Results

WOMENS 2ND XI - 18/03/2023 VS IPSWICH 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 2nd XI 
DATE: 18/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 2nd XI VS 18/03/2023 
HEADLINE: Ipswich finally get one over Norwich  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 1 NORTH 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 2-1 Loss 
 
REPORT:  
As the season enters its final phases, the Women's 2s travelled to Ipswich, Ipswich were looking to get one up on City after loosing points in their last 3 meetings (2 wins for City and 1 draw).  
 
Ipswich football club thought they would help their hockey counterparts by playing a 3pm game making traffic heavy and key players running onto the pitch as the game started. However, for some, little warm up time is key to a good game as shown in the starting 10 minutes.  
 
City started strong and with high energy, making keen attacks left right and centre. Captain Georgia Cleveland created the link up play to Milly Brown out wide. Perfectly timed balls were put through for Charlie Hudson-Madge to run on to up high, she eased passed Ipswich defense, getting lots of shots away. City pressed high and won several short corners, but drag flicks, 1 2s, and even the infamous Libby Thorne slider wasn't enough to beat Ipswich's fantastic GK.  
 
City didn't give up and continued to relentlessly attack Ipswich, which paid off after some lovely triangular passing all the way up the pitch into the D, the ball was passed across for Emily Francis to first time smash it into the bottom corner, a stunning finish. 
 
The deserved lead for City continued as they looked for another, Emma Hewitt was making leads up high as India Fox held her own on the wing and passed it through.  
 
But, Ipswich fought back and started to make attacks of their own, but City defended well, Leigh-Ann Worrall was cutting out balls and stopping counter attacks. When Ipswich did manage to squeeze through, POTM Summer Haylock was able to keep them out, making several 2nd and 3rd phase saves.  
 
This was an evenly matched game with both sides making attacks, whilst Sophie Bendon ran the ball along the base-line and walloped the ball at the keeper (who would've felt it through the foam!), Sabina Baker (returning from injury) stayed strong in defense, marking tight and making life difficult for the Ipswich strikers.  
 
City went into half-time with their heads held high, captain Georgia was super proud of City's performance and asked for more of the same.  
 
City went into the second half with the same high energy however had seemingly spent most of it in the first half and struggled to maintain it. Ipswich were determined to score and pushed hard, but City continued to defend well. Hannah Jarvis stuck tight to players and made great last second jabs.  
 
Ipswich won several short corners, Summer Haylock dealt with them calmly and with a KA-CHOW! However Ipswich were relentless and after their striker stick-blocked managed to trickle the ball into the goal.  
 
Another goal came in quick succession through a well-drilled short corner. This did not deter City as they continued to fight hard with Helen Busfield making crucial tackles outside and inside the D. Lauren Lawrie pursued the ball, made a beautiful tackle and was rewarded with a green card... 
 
As a team City defended well with some highlights including: Leigh-Ann coining a new dance move away from the ball, Summer seeing how long she could stretch out shouting READY, Lauren running 5 seconds too early on a short corner, Libby to the umpire "please could you watch the backing in please??", umpire "yeah sure" (proceeds to ignore all pushing and backing in).  
 
City kept their spirits high, continuing to make the occasional attack down the wings, drive the ball into the D but struggled to find the goal. Despite the final score, City maintained their determination and desire to win which should be commended.  
 
Looking into the final 2 games City have some questions to ponder: How many will they thrash Wisbech by? Who will top the goal-scoring table? Will their politeness towards the umpires ever pay off? Finally where will City finish in the table?  
 
 

WOMENS 3RD XI - 18/03/2023 VS LODDON 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 3rd XI 
DATE: 18/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 3rd XI VS 18/03/2023 
HEADLINE: An unfortunate result 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Loddon 
RESULT: lost 5-1 
 
REPORT: 
City gathered on an early, warm and bright morning to begin their 3rd from last match of the season. Their opposition, Loddon 1s were sitting comfortably in mid table. However City were confident and looking to secure some additional points. Unfortunately the game didn't go to plan from the off. Loddon had first push back and after a full team attack had scored within 30 seconds of the whistle. The weather feeling the mood turned to a light drizzle.  
 
Undeterred City battled on but unfortunately conceded another 2 goals before half time. City looked stronger in the last 10 mins of the half and had a number of attacks down the right hand side lead by Lucy McNarry. City were then awarded a short corner and with Helen Brockington injured on the bench, Evie Brockington, the younger, stepped up to the top of the D for first strike. Goal. City went into half time 3-1 down  
 
City continued to work very hard throughout the 2nd half but struggled to keep their shape and react to the frequent Loddon attacks. There were claims for a flick for City, as a defender kicked the ball away from goal with the goalie stranded. However we had to settle for a short corner. Whilst Evie produced another great strike at goal, the ball hit a defenders hand. Final score 5-1. 
 
Player of the match goes to Ange Hindle and comoletely deserved!  

WOMENS 4TH XI - 18/03/2023 VS CARROW 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 4th XI 
DATE: 18/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 4th XI VS 18/03/2023 
HEADLINE: Well fought and great win  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 4-2 
After a rousing pre match talk from Captain Carey the fabulous fours were ready to take on a Carrow side intent on revenging their defeat from a few weeks earlier. City started well and had the majority of the early possession. Strong runs from Sarah Loudon and Esme Abbot on both wings and good movement from forwards Ellie Alderton and Caroline Illing failed to find a way to put the ball over the line. Against the run of play, Carrow scored having sent a long ball up field and capitalising on the break. City fought back and quickly equalised with a goal by a great run down the wing and hard strike from the top of the D by Susan Mathews reaching the backboard. The level score line was short lived however, after another successful break from Carrow and, despite several well-earned short corners, City went into half time 2-1 down. 
City started the second half brightly with some nice wide passes and good use of switching the ball round the back. City’s second goal came at close range from speedy Charlotte Pounder after great linked passes from Liv Broadway, Sarah Loudon and Charlotte Pounder down the left-hand side. 
City absorbed a lot of pressure with superbly timed tackles from Niamh Rushden, Karen Hobden, Sue Tomlinson and Jenny Brine. Carey Briggs pressed the advancing Carrow players hard and keeper Anna Linsmith made some vital saves to keep City in the game. Whirlwind Emily Winter (Winnie) successfully ran down several Carrow short corners to prevent another opposition goal. 
Ellie Alderton narrowly missed putting City ahead with a well struck short corner strike, saved on the line and it was a deflected short corner strike from Susan Mathews which made the score line 3-2. Carrow came back strongly but could not get through our tireless defence. City continued to work well in the final third of the pitch and Esme Abbott sealed the win with a well-earned goal taking it to 4-2. 
Many thanks to Coach Nathan Corden and to Georgina and all our supporters for their encouragement from the side-lines. 
 

WOMENS 6TH XI - 18/03/2023 VS NORWICH DRAGONS 6 (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 6th XI 
DATE: 18/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Womens 6th XI VS 18/03/2023 
HEADLINE: A loss but it was close! and they're third in the league! 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 4 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: L 1-2 
 
REPORT: 
Playing third in the league we expected a tough one and five minutes in to the game came the first goal against us; 1 nil down and we had barely drawn breath. We fought back though with some great wide balls and passing up the wing in triangles but the 2nd goal came out of a short corner; we all started jogging back to reset, but the refs were conferring and goal disallowed! It never went out of the D. We were back in it and with 10 minutes to spare in the first half, Clare pings the ball to Sarah who slots it in to the goal - I don't think either team could believe it. Half time and it was all to play for. 
 
We were keen not to get comfortable, we knew it was all still to play for so we went back in to the 2nd half with our heads up and determined. We held them till the final minutes when a converted short corner saw Dragons 2-1 up. 
 
Time ticked away and we couldn't get that equalizer, but we were proud of holding them to that score.  
 
POTM Saskia Ashdown for her amazing runs and tenacity! 

MENS 1ST XI - 19/03/2023 VS UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 19/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 19/03/2023 
HEADLINE: Norwich City Confidently Deal With Tough University Side 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: University Of Birmingham 
RESULT: 6-1 W 
 
REPORT: 7am bus. 4hr journey. Walking around the Birmingham campus like a bunch of lost children trying to find the changing rooms. Wasn't an ideal start. But atleast there were jammy dodgers & malted milks waiting for us with our teas & coffees upon arrival. 
The Gorgeous pitch made us forget about the above and get down to business. The first ten minutes saw Birmingham start with a full press as per usual. Harry Brown, Krishna Patel & Tom Harris were all equal to it and that prompted their coach to shout "they don't have a weak one" so they stopped. Shortly after Josh Baker found some time and space down the left and out ran their half and got into the D for a reverse hit that was saved but only up into the arriving Jonty Black who volleyed in for his 2nd goal of the season. Soon after Birmingham won their first short corner of the game after a save from the orignal drag fell out to their injector he pushed it past Alastair Cooke at the near post to restore the draw before the end of Quarter 1. 
Q2 saw Stu Wardle win Norwich their 2nd short corner of the game within 30 seconds of the restart and with an Elliot Hibell drag had regained the lead. The rest of the quarter saw alot of end to end hockey but neither side able to put a meaningful effort towards goal. Even though Birmingham finished the last 5 minutes of the half with 10 men. HT: 2-1. 
5 minutes into the second half Birmingham had a man open at the backpost but the bobbly ball that was provided to him meant he edged his shot over the bar. 2 minutes later Cam Cooke had won a short corner and stepped up to convert it aswell, 3-1 City. Stu Wardle dribbled passed 2 Birmingham defenders into the D and his shot from the baseline was put out into Cam Cookes path at the top right of the D and he rocketed a forehand shot into the left side netting for his 2nd of the day and shortly after he had completed a 7 minute hattrick to put Norwich out of sight with a superb reverse from the top left of the D into the top right corner. Q3: 5-1. 
Marts tried to give a quarter time team talk but it was overshadowed by the Birmingham coach tearing into his players 10 metres away from us. In fairness to him it must have worked, they had won their 2nd short corner of the game 2 minutes later. And dragged it very nicely into the upper right corner but Tom Harris was on hand to bat it beautifully away at head height and deny any chance of some birmingham redemption. Elliot Hibell then won a flick as he turned round the keeper and was taken out by a defender. He made sure of the goal by putting it right in under the bar in the very top right corner.  
After a competitive 1st quarter the quality started to show and Norwich ran away with it in a superb 3rd quarter. Wonderful display and assures us of a top 4 finish in our debut national league campaign. Great effort from all and that mental & physical strength that's got us this far will be tested once again as run away, already promoted, league leaders Harborne come to Taverham where a win would guarantee a top 3 finish for Norwich. 
 

MENS 3RD XI - 18/03/2023 VS NORWICH DRAGONS 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 3rd XI 
DATE: 18/03/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 3rd XI VS 18/03/2023 
HEADLINE: Plucky display ends in creditable loss 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Taverham RFC 
RESULT: Norwich City 3s 0 - 3 Norwich Dragons 1s 
 
REPORT: 
With a few of the regular 3s players receiving the big call up to play for the 2s this week, the 3s welcomed some new faces into their midst featuring: a 3s debut for Ellis Byland-Brookes, returns for Andrew Bell and Nathan Corden, and a return for Tom Cooper who last graced the 3s with a match away in deepest, darkest Kettering. 
City's opponents were league high-fliers Norwich Dragons 1s. In the away fixture earlier in the season, a poor spell of 5 minutes had led Dragons to capitalise and score 3 goals which led them to take the victory. After a rousing pre-game speech by Captain/Coach/serial traveller Simon Black, City felt inspired to go out there and give it their all. Eagle-eyed Tom Hindle spotted Black eating a jacket potato in his hand whilst talking to the team (wait for the match teas Hindle, keep your mind on the game!) 
Both teams started well, but it was Dragons who repeatedly tested the City defence of Clive Crichton, Corden and Adam Sayer. Courtroom strongman Tom Franks in goal kept City in with a chance making some superb saves, and performing such displays would would warrant an appearance in the EDP. Hindle and Sam Hancock provided an outlet for the defence and moved the ball well across the pitch, linking up well with the forward line of Matthew Brine, Bell, Byland-Brookes, Mark Fletcher and Dan Jeffers. 
Despite this, and the valiant efforts of the defence it was Dragons who opened the score line following up on a well saved shot from a short corner. Not to be deterred, City continued to deny Dragons and the half ended 1-0 to Dragons.  
With rewed vigour and feeling refreshed, and Hindle still thinking of that jacket potato), City were determined to get a goal and make it tough for Dragons in the second half. However, a massive spanner in the works was thrown in when Dragons scored again! How inconsiderate of them! A short corner, which was initially cleared resulted in the ball being given away on the 23 line, a crash ball ended up being deflected into the air, falling to the waiting Dragon forward, who smashed the ball into the back corner despite keeper Frank's efforts. 
City kept their heads up and after some lovely link up and attacking play won themselves a short corner. However, it was not meant to be and Dragons kept the ball out and soon resumed their attacks on the city defensive line. Within the last 10 minutes, after a succession of short corners, Dragons finally scored, taking the score to 3-0. City saw out the rest of the game and cleared a short corner in the last minute of the game. 
A tough match against a strong opponent who are looking for promotion, but despite this, City really gave them a good game and they had to work hard for their goals. Well done to all who played and especially those who stepped up from the 4s. Player of Match: Adam Sayer.