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U16B - Saffron Walden U16 (EH U16B) - L 1-10 - Tough day at the office
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COLTS XI - 04/11/2018 VS SAFFRON WALDEN U16 (A)
TEAM: Colts XI
DATE: 04/11/2018
FIXTURE: Colts XI VS 04/11/2018
HEADLINE: Tough day at the office
LEAGUE: EHA U16 Championship
VENUE: Saffron Walden
RESULT: Saffron Walden 10 - 1 Norwich City
REPORT:
This is proving to be a tough season for our relatively young U16 boys. To the 11 players that were available I thank them (and the fantastic parental support) for fighting to the bitter end and never giving up.
In terms of the game we started slowly and allowed the home team to dominate possession and territory. Whilst the opening goal was a result of some poor marking and half-hearted tackle attempts it was pleasing to see our young guns show steely resolve and improve as the game progressed. When we we kept possession through neat triangles in and out of centre midfield to both flanks we looked good but sadly we always looked vulnerable when Saffron attacked at pace and fluency. This should take nothing away from our defence who yet again put in a major effort but more to do with the high quality linking play of the opposition. 5-0 at half time was tough.
Not surprisingly we tired in the second half (with no substitutes) yet still we never gave up and when the score reached 10-0 you could forgive a few down cast heads but did we see any? No we didn’t and in a true credit to our resolve a delightful move down the right saw Robert McCall score following a half save by the keeper. 10-1 with 55 seconds left and Freddie Paterson declares “it’s a great time for a comeback!”
Saffron were hospital hosts with a very good set of players who continued to play the game properly despite their comfortable winning margin.
Robert McCall was nom8nated as our man of the match.
RESULT: L 1-10
SCORERS: Robert McCall
POTM: Robert McCall
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U16B - Harleston Magpies U16 (EH U16B) - L 1-3 - Defensive masterclass
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COLTS XI - 14/10/2018 VS HARLESTON MAGPIES U16 (H)
TEAM: Colts XI
DATE: 14/10/2018
FIXTURE: Colts XI VS 14/10/2018
HEADLINE: Defensive masterclass
EHA U16 Championship
VENUE: Taverham
RESULT: Norwich City 1 - 3 Harleston Magpies
REPORT:
This was a real backs to the wall effort against a very strong Magpies side that created a lot of chances. City fell behind inside the first two minutes when defensive indecision allowed Emms to rifle the ball home. City were lucky not to fall further behind as they struggled to deal with the visitor’s pace on and off the ball but gradually they found their feet to create a few chances of their own.
As is so often the case when you have to almost constantly defend City’s play got deeper and deeper and the home side found it hard to sustain meaningful possession inside the opposing half. When Wiggins made it 2-0 the signs looked ominous but in true testament to their character City defended as a team brilliantly. Yes we were indebted to some outstanding saves from man of the match Luke Elwes and some fantastic tackling from our new centre defensive pairing, Alex Tomkinson and Reuben Cooke but Magpies did not have it all their own way and we so nearly made it 2-1 when a blistering move in the forward line saw Freddie Paterson go just wide following a scintillating run and cross by Rafe Lochore.
Whilst the second half saw Magpies have plenty of shots we had brilliant saves, amazing tackles and a couple of fantastic goal line interceptions (Ethan Rushton’s being particularly memorable). City nearly made it 2-1 when a thunderous short corner shot from Rafe was somehow blocked by a player who admitted he genuinely knew nothing about how he’d stopped it - that’s just the way it goes sometimes! Taylor eventually made it 3-0 but still City didn’t give up despite tired legs and a few unfamiliar positions and they finished the match on a high when Rafe score a scorcher of a goal from the inside left channel.
When we stayed calm and played neat one-twos we looked really good - thank you for commitment and never say die attitudes.
RESULT: L 1-3
SCORERS: Rafe Lochore
POTM: Luke Elwes
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U16B - Cambridge City U16B (EH U16 R2) - W 4-3 - Thrilling comeback from a two goal deficit
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COLTS XI - 05/11/2017 VS CAMBRIDGE CITY U16B (A)
TEAM: Colts XI
DATE: 05/11/2017
FIXTURE: Colts XI VS 05/11/2017
HEADLINE: Thrilling comeback from a two goal deficit
CUP: ENGLAND HOCKEY U16 TIER 1 CHAMPIONSHIP
VENUE: PERSE SCHOOL
RESULT: CAMBRIDGE CITY U16 3 NORWICH CITY U16 4
REPORT:
City’s Under 16 Boys worked extremely hard in the is England Hockey Under 16 Tier 1 Championship match and showed enormous resilience to come back from a two goal deficit against a good Cambridge side.
From the start City immediately found themselves on the back foot as the very talented Cambridge midfield player made significant in roads into the City defence, ghosting past players to create opportunities. Within 10 minutes City were two goals down and fighting an uphill battle. However, a combination of dogged defending by Tom Bailey, Cameron Husband, Malachy McDonnell, Reuben Cooke and man of the match George Harrad, allied to some top class goalkeeping by Ben Millett stemmed the goals. The City midfield of Cameron Cooke, Rio Iaccarino, Louis Hart, Ed Taylor and Elliot Fox were working hard to contain the Cambridge midfield and there were only rare forays into the Cambridge 23, but it was apparent that the Cambridge defence were the weak part of the team.
City took the opportunity to play with a high attacker, looking for long balls to bypass the Cambridge midfield. This eventually paid off as a ball played in from just over the half way line evaded the Cambridge defence and Ben Chapman who had drifted behind them deftly touched the ball past the keeper to give City a lifeline at the break.
After the break City increased their work rate and began to move the ball more quickly, with more pace and more accurately. The long balls were finding the City forwards and the Cambridge defence started to find themselves under pressure, giving the ball away to the advancing City players. The Cambridge midfield were seeing less of the ball and their influential player drifted out of the game. City then levelled when a ball was played through the home defence and Harry Basset was on hand to touch past the keeper. Much too the delight of the travelling supporters City then took the lead when Raunaq Rai converted a penalty corner. With ten minutes remaining City scored a fourth when Rio Iaccarino was on hand to tuck away a rebound off the goalkeepers pads.
Cambridge came back and City were forced to show real character as they worked hard to chase and harry the Cambridge players and though Cambridge pulled a goal back through a short corner City clung on to record an impressive victory.
A great game of hockey that was enjoyed by the supporters of both teams.
Special thanks to our band of travelling supporters and to Henry Wanchoo for stepping into umpire.
RESULT: W 4-3
SCORERS: Ben Chapman,Harry Basset,Raunaq Rai,Saverio Iaccarino
POTM: George Harrad
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U16B - Harleston Magpies U16B (EH U16 R1) - W 6-0 - Raunaq runs riot
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COLTS XI - 15/10/2017 VS HARLESTON MAGPIES U16B (H)
TEAM: Colts XI
DATE: 15/10/2017
FIXTURE: Colts XI VS 15/10/2017
HEADLINE: Raunaq runs riot
LEAGUE: EH U16 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
VENUE: TAVERHAM RECREATION FACILITY
RESULT: NORWICH CITY U16 6 MAGPIES U16 0
REPORT:
City open their Under 16 Boys campaign with a victory over local rivals Magpies thanks to the silky skills of player of the match Raunaq Rai.
City featured a couple of players, Cameron Cooke and Raunaq Rai, who have gained first team experience and they provided the foundation of the side. Several players from the younger year were introduced into the team and acquitted themselves well.
City took the lead after five minutes when Cameron Cooke took a quick free hit and dribbled into the circle before finding Louis Hart who converted. Ten minutes later it was Cameron Cooke who scored picking up the ball outside the 23, dribbling into the circle before unleashing a powerful reverse stick shot.
The City defence were well marshalled by Tom Bailey, with Cameron Husband making a some excellent last ditch tackles and Ben Millett thwarting any Magpies breakthroughs.
Raunaq Rai opened his account with a short corner drag flick and followed this up five minutes before the break with a dribble along the goalline beating a couple of defenders before slotting past the keeper.
After the break City started to run with the ball a little too much, but Raunaq Rai completed his hat trick with a carbon copy of his second. He then completed the scoring with a simple tap in after good pass from Tom Bailey found George Harrad who beat a defender and eliminated the keeper.
RESULT: W 6-0
SCORERS: Louis Hart,Cameron Cooke,Raunaq Rai,Raunaq Rai,Raunaq Rai,Raunaq Rai
POTM: Raunaq Rai
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U16B - Ipswich U16B (EH U16 C5) - W 10-1 - Ten out of Ten for City U16 Boys
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U16 BOYS - 19/02/2017 VS IPSWICH U16B (A)
TEAM: U16 Boys
DATE: 19/02/2017
FIXTURE: U16 Boys VS 19/02/2017
HEADLINE: Ten out of Ten for City U16 Boys
LEAGUE: EH U16 Boys Cup
VENUE: Ipswich School
RESULT: Won 10-1
REPORT:
The u16 Boys travelled to Ipswich East Suffolk knowing they were nearly through to the Regional Finals, but determined to put in a really good performance. City attacked from the outset and, after the initial skirmishes, began to hit their straps. IES could not hold out for long and, after some nice interpassing between Harry Paterson and Alex Merron, Harry slid the ball through to Ben Withers to open the scoring. IES came back, but City hit them on the break with fast passing out of defence ending with Ben Withers setting up Ben Chapman to slot the ball home.
Harry Paterson scored the next two goals, the first with a dribble into the D before nutmegging the keeper, the second poaching a rebound after Cameron Cook had hit the post. Ben Withers finished off the half with a smart reverse stick shot after a lovely run from Dan Phillips. City were 5-0 up at half-time and that probably didn’t fully reflect the extent of their dominance.
The plan for the second half was to try to keep our shape and pass the ball around the pitch, but it became more difficult as Ipswich understandably began to play deeper. Nevertheless Cameron Cooke took City’s sixth smartly after good work from Harry Bassett, before IES nicked one back with a short corner goal somewhat against the run of play. Alex Merron popped up from left midfield to bundle the ball home on the left hand post after a goal mouth scramble for City’s seventh, before Ben Withers completed his hat-trick with a lovely bit of 3D skill on the run before hammering the ball home. Cooke got the ninth with a lovely manoeuvre round the keeper and, finally, Dan Phillips made it 10-1 slapping home a cross from the right.
Amongst all this there was excellent play from the rest of the team: Ben Millett in goal, Tom Bailey and Jack Watling marshalling the defence, Fitz Hornor and Jack Watling on the flanks, and midfield generals Doug Tomlinson and Sam Bingham.
There were so many strong performances that the Man of the Match award could have gone to almost any one of the players, but the players decided to award it to Alex Merron for his runs up the left wing.
This result means City U16s end up comfortably in second place in the league behind Braintree (who narrowly beat us in a tense thriller) – these two teams dominated the competition. City finished up with three wins out of four with a massive goal difference of +25 and now qualify for the regional finals on 5 March. Congratulations to all the boys!
RESULT: W 10-1
SCORERS: Ben Withers,Ben Chapman,Harry Paterson,Harry Paterson,Ben Withers,Cameron Cooke,Alex Merron,Ben Withers,Cameron Cooke,Daniel Phillips
POTM: Alex Merron
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