Results

WOMENS 3RD XI - 08/01/2023 VS EAST COAST 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 3rd XI 
DATE: 08/01/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 3rd XI VS 08/01/2023 
HEADLINE: City's first game of 2023 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: ECH 3 - 1 NCHC  
 
REPORT: 
City returned to their season with a rearranged Sunday fixture at home against top of the league. The day was full of drama, even before push back with slashing of rain, pulverizing hailstones and lightening strikes.  
 
Despite the 4 week break City started strong. Procession had definitely been in City's favour however East Coast were the first to hit the backboard. A pass back to the top of the D, lead to a powerful strike from their centre back, that could not be stopped.  
 
City responded well and continued to pass the ball across the team and into space. Evie showed great determination winning every 50/50 on the left. Her link up play with Kim helped provided a number of attacking runs. Whilst Helen, Charlie and Lauren worked their magic in the d to win multiple short corners. One short corner routine saw a slip left to Helen, who's shot at the bottom left corner was deflected in by Charlie. 1-1  
With 20 seconds left on the clock City felt going into half time all tied was reflective of the game. However East Coast had other ideas and scored a scrappy goal on the whistle.  
 
City went into the second half; up beat, cold and wet. Play was end to end with short corners for both teams. However shortly before the end of the game East Coast converted a short corner to seal the victory. City continued to fight to the end, but it was not to be. Great team effort and City 3s will take confidence from such a positive performance as they taken on Sudbury next week. 

WOMENS 5TH XI - 07/01/2023 VS NORWICH CITY 4 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 5th XI 
DATE: 07/01/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 5th XI VS 07/01/2023 
HEADLINE: Inter-club new year draw 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE:TRF 
RESULT:2:2 
 
 
 
REPORT: 
Everyone was very excited to get back to playing hockey after the Christmas break with the added bonus of this being a rearranged inter-club match. It is always nice to know everyone on the pitch. 
Both teams started with great energy & it wasn't long before the 4's got the first goal which was an Emily Winter special ( you can't do much about those!) 
However the 5's battled on & were rewarded just before half time with a cross from the right side of the D by Maddie Smith which was slotted away nicely into the left side of the goal by Esme Abbott. 
After a bit of a breather and a motivating team talk from Ali McLellan, who we missed in defence as she was unwell, the 5's went back out fired-up for the second half. 
The 4's continued to pressurise in the D & they were awarded a few short corners which Jo Di-Corpo managed to keep out of the goal until Olivia Broadway fired in a great mid-air shot to give the 4's the lead. 
The 4's continued to make some great runs up the centre of the pitch but the defence of Emma Guyton, Nettie Peters, Jess Tunnard & Sophia Molineux worked tirelessly to fend them off & the midfield of Rose Byrne, Chloe Green, Jane Loughridge & Marie Hood ran their socks off intercepting & making some chances for the 5's 
Amy Corden, Sophia Hancy, Olivia Marjoram & Alice Hood made some great runs up & down the wings & Sharon Phillips eventually broke through on the left hand side of the pitch on her own taking the ball into the D but couldn't get a clear shot on goal past the 4's defence. 
It seemed like the score was going the 4's way when Marie Hood found some inner strength to power through the 4's defence just before full time & hammer the equaliser home in a match which was played in great Norwich City spirit & seemed to be enjoyed by all. 
 
 
 
 

WOMENS 6TH XI - 07/01/2023 VS HARLESTON MAGPIES 7 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 6th XI 
DATE: 07/01/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 6th XI VS 07/01/2023 
HEADLINE: Unfortunate away defeat for city 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 4 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE: Harleston Magpies 
RESULT: L 3-0 
 
REPORT: 
CIty turned up to an early away game at Harleston with a hybrid 6s and 7s team. We were all keen to get back to hockey after a lengthy break for Christmas, but hesitant about what the game would bring.  
 
We conceded an early goal, converted from a short corner and could have gone down hill from here, but city kept their heads up and battled to keep possession. A good shot on goal from a long battle in the D, and a further short corner conversion meant City were 3 nil down by half time.  
 
Going in to the 2nd half, we could have had our heads down and given up, but we fought till the bitter end chasing those long balls down and trying to get the goals. Whilst we weren't able to convert these in to any goals, we kept the score sheet clean in the second half and really proved a challenge to the Harleston team who had run away with it in the first half. The team settled in, worked brilliantly together and played some really nice hockey. It wasn't the score we came to Harleston for, but the second half alone made it worth turning out on this windy and wet morning. 

MENS 3RD XI - 07/01/2023 VS DEREHAM 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 3rd XI 
DATE: 07/01/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 3rd XI VS 07/01/2023 
HEADLINE: Pipped at the post 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Dereham 
RESULT: City 3s 3 - 4 Dereham 2s 
 
REPORT: 
A youthful City side, boasting 9 players 19 or under played some tremendous hockey to severely test an experienced Dereham 2nd team. 
 
City had much the better of the early exchanges with the midfield of Max Wilson, Max McEwan and Alvin Muthi coupled with intelligent runs from the forward line of James MacKenzie and Richard Silvester creating some good chances. 
City opened the scoring when a quick clearance from Simon Black found Max Wilson who ran more than half the length of the pitch beating no end of Dereham midfield and defenders before clinically shooting passed the bedazzled keeper. 
An uncharacteristic turnover from the otherwise dependable Sam Hancock allowed Dereham to level the score almost immediately via a rapid break away. Dereham then took the lead in the 22nd minute only for City to turn the match in their favour with two excellent goals, one from Wilson and the other from Richard Silvester. 3-2 at half time. 
In response to a dazzling first half for Max Wilson Dereham restructured at half time and packed their midfield in an attempt to negate wizard Wilson. Curiously this did not limit Max’s impact on the game but seemed to lead to others wanting to dribble into contact rather than reverting back to the effective pass and move tactic that reaped such rewards in the first half. 
As the half progressed City remained dynamic in the middle quarters of the pitch but seemed to lack a clinical edge in the final quarter. With Mark Braybrook becoming more and more influential as the game wore on it was no surprise when the home side levelled the scores thanks to a well place penalty corner shot inside the right hand post. Despite resolute defending by City’s back 5 (Ben Hawes, the increasingly mature Henry Baker, Adam Sayer, Simon Black and Archie Ward) Dereham’s break away tactics did call upon Tom Franks to make a number of fine saves, including tipping a couple onto the cross bar. 
Whilst a draw would have been a fair result, Dereham took all 3 points with a late, and well worked penalty corner. 
City’s player of the match was Max Wilson, with Tom Franks a close second.