Match Reports from 22nd Sept
Ladies 1st XI 3-3 Birmingham University 2nd XI
Scorers: Ellie Bleech, OG (Sally Cory), OG (LA)
So another league season begins and here we all are full of excitement, hope and ambition for the next seven months. Then two minutes into the match and we have forgotten what we had been working on in training, discussed in the pre-match team talk, conceded our first penalty corner and were trailing 0 – 1 from the resulting shot. Ah well – the best laid plans of mice and men or as Tony Blair would sing ‘things can only get better’…
The opening 15 minutes of the game was typical scrappy early season with Birmingham having the better of the exchanges between the two sides. But then Saints decided to start to work together and began to create a series of plays which resulted in a couple of goalmouth scrambled clearances for the Birmingham defence. After a period of Saints pressure Birmingham scored on the counter to double their lead into half time. At the beginning of the second half Saints began to work as a complete unit and press onto the Birmingham side in all areas of play. A quickly taken free hit in midfield from Sally Adlen was driven into the circle and an intelligent run by Ellie Bleech saw her deflect it past the hapless Birmingham keeper. Saints continued build in confidence and to press the Birmingham defence then drew level as LA Chacksfield took advantage of the new rules and persuaded the keeper to put the ball into her own net on the near post. This forced Birmingham into action and they quickly scored a third goal and had an aerial cleared of the line by Georgia Linnell. Saints finally earned a point as another OG from a Birmingham defender levelled the scores from a Sally Cory cross. Well Tony things certainly got better.
A thoroughly deserved point from an entertaining match and many positives to be taken from both individual and the team’s performance and we look forward to an away fixture at Harborne next Saturday.
Squad: Claire Leech (GK), Clare Sibley, Sally Trappit, Georgia Linnell, Caroline Hassock, Emma Cooper, Ferne Sanders, Sally Adlen, Emily Kilner, Ella Dagnall, Caz McCabe, Chloe Cozens, LA Chacksfield, Ellie Bleech, Sally Cory
Ladies 3rdXI 2-1 Wildcatz
Goals: Ness Kingston, Jules Herring
What a start to the new league season!!!
Saints dominated from the off, intercepting an early Wildcatz pass, and exerting considerable pressure for the first twenty minutes. Excellent ball movement and communication, great links between Kate and Nat, Ness, Jane and Clare made the game difficult for Wildcatz. Unfortunately though the Wildcatz defence was too strong for our developing forwards and we just didn’t manage to finish off any of the fantastic moves in the 25.
Saints then dipped, lost focus and fitness and Wildcatz capitalised with a breakaway and score. Saints, aware of the need to pick up and stay on top, pulled back control and finished the first half with a well drilled short corner with Ness Kingston and Clare Noble one two-ing from the top of the D with a fantastic finish from Kingston.
The second half saw Saints back in control, well disciplined, excellent communication and relentless attack. We pressurised in the D, including an early celebration when Kate thought she’d scored, but once again the strength of the Wildcatz defence came through. Not to be knocked and led from the back by Jo and Winnie, Saints refreshed and re-motivated continued to press. Savanna and Becca Collins continued to show their potential and Wildcatz never really stood a chance. Saints players linked well, wings stayed wide and Saints looked dangerous for the whole of the second half. Midfield were relentless, getting back to mark and pressing forward. Saints lacked aggression in the D but eventually in the final ten minutes Jules Herring pressed from the right and Saints secured a victory goal.
Excellent teamwork and communication were the success of the day.
MOTM – the whole team, no stand out single performance.
Men’s 1st XI 1-2 Bournville
Goals: Alex Press
Saints travelled to ex-National League side Bournville on Saturday knowing a sterner test faced them compared to last week’s game. The game started very evenly with both sides breaking well but the defence of each team keeping the attackers at bay. Saints only short corner was wasted midway through the half and the away side were soon punished for not taking their chances as Bournville intercepted a pass in midfield and scored a quick breakaway goal after a misplaced pass.
1-0 down at half time but Saints were still very much in the game. They started very brightly in the second half with Joe Kopka running things in midfield and Paul Wilkinson and Adam Croutear defending very well. Dave Saunders bravely cleared off the line after a goalmouth scramble in the Saints D but Saints persistence paid off when new boy Jack Pogson received the ball wide on the left… his pass found Joe Kopka who centred for Alex Press to deflect the ball home for the equaliser. Saints had further chances as twice the ball flew past the back post with no Saints player having the sense to get their stick on the ground. Despite the game being fairly stretched both sides played some quality hockey but it was Bournville who took the lead against the run of play. A Saints short corner was cleared very quickly by the home sides defence and Bournville broke with pace towards the Saints goal. Two unmarked Bournville forward enjoyed all the time in the world to beat a stranded Paul Madeley in goal.
Saints pushed for an equaliser despite suffering two injuries late on and Bournville were camped in their own half frantically defending. With 30 seconds to go Saints had their last chance from a short corner but fell short when Ben Scott struck the base of the right hand post. Bournville cleared and the whistle went.
A fairly solid performance but a very disappointing result left the Saints players despondent at the final whistle. Mentally they will need to be stronger when they host relegated Barford Tigers on Saturday.
Men’s 2nd XI 1-1 Corby 1st XI
Goals: OG (Danny Whitfield PC)
Saints hosted Corby & Milton Keynes in a triangular tournament at a sunny Moulton Sports Complex. With this being their last run out before the league starts it was a final chance for people to prove their worth and fitness and also gave coach Tom Hewitt and skipper Dan Whittaker a chance to try out a few things.
The first game saw Northampton face Corby. Chris Reid made his Saints debut in midfield, and Phil Preen made only his third appearance for the 2nd XI in goal.
The game started at a frantic pace with Saints well and truly dominating proceedings. However against the run of play Corby scored as some slack marking allowed a Corby forward to score from the acutest of angles in the D. This didn’t knock Saints off their stride as they continued to dominate the game with Greg Summers looking particularly menacing on the right wing, however they lacked the killer instinct to get a deserved goal back.
The second half saw them continue pressing Corby and after winning one of many penalty corners in the game, they finally converted one as Danny Whitfield’s direct drag took a huge deflection of a Corby foot to completely bamboozle the keeper and level the match. The game finished 1-1.
Men’s 2nd XI 1-0 Milton Keynes 2nd XI
Goals: Dan Rose
In their final triangular match, Saints faced Milton Keynes. A switch round of personnel and positions meant Northampton weren’t quite as fluid as in their first match. However they gradually got into their stride and as in the first game began to dominate the ball more. As in the first game they couldn’t quite finish the chances they were creating but the signs were promising.
The second half saw a slightly calmer performance from the team, and they got the deserved winner mid-way through the half as Matt Gausden fed the ball to Dan Rose who drove into the D and rifled the ball into the top right corner (we all agreed it must have been a miss-hit shot!). This proved to be the winner as Saints comfortably saw out the last quarter of the match.
Squad: Phil Preen (GK), Guy Roberts, Pete Riches, Danny Whitfield, Lewis Ward, Matt Gausden, Chris Reid, Dan Whittaker, Greg Summers, Ian Tipples, Dan Rose, Stephan Williams, Scott Mahoney, Alex Blunt, Ben Northedge. .
Men’s 6th XI 2-2 Milton Keynes
Goals: Finn Pikkard, OG
A youthful WWF 6’s played out an enjoyable and competitive draw against a strong MK side. After an initial promising start the 6’s were put under pressure with Milton Keynes dominating the midfield and making it difficult for the team to clear the lines with the ball being given away cheaply in midfield and defence. The younger players struggled to secure possession and did not front up enough ahead of their opposing player. After a period of pressure a strong goal bound shot from the edge of the circle was deflected past Deano Gibson by Dermot Cassidy.
The 6’s were playing primarily on the break and on occasions did cause Milton Keynes some problems and it was from one of these breaks that the ball was worked down the right before debut boy Finn Pikkard expertly tucked the ball away. Milton Keynes came back strongly and later in the half a shot to the roof of the net restored their one goal advantage.
The 6’s improved considerably in the second half and posed a lot more problems for the MK defence, Jack Knight, Rob O’Donnell and Pikkard combined well in attack to create chances and Josh worked tirelessly on the left to deny MK space. A period of solid pressure saw a cross from the right deflected in by an Milton Keynes defender who was put under pressure by Rob and Finn. Both sides had chances in the remaining 15 minutes and Gibson made a couple of good saves to keep the score level. This was a good testing workout before the serious league business starts next Saturday.
MOTM: Darren Thorpe
DOTD: Deano Gibson for arriving 30 minutes late and then having to go home to find his satnav
Men’s 7th XI -2-13 Banbury
Scorers: Nigel Riches, Adam Wright
A tough game was ahead of the men’s 7s when a couple of last minute drop outs left the side with a bare 11 players. The side was also very young with a number of players making their men’s hockey debut. This side faced a very mature looking Banbury side. The opposition later admitted that their 3rd team fixture had been cancelled so some players had been dropped down to make sure they got a game!
While the score-line was strongly against the young side, the whole team fought valiantly to the final whistle and their efforts were rewarded with a goal near the end of each half. In the first half Nigel Riches slotted away a fantastic shot from the top of the D to the bottom left of the goal on the end of a great fast break from the midfield. In the second half Adam Wright and Jed Scholes combined in a storming run down the pitch, ending with Jed being taken out by the keeper allowing Adam to pick up the loose ball and coolly knock it into the open goal.
Team: Jake Bennett, John Bennett, Joe Wightman, Tim Riches, Michael Dicken, Jed Scoles, Jon Keep, Owain Mahoney, Adam Wright, Nigel Riches, Ali Townsend