24 Nov 09:22

Match Reports 22/11

BRENTWOOD MEN

BRENTWOOD Is 4 ST NEOTS Is 0

(NE14Hockey League East Division One)

BACK to back wins topped off an excellent weekend for Brentwood.

They comfortably controlled and won Saturday’s game against St Neots, though they did it without key player Ian Forbes, who broke his collarbone in the warm-up through an accidental clash with the goalkeeper.

Forbes had just returned from injury a few weeks earlier.

It was only a matter of time before they scored, and captain Rob Fryer broke the deadlock. A well worked training ground short corner routine allowed him to flick the ball past the goalkeeper who had no chance of saving it.

Then it was the strikers turn to turn up the heat. Richard Doyle, James Duggan and Simon Ratternbury all netted to add to their ever increasing goal tallies.

These goals are yet another boost in their confidence, which is exactly what the team have been searching for.

Brentwood showed that they can control theirs and other oppositions’ games because they are very strong tactically.

When they utilise what training they have been given, not many teams can cope against them.

(England Trophy)

BRENTWOOD I 4 REME 1

BRENTWOOD played their best hockey of the year in Sunday’s match against Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

REME scored early on through a momentary lapse in defensive concentration. However, it was the way Brentwood responded to this which made the team’s performance.

Positive encouragement and strong mental minds allowed the team to play the hockey they wanted to. A massive improvement on ball pace made the REME side look weak in certain patches of the game.

Duggan got his second goal of the weekend from a ball fed in by coach Owen Thom.

Ratternbury scored two goals and Rob Cousins squeezed in another to make the final score 4-1.

This weekend Brentwood travel to St Ives.

BRENTWOOD LADIES 1’s VERSUS BASILDON NE14Hockey SE2

Saturdays away game at Gloucester Park promised to be a close game, with neither side giving the ball away easily, however it was Basildon who came away victors after a hard 70 minutes of play.

Brentwood had a couple of defenders unable to play due to injury, so coach Tim Gingell had to make some adjustments to his normal line up.

Sarah Millen had a superb game as sweeper, playing just behind central defender, Isobelle Gingell, who also gave a solid performance despite normally playing higher up the field.

It was a closely matched game, but Basildon gained the early advantage, from a short corner half way through the first half.

At no point in the game did Brentwood look the underdogs, indeed, prior to this match they were leading the league.

Some strong attacking play from Fran Hayden, on the right, supported by Shirley Osmotherly and Emma Davey, and followed up by Lindsey Fulcher meant that Brentwood were soon back in the game after Emma Davey equalised before half time.

Captain and goal keeper Lorna Parsons was also nursing an injured ankle but persevered.

Basildon came out strongly after half time and were eventually able to overturn the Brentwood defence to go 2-1 up.

A third goal shortly followed. Brentwood battled back and soon Davey brought them closer with a 2nd goal, however time was against the visitors, and they were defeated 3-2.

This sees them drop to second place in the league, 1 point behind new leaders, Canterbury, whom they play at home next Saturday.

MENS 3s vs SOUTHEND 2s

NE14 Hockey East Division 5 South East

Brentwood 3rds – 3 Southend 2nds – 3

Brentwood dominated the possession in the first ten minutes but missed a number of chances to score.

They eventually took the lead through a short corner. Giles Colwill latched onto a Matthew Wright pass to nudge the ball in from a yard.

Southend bounced back immediately. A good run from the Southend right winger set up a goal from short range by their young centre forward.

Skipper Matt Wright pulled the lead back before half time with a powerful flick which deceived the Keeper and flew into the top corner of the net.

Southend proved why they were third in the league before this match and began to take more control of the game in the second half and it wasnt long before they had equalised.

Phil Mumford snatched the lead back with ten minutes to go but poor discipline from Steve Miller earned himself a spell in the sin bin.

Southend capitalised to score again in the final minutes of the game.

Brentwood travel to face Wapping on Saturday.