe, Gary Patterson, Will Gamble, Greg Summers, Lewis Moran, Max Dymmond, Chris Godman, Ant Condon, Matt Swansborough, Matt Kerr, Evan Morris

 

 

Men’s 5th XI 6-1 Loughborough Town 4th XI

 

Goals: Rob Cary (3), Harry Stobbart, Ed Holt, Jacob Pryce

 

The men’s 5th team met at Moulton with the prospect of their first league game of the season to come. Needless to say the team was ready and focussed following a warm up from Rob “The Hero” Cary. All that is except for Tom “The Driver” Dysko who turned up with only 10 minutes until hit off.

Saints started well controlling the game but the passing and movement was not quite clicking and a goal eluded them for the first 20 minutes. However eventually the pressure told as Harry “Clinical” Stobbart popped up at the back post to finish off a good Saints move. The lead was soon doubled when Tom “The Driver” Dysko and Steve “The Rock” Morris worked a short corner well to create space which Dysko used to flick another goal past the Loughborough goalkeeper. With all the optimism of a 2 goal lead Saints let themselves slip into a false sense of security and the opposition made them pay with an incisive counter attack. This served as a wake up call for the 5th team who responded well to finish the half strongly with a 2 goals in quick succession from Rob “The Hero” Cary and Ed “Selfless” Arnold. Ed was also denied another as for some reason Tom “The Driver” Dysko’s rugby tackle on the goalkeeper was deemed to be unfair play.

 

The 2nd half some some really good attacking play from Saints with the front line creating chances for each other over and over again. Rob “The Hero” Cary made the chances count with 2 more goals to add to his tally making for an open day hat-trick! Both came from good Saints moves with involvement from Dave “Captain Fantastic”  Henry, Anthony “Plimsoll” Pearce and Jon “Slippery Stick” Keep throughout midfield as well as the strikers. However chances were also missed with Jon”Slippery Stick” Keep and Harry “Clinical” Stobbart both dropping their sticks with the goal begging and Dave “Captain Fantastic” Henry performing a dramatic air shot under similar circumstance. Their was also time for what can only be described as a wonder save from Phil “The Human Wall” Preen and for Karl “Cannonfodder” MacGregor to take a hockey stick to the chest. Saints concluded their scoring with a brilliant reverse stick strike from Jacob “Goal Machine” Price. Loughborough were not be outdone though and got a consolation with an unstoppable reverse stick shot.

 

MOTM – Rob “The Hero” Cary: for a great hat-trick

DOTD – Jon “Slippery Stick” Keep: for dropping his stick on multiple occasions

 

 

North Nottingham 5th XI 1-3 Men’s (World Famous, Fighting) 6th XI

Goals: Mark Shepherd, Karl Flowers, Lee Thompson.

In a very evenly fought match the final outcome lay with the World Famous Fighting Sixes. The team statistician stated that the possession and territory lay with the WFF6s at 77 and 73% respectively.

The scorecard was opened with Mark Shepherd finding an opening in the North Notts defence and neatly slotting one away to take the F6s 1-0 at half time.

The second half saw, what some have described as a poached goal, where Karl Flowers put away an excellent assist by Richard Smith who made a run from the right and cannoned it in from the top of the D to a Karl Flowers waiting at back post.

North Notts recovered by driving up our centre to beat the defence and put in a well worked goal to Jake’s left.

The nail in the coffin was a brilliant piece of running by Lee Thompson, up the right to beat North Notts’s left back and put away a well hit goal.

 

Squad: Tony Brennan(c); Jake Bennett (GK); Karl Flowers; Rob O’Donnell; Darren Thorpe; Alex Jeffery; Phil Marillat; Richard Smith; Joshua Pibworth; Mark Shepherd; and Lee Thompson.

Teas:   Chip Butties with Tommy K

MOTM:  Mark Shepherd (good use of space)

DOTD:  Alex Jeffery (not tracking back)

 

 

Men's Vets  1-0   Rugby Vets

 

Goals: Andy Dale

Saints vets beat Rugby for the first time on Monday evening. With a host of new vets on display sainsts controlled the first 20 minutes and should have been comfortably ahead by half time. Jon Noble and Dave Henry created a number of chances but failed to beat a determined goalkeeper. As the game progressed Rugby came more and more into the game and almost against the run of play Saints took the lead with Andy Dale striking home from open play.

The last 20 minutes saw Rugby pile on the pressure aided by Saints inability to keep the ball and were only kept out by several good saves by keeper Colyn Biddle. The game was a great advertisement for vets hockey and Saints head for the first round of the national vets cup against Rugeley on Sunday bouyed with this hard earned win.

 

Squad: Colyn Biddle (GK), Jason Hillier, Andy Dale, Jim Phipp, Ian Macllwaine, Steve Morris, Dave Henry, Richard Darby, Jon Noble, Martin Skinner, Tony Brennan, Richard Smith

 

 

Ladies 2nd XI 3-0 Boots

 

Goals: LA Checksfield (3)

 

Our ladies started well on a very sunny day and were very keen to prove the point that experience and youth are an excellent mix when it comes to hockey.  As usual Saints made it hard work for themselves for the first few minutes, by putting themselves under pressure from the off, but then focussed and clamed themselves down and made some exceptional moves culminating in many many short corners.  LA Checksfield scored from a cheeky little short corner to lift saints spirits and keep us going.  Soon after LA scored again from a delightful bit of play set up by mostly the whole team  and a few tickles in the D from a few people, but another delightful finish from LA.

Team talk at half time was mainly focussed on getting as much water down as possible and how we were much fitter than they were and tactics concerning their keeper.  Anyway off we went and we started the second half as the dominant force and soon won a series of penalty corners and eventually LA scored her third of the day. 

Thank you to Andy, Clare and Alisdair who brought water up to the pitch to keep the soaring temperatures down.

 

MOTM: Nikki Stringer

DOTD: Karla Tate

 

 

Ladies 3rd4-0 Ladies 4thXI

 

Saturday's game proved to be an extremely tough first league game for the Saints 4's. Not only were we up against a very strong opposition but the sun was blazing and the heat almost unbearable. The Saints 3's started strong attacking immediately and making great use of the space and passing well. The 4's didn't respond well losing formation and making very hard work of it. The 3's took advantage and the first of 4 goals came within the first 5 minutes. The loss of formation meant a lack of marking and a lot of confusion in the defensive D. It was Verity Anderton Johnson's first game in goal for the Saints 4's and she made some great saves and worked hard against a continuous attack by the 3's. Half time saw us addressing the key issues and for the second half the 4's upped their game considerably making the Saints 3's work a bit harder. There were some great breaks through their mid and defence made by Jules Herring and Ella Forsyth. Becca Herring made some great runs and twice we saw ourselves on a one on one with the Saints 3's goalkeeper and opportunities for shots on goal.

Unfortunately despite a couple of well executed short corners we did not get a goal but the team certainly redeemed themselves in the second half and worked very hard to keep the score down.

 

MOTM was Jules Herring - worked very hard throughout the whole game and gave us some great breaks up the pitch.

DOTD Becky Mellor! serious lack of marking

 

 

Mixed 1stXI 2-1 Northgate

 

Goals: Athiq Thamby (2)

 

 

Mixed 2ndXI 3-4 Fat Cats Mixed Hockey

 

Goals: Casey Humphries (2), Matt Herbert

Two goals from Casey Humphries (she plays better when she's hungover!) and the one for the season from Matt Herbert, were the Saints 2 scorers. A very tight defence from Winnie Jones (they're not getting past me), Anna Kingstone + Matt Herbert unfortunately couldn't keep FCH down and a goal in the last minutes saw Saints disappointed to go away without a point.