Results

MENS 1ST XI - 22/03/2026 VS STOURPORT 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 22/03/2026 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 22/03/2026 
HEADLINE: Norwich Class Tells In Nine Goal Thriller  
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Stourport  
RESULT: 6-3 win 
 
REPORT: While the eyes of the Men’s Conference Midlands were fixed firmly on the summit for the title-deciding clash between Leek and Oxford Hawks, a very different story of 'what could have been' played out at Stourport Sports Club. In a match defined by contrasting fortunes, a relegated Stourport side, still reeling from their fall from Division 1, hosted a Norwich City team whose own promotion dreams have officially shifted into a battle for a 3rd-place finish 
The game ignited early when Max Wilson drove the baseline to find Louis Preston; though the initial effort was crowded out, Wilson followed up his own run to slot a clinical finish into the bottom left corner for 1–0. Stourport responded quickly, leveling the scores via a direct hit down the middle from their first penalty corner. However, Norwich’s response was instantaneous. From the restart, a slick move down the line found Nic Urquhart-Pearce at the baseline, who squared for Cameron Cooke to provide a clinical back-post tap-in. The momentum stayed with the visitors as James Mackenzie turned over possession, allowing Nic to overlap and lift a deft finish over the diving keeper to make it 3–1. 
​The second period was a frantic, end-to-end affair. Stourport piled on the pressure with a string of penalty corners, but the Norwich defense held firm. Against the run of play, Norwich extended their lead when a goalbound strike from James Mackenzie was expertly deflected past the keeper by Jonty Black. Stourport refused to go quietly, immediately breaking up the other end to pounce on a loose ball in the D and fire a reverse-stick shot past Simon Dolan. Despite a late Stourport penalty corner and a missed breakaway chance for Mackenzie, the half ended with Norwich holding a two-goal cushion. 
​The third quarter saw Norwich search for the killer blow. Tom Cooke launched a pinpoint aerial to Max, whose reverse-stick cross narrowly eluded a diving Jonty. Instead, it was Stourport who found the net next; a well-worked move up the line and a cut-back to the top of the circle allowed their forward to set and fire a forehand hit into the far corner, bringing the score to 4–3. The pressure mounted as Stourport earned their 7th penalty corner of the match, but a crucial save from Dolan kept the visitors in the lead heading into the final quarter. 
​Norwich finally took the sting out of the game in the fourth. Cameron Cooke hammered home a drag flick from a penalty corner to restore the two-goal lead, before a moment of individual brilliance from Ben Chapman. A mazy run along the baseline, set up Jonty Black for a sharp reverse-stick finish at the near post. Late Stourport pressure resulted in a flurry of penalty corners, but a goal-line save from Louis Preston and a final clearance from George Bedford ensured there would be no late drama. 
​​The result leaves Norwich comfortably in the top four, while Stourport’s difficult season continues following their relegation. Elsewhere, Leek’s 1–1 draw with Oxford Hawks was enough to crown them champions, ending the Hawks' title challenge and sending Leek into Division 1 North for next season