Match Reports from Saturday 9th November

Men’s 1st XI 4-1 Edgbaston 1st XI

Goals: Christian Howard, Joe Kopka, Gareth Parker, Ben Scott

Saints made it 5 wins from their last 5 matches with this comfortable win away at Edgbaston on Saturday. Goals from Christian Howard, Joe Kopka, Gareth Parker and Ben Scott sealed the victory that now moves Northampton up to 4th in the table, and only 5 points off top spot.

Next week sees them host local rivals Rugby & East Warwick. 12pm push at Moulton College. All support will be greatly appreciated.

Men’s 3rd XI 6-5 Warwick 3rd XI

Scorers: Pibworth (3) Knight, Hillier (PC), McIlwaine

Saints went into the game looking for their 3rd consecutive win, Warwick meanwhile came full of confidence from a goal fest the previous week. It was Saints however who got off to a flier. Two quick goals from Pibworth, the first after an initial save from the keeper, with the second picking up the rebound of a Hillier penalty corner. Just as Saints looked comfortable Warwick hit back thanks to precise play. Saints got back the 2 goal margin after a through all to Jack Knight was coolly finished off after evading the keeper. However once again Saints allowed Warwick back in for 3-2. The crazy first half was far from finished as first Pibworth finished off among a crowd in the D before Warwick not once but twice netted to equalise. A well worked penalty corner and a shot wrong footing Bash leaving Saints players literally on the ground.

The second half started tense, neither side wanting to give ground, both sides with some slightly scrappy play. It was however a 5 minute purple patch which saw Saints take the lead again, Hillier yet again scoring a penalty corner, before captain Macca was found in the D to, and in slow motion lift the ball over the floored keeper. Despite previous lessons yet again Warwick scored to set up a tense last few minutes. Saints did their best to hold on to the ball yet Warwick created 2 or 3 chances to equalise however Bashford in goal showed great composure for some neat saves. 6-5 the match finished, with maximum points till Christmas the call as Saints look to extend their stay near the top of the league

MOTM: Bash, for keeping the dam in the game at the end

DOTD: Harry Stobart: apparently forgetting his shirt

IOU – a jug from Luke for next week

Squad: Scott Bashford (gk), Jason Hillier, Ian McIlwaine (c), Harry Stobart, Lewis Moran, Pete Comben, Athiq Thamby, Luke Pibworth, Jack Knight, Harry York, Nick Beattie, Steve Morris

West Bridgford   4th XI 3-3 Men’s 4th XI

Goals: Chris Clarkson (2), Rob Tee

Saints travelled to West Bridgford with a determination to put previous disappointment of last Saturday. The first 20 minutes though suggested they were in for another difficult time as West Bridgford carved open a number of chances in this time only to be denied by brave goalkeeping and defending kept the score sheet goalless. A glorious aerial from Richard Whorton was taken coolly by Rob Tee and slotted the ball into the net only to see the goal ruled out by the umpire. Saints were starting to grow in confidence and the two new uni recruits were really committing to the cause – and in fact it was Chris Clarkson who sent a great drag flick into the net from a short corner. 1-0 up. Then a Bridgford attack saw them take a shot from the top of the d and into the goal. It says much to the fighting spirit of the 4ths that they kept their heads with Gary ‘Rocky’ Paterson and Chris Clarkson really prompting well from midfield. Right on half time another penalty corner to the Saints  – another drag flick from Clarkson, 2-1 up !!

The second half began with a clear message: the midfield cannot keep attacking en masse as Bridgford were taking a route one approach with a big hitting sweeper from the back constantly by passing his midfield. The message didn’t get through and Bridgford equalised in the second half with a deflected short corner. Back came the Saints as the game went from end to end. With 10 minutes to go skipper Rob Tee coolly converted a short corner. However in true 4th team style with the bulk of our midfield committed to attack leaving the defence exposed, Bridgford equalised with minutes to go. A great game for the neutrals and Saints will look at this as a good point gained on their travels, but they really need to offer more cover for the stretched defence and goalkeeper in the coming matches.

MOTM: Chris Clarkson – 2 great goals and a controlled performance around the pitch

DOTD: Gary ‘Rocky’ Paterson – second week without landing a punch, and being the oldest player this week at Hockey Warehouse to buy a new stick and boots !!

Ladies 1stXI 2-3 Lichfield

Goals: Sarah Brimyard, Dani Hagan.

So this Saturdays’ match report comes courtesy of Caz McCabe who achieved DOTD and shook hands with a deserved MOTM in Dani Hagan. 
Saturdays game ending in a 3-2 loss can only be described as a good day for shareholders in Elastoplast and tyre treads, and the Litchfield invisible magic wall which was a truly magical invention that we did not appreciate but am jealous of. 

The game started in positive fashion but for whatever reason saints just couldn’t get it together and provide enough quality ball and first touches to give decent chances to the forwards to score. Bumbling and fussing and general sloppy play gave way to Litchfield getting into the d and putting away the shot of the lifetime. Try to recreate that and you would need a protractor and ruler no more than a millimetre in length because that shot had no right to be saved at such an acute angle. Even the hairs on Claire Leech’sear could not see that coming! So one nil turned into two nil and didn’t improve the mood of Captain or coach and when the third went in that was almost the final straw! Then the ‘Litch sniper’ started to take down Chloe and the Saints wobbled. That said saints had their chances which although few and far between resulted in a smashed short corner from Sarah Brimyard just before half time.

Rant and rave over and large boot up the bottom for the team saw a second half that was as good as the BMW M Sport as opposed to the poor relation Lada first half. Dani Hagan found form and rapid movement of the ball around the pitch and much improved running off the ball saw the front five turn up the heat. The back five rallied round and before long it was hammer and tongs and the kitchen sink n’all time. Litchfield took fifteen minutes to build their magic invisible wall but conceded a second to Dani Hagan following a barrage of shots that were parried by the Litch keeper. Smash and grab tactics failed for litch and as Saints grabbed the bit and pushed for the equaliser the sniper that had attacked Chloe Cozens took out Caz. Caz was bloodied and battered the sniper was victorious but could not do anything to stop the saints flood descending on Litch goal. The Litch keeper grew foot long toenails and fingernails and the invisible wall grew taller. It was just not going to be Lachan Read, Dani Hagan or Sophie Herrings day. With two to go saints had a short corner but it just wouldnt go in. The rub of the green was Litchfields. They hung on for the win which was a bitter pill for Saints who were left to rue the first half and missed chances. One things for sure i wouldn’t want to be Towcester Kettering or North Notts, as a wounded tigress is a dangerous proposition! Saints will be ready next time round Litchfield. 

Ladies 2ndXI 2-3 West Bridgford

Scorers: Nic Holton, Emily Wilkins

A nice and early meet time in West Bridgford saw the Saints leaving Northampton at some unearthly hour, necessitating a coffee stop en route. It was here that Emily Wilkins made her winning bid for DOTD by walking into a moving door, a bid that was closely followed by Andrea and her ‘climbing socks’.
For the first half of the game Saints seemed half asleep and struggled to get any fluency into the game whilst West Bridgford started from the off. West Bridgford took advantage of Saints lack of intensity and despite some superb saves from Kathryn Wallace they managed to score a rebounded shot. Despite some great runs from Sally Cory and Becca Herrring up front to meet Winnie Jone’s long balls, they were unable to score one of our own and went into half time 1-0 down.

Going into the second half, Saints followed their usual approach and began to wake up, winning their first short corner a couple of minutes in. The ball was injected and passed around from player to player in the D until Nic Holton got the final touch, bringing the score up to 1-1. A few minutes later, however, with a quick break up the pitch leading to a 2 v 1 with Kathryn Wallace, West Bridgford managed to go one up again. Things started looking up for Saints, however, as they became far more attacking and spent most of the remainder of the match pressuring West Bridgford in their own half until they once again made a quick break up the pitch with a good strike from their forward making the score 3-1. Determined to go down fighting, Saints won a short corner which Sally Cory slipped the ball to Emily Wilkins who was then allowed the space to hammer it into the goal, bringing the score line to 3-2. With only 3 minutes remaining Saints succeeded in winning a final short corner however Bridgford successfully defended it leaving the final score as 3-2.

M.O.M: Winnie Jones
D.O.D : Emily Wilkins

Men’s Masters ‘Home’ XI 3-3 Men’s Masters ‘Away’ XI

Home Goals: Miller (2), Rowlands.

Away Goals: Hillier, Mike Derbyshire (2)

In a keenly contested inter-club match honours eventually were even !! It didn’t look that way for the first 20 minutes when the home team dominated possession with midfielders Phil Knight & Ian Mcilwaine controlling the pace of the game and both Askew and Rowlands looking lively up front. It was no surprise when they took the lead in the 20thminute but the scorer was – James Miller ghosting in from the left to finish off a well worked move. The away side started to get more into the game as the home team started to force matters and look for killer balls. Indeed they started to effectively pick out the pacy runs of Deeks and Derbyshire up front to start causing problems in the home defence. Indeed just before half time one such attack led to a short corner being given and coolly converted by skipper Jason Hillier.

The second half followed the same pattern with the home side playing more controlled possession hockey  and the away team looking for a more direct route to goal. The home side scored two early goals in the second half – Chris Rowlands turning the clock back with a fine strike and James Miller ghosting in for a personal second. With 10 minutes to go and time ticking away the superior fitness levels of Mike Derbyshire came to the fore as he poached 2 late goals to bring the scores level. There were great performances around the park and a really enjoyable game ended all square. Thanks to those who participated  (players & umpires)