Results

WOMENS 2ND XI - 29/01/2022 VS NORWICH DRAGONS 3 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 2nd XI 
DATE: 29/01/2022 
FIXTURE: Womens 2nd XI VS 29/01/2022 
HEADLINE: City fought against the wind and Dragons to claim another victory!  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Dragons Den 
RESULT :5-0 win for NCHC 
 
REPORT: 
 
City arrived at Dragon's Den still in top position in the table and eager to continue their winning streak, 15 games unbeaten. However, both Dragons 3s and the weather were keen to put a spanner in the works.  
 
From the whistle, City seemed unable to play their usual confident, passing hockey. A combination of gale force winds and glaring sunshine made making even the simplest of passes effortful. With a confused Lauren Lawrie managing to tackle her captain Georgia Cleveland causing much hilarity on the bench, City desperately needed to reset and take control of the game. 
 
Unfortunately, City's first ten minutes was going to get worse before it got better. One searching ball forward found a sprinting Rosie Humphrey, who turned and twisted her knee leading to an early exit from proceedings. Being the team's top goal scorer to date, this was a massive loss to the City team. However, after a small reshuffle, Sophie Bendon stepped up to the plate to score the first goal and awaken the City team. 
 
Amongst the slaps to the face by flying leaf debris, City began to ramp up the pressure on the Dragon's defence. Danielle Sizer seized the opportunity to use her speed and drive along Dragon's backline, winning the first of a succession of short corners. Once the ball had been found in the growing leaf pile behind the goal, Lucy Walton struck a near perfect shot, saved only by the Dragon's keeper's left post. 
 
City worked hard to set up a solid press from a Dragon's hit out. This proved lucrative, as Sophie Bendon intercepted and struck a perfect reverse strike to the bottom left hand corner. The half time whistle blew with City in the lead, 2-0. 
 
Following a reminder of last week's training from Captain Georgia Cleveland, City began the second half with fresh vigor, passing the ball with the composure they usually apply. Hanna Hall found her stride, driving the ball into the top of the D and occupying three defender's before they eventually were able to clear their line. 
 
Recalling Georgia's half time talk, Ella Gill passed a long reaching cross to the far post for Mia Moore to deflect in. Unfortunately, the ball skimmed past the right post but served Dragon's with an unheeded warning of what was to come. 
 
Within 10 minutes of the restart, City had scored two goals in quick succession. Emily Leeming drove the ball down the left and crossed to the perfectly positioned Mia Moore who slipped it home, 3-0. From the restart, Sophie Bendon, hungry for her Hattrick, smashed the ball at goal only for the Dragon's keeper to deny her. However, the rebound was calmly tapped home by Mia Moore for her second of the game.  
 
City's defence of Leigh- Ann Worrall, Sally Rose, Ella Gill and Lucy Walton were unfazed by Dragon's limited attacks. They stepped up confidently to dispossess the oppositions attackers and redistribute the ball into space. City were focused on increasing their goal tally. Emma Hewitt's movement into the channels created space into the circle that was rapidly exploited by Emily Francis for a cracking strike at a tight angle. Once again the Dragon's keeper kicked the ball clear of the goal. 
 
 
The fifth and final goal of the game came from a much more successful link up between Georgia Cleveland and Lauren Lawrie. Georgia struck at the heart of the Dragon's goal and Lauren stole the ball from the keeper's pads, putting it away. 
 
 
 
Alongside her usual confident communication and organisation, keeper Georgina Barrett spent much of the second half attempting to position herself at the correct angle to the wind so as to prevent take off.  
 
Despite tricky conditions, City added another 3 points to the tally and kept another clean sheet, 5-0. Next game, Framlingham. 
 

WOMENS 3RD XI - 29/01/2022 VS LODDON 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 3rd XI 
DATE: 29/01/2022 
FIXTURE: Womens 3rd XI VS 29/01/2022 
HEADLINE: Top of the Table Fight 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST NORTH 
VENUE: Langley 
RESULT: Lost 3-2 
 
REPORT: 
Womens threes arrived for an early pushback at Langley school on Saturday for a match against top of the league Loddon. Womens threes got a shock when after but a few minutes of play, a yet unsettled City enabled Loddon to get into the D and score. This early goal gave L3’s the kick they needed to find their form. A number of constructive passes were made enabling Grace Hanworth-Knights to power up the field and take a shot which was deflected by the keeper, but the deflection was sent firmly home by Gabby Sharp. 1-1. 
 
Loddon came back aggressively with lots of physical play, and clean passing with a short corner being their second goal to find the back of the net. City fought back with some consistent attacks on the opposing D creating an opportunity for a short corner. A slick injection by Ellie Alderton found Hollie Joyce who slipped left to Emma Richardson who powered it at the keeper. A scrum ensued of deflection after deflection until finally Alderton was able to put it past two defenders on the line to make the score 2-2. Not pretty but it counts! 
 
Fantastic midfield play from the likes of Alison Moore, Liv Broadway, Jess Taylor-Balls, El Jarvis, Sue Tomlinson, Captain Claire Snelling and Emma Richardson allowed City to dominate the play for a period, with some great passing hockey and good communication getting the ball out to the wings and challenging for the ball. Unfortunately no goals came, and a break down the middle from Loddon concluded with a scrappy goal bringing them to 3-2. 
 
Special mention should also go to Serena Scott for great communication to defenders Gillian Allen, Kim Moore and Gemma Sargent who fought hard the whole game. There was also an epic save worthy of the history books! 
 
On analysis City concluded that we need to make sure we meet the ball every time to ensure we keep possession. A lesson learned for a fight another day! 

WOMENS 5TH XI - 29/01/2022 VS WATTON 2 (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 5th XI 
DATE: 29/01/2022 
FIXTURE: Womens 5th XI VS 29/01/2022 
HEADLINE: A Windy Win 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 4 NORTH EAST NORTH 
VENUE: Taverham  
RESULT: 5-1 
 
REPORT: 
Initially a little bit of a slow start for City 5s today with Watton maintaining possession and penetrating their attacking D in the early stages of the game. City kicked into action securing the first goal of the game. Watton scored shortly after, meaning we headed into half-time with a score sheet of 1-1. After a team pep talk, we knew we needed to intercept the opposition with speed, accuracy and determination.  
 
Soon after the second half began, we found our feet and rhythm as a team. With some additional players this week, by the 2nd half we had truly settled into the formation and feel of the match. The wind picked up and at times we felt like we were running in toffee, but we secured 4 goals in the second half with some great opportunities from midfield and attack and amazing defence to ensure the ball remained in our attacking half. 2 successful short corners later and 3 other goals (including a stormer of a goal from Matilda Hill making a single handed bee-line for the goal, as well as Helen Brockington, Evie Brockington and Olivia Hill), we secured the victory with a 5-1 win against Watton. An incredible team effort with high spirits and a well deserved win taking us up to 2nd in the League.  
 

MENS 3RD XI - 29/01/2022 VS EAST COAST 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 3rd XI 
DATE: 29/01/2022 
FIXTURE: Mens 3rd XI VS 29/01/2022 
HEADLINE: City youngsters enjoy trip to the seaside  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: East Coast Academy  
RESULT: City 3-1 East Coast 
 
REPORT: 
Final score 3-1 win. The first half was irritating as City couldn’t break  
through East Coast’s defence, although we had the lion’s share of  
possession and won lots of short corners against a physical but fair  
opposition. In addition the pitch was slow, and didn’t fit City’s  
possession style of play. Unfortunately, the opposition broke through and  
scored a scrappy goal past Tom Franks’s near post. On the stroke of  
half-time, Norwich won another short corner - the ball was pulled out to  
Jim Pallister and slapped at the far post but saved by the keeper with the  
second phase shot unfortunately hitting Clive Crichton’s head. (A hasty  
trip to the hospital thanks to Al Paterson’s taxi service later revealed a  
minor cut and and some bruising to Clive’s ear - could have been much  
worse.) Our 12 were now down to a bare 11. 
 
The second half started very well, our ball pace was much higher, and  
things seemed to be going our way. About half way through the half, Rio  
Iaccarino made a devastating run through the opposition, before slipping a  
ball into Kit Pallister who calmly levelled the score. Five minutes later,  
another short corner variation saw Ollie Millet strike the ball from the  
shoulder of the D into the far corner. City we’re well and truly on top  
and soon after taking the lead made it 3-1? When Ethan Rushton received  
the ball from Richard Silvester on the top of the D, and hammered the ball  
under the keeper. 
Final score 3-1. 
 
Whilst City spent much of the second half in their opponent’s half they  
were indebted to a fine double save by Tom Franks when the score was 1-0. 
 
Man of the Match Kit Pallister.