Men’s 1st’s (3) vs. (3) Boston Spa 1st’s
Slaz men’s ones hosted Boston Spa in their second home game of the season, once again missing a number of players but hoping to bounce back from a poor result in their last fixture. Slaz got off to a good start, holding possession well and building a solid foundation, despite being unable to take any chances in the early offings. Despite a setback to go 1-0 down, Ben Jackson won a handy short corner that was coolly taken by Keith Leonard to tie the game up leading into the half time interval.
Slaz then remained solid throughout the second half, providing consistent pressure but without creating too many options, until Ben Jackson cracked a sumptuous ball across the D that Isaac Fisher got on the end of. Unfortunately for Slaz, the game zig-zagged from there, with Boston Spa pulling a goal back shortly after, only for Slaz to retake the lead through Isaac Fisher close to the end.
Slaz once again couldn’t hold on to this lead however, and Boston Spa scored again for the game to finish a deserved 3-3.
Men’s 2nd’s (1) vs. (1) Wakefield 3rd’s
Slazenger men’s 2’s made the short journey to local rivals Wakefield on Saturday and weren’t surprised to find a tougher opposition than the opening weeks of the season. Wakefield’s midfield 3 controlled the game in the opening stages with Slazenger struggling to get a foothold. Wakefield took the lead midway through the first half when a mis-hit penalty corner found its way in. Slazenger started to find their feet a bit and began to create problems for Wakefield but were unable to find an equaliser before half time.
A strong half time team talk had Slazenger out for the second half with a renewed belief. Jimmy Swindon, Ste Roberts and Will Buckley started to win the midfield battle, the defence held strong and the work rate on the top line started causing problems for the Wakefield defence. Slazenger created a number of chances with the breakthrough finally coming when the ball was nicked from a Wakefield defender, eventually falling to Owen Coughtrey to net the equaliser. Slazenger continue to press and on another day could have found a winner however it wasn’t meant to be, the game ending 1-1. Coughtrey took the man of the match award following a strong display throughout.
Men’s 3rd’s (1) vs. (0) Harrogate 4th’s
THE CASE OF THE MISSING GOAL
Slazenger 3s 1–0 Harrogate 4s
Location: Slazenger HQ
Status: CASE CLOSED
THE INCIDENT
Police were called to Slazenger HQ following reports of a highly suspicious incident involving a hockey ball, two teams and an alarming lack of goals. At approximately 11:30, Harrogate 4s arrived expecting to leave with a result. Instead, they became the victims of a carefully executed Slazenger defensive operation. The decisive incident occurred in the first half. John was identified as the key accomplice, supplying the evidence that allowed Aleks to commit the offence. Aleks finished clinically to put Slazenger 1–0 up. And then… Slazenger locked the doors.
THE COVER-UP
With the lead secured, Slazenger spent the remainder of the match desperately attempting to conceal the evidence. Harrogate launched attack after attack, but every time they got close, Sammy was there. Save after save. Stop after stop. Intervention after intervention. Sammy produced a performance that left investigators with no alternative but to award him Man of the Match. In front of him, Josh and Simon formed an extremely solid partnership at centre back, helping keep Harrogate’s attackers under constant surveillance. Jez, Simon and Will put forward strong cases for Man of the Match, but Sammy’s countless brilliant saves ultimately made him the obvious suspect.
FURTHER OFFENCES
The Slazenger operation wasn’t entirely clean. Scott and Tim were both caught (within 10 seconds of each other) in possession of green cards, earning themselves temporary removal from the scene. Despite these minor incidents, Slazenger refused to crack. The entire squad worked relentlessly to protect their one-goal advantage. Every tackle mattered. Every clearance mattered. Every save mattered. And most importantly, the lead survived.
THE CLEAN-SHEET SERIAL KILLERS
When the final whistle sounded, the evidence was undeniable: Harrogate 0 Slazenger 1.
Sammy had kept another clean sheet, making this Slazenger’s second consecutive clean sheet. The defensive unit had successfully disposed of every Harrogate attack and left absolutely no evidence behind. MOTM – SAMMY — Goalkeeper; Countless saves. One clean sheet. A thoroughly suspicious performance.
DOTD – There was, however, one major development during the post-match investigation. Dan was questioned about Slazenger’s clean sheet and offered the following defence: “We didn’t keep a clean sheet, we got carded.” Investigators immediately determined that this was, in fact, an exceptionally stupid statement.
CASE FILE SUMMARY
Final score: Slazenger 3s 1–0 Harrogate 4s
Goal: Aleks, Assist: John, Clean sheet: Sammy, Man of the Match: Sammy, Strong shouts: Jez, Simon, Will, Centre-back pairing: Josh & Simon, Green cards: Scott & Tim, Second consecutive clean sheet: CONFIRMED, DOTD: Dan, Murder weapon: The Slazenger defence, Victim: Harrogate’s hopes of scoring
CASE CLOSED
Men’s 4th’s (1) vs. (2) Sheffield University Bankers 7th’s
The Battle of the Pitch
The stage was set. The teams assembled. And with the whistle blown, Slazenger entered the arena ready for battle. From the opening exchanges, Slazenger took the fight to Sheffield, attacking with all the determination of the Avengers facing their latest threat. And then came our first hero moment. Mark Hammond stepped up, producing some excellent work to give Slazenger the breakthrough and a deserved lead. 1–0 Slazenger. The momentum was ours. Confidence was growing. For a while, everything was going according to plan. But every Marvel fan knows one thing…
The enemy always strikes back.
Just before half-time, Sheffield found their equaliser, sending the two sides into the break locked at 1–1. The second half turned into a battle. Sheffield pushed forward, but Slazenger stood their ground. At the heart of the resistance was Issac Rawlings, putting in some outstanding defensive work — throwing himself into challenges, breaking up attacks and refusing to give Sheffield an easy route through. For long spells, the Slazenger defence looked like it had its own vibranium shield. 🛡️
But eventually, Sheffield found a way through. Their second goal turned the game on its head and left Slazenger trailing 2–1. There was still time for one final push. Slazenger battled on, searching for the kind of late comeback worthy of the big screen, but this time there was to be no dramatic post-credits twist.
Full-time: Slazenger 1–2 Sheffield.
A frustrating defeat, but a performance packed with effort, determination and some genuinely heroic defending. And as every good Marvel story teaches us… This isn’t the end. The heroes will return. 🦸♂️🏑
To be continued…
Ladies 1st’s (3) vs. (2) Leeds 4th’s
It was less “winter sport” and more “summer series” as Slaz Ladies 1s welcomed Leeds W4s on a glorious, slightly suspiciously warm afternoon. The sun was shining, temperatures were high and by full-time a few players were looking less match-ready and more freshly laminated after catching a bit too much sun. Slaz arrived with a strong squad and started the game brightly, enjoying plenty of possession in the first half and moving the ball well across the pitch. There were some lovely transfers around the back — exactly what we like to see — while the defence communicated brilliantly when picking up runners and keeping things organised. Erin was calling the shots from the back, keeping everyone switched on inside the D.
At the other end, Slaz managed to win more short corners than we would perhaps like to put into writing… particularly given that absolutely none of them found the back of the net. Plenty of opportunities, plenty of ideas, just missing that final touch. Unfortunately, Leeds made the most of some scrappy play inside the Slaz D to bundle the ball home and take the lead. A second followed after a break in play, with Erin doing everything she could to close down the space, but Leeds managed to squeeze it past her to send Slaz into half-time 2–0 down.
But if there’s one thing Slaz don’t do, it’s pack up and go home early. The effort levels stayed high, with Frankie putting in an unbelievable shift and Amelia and Melissa causing problems with some brilliant runs and individual skill. All three were more than worthy of the player-of-the-match votes they picked up. The second half started much like the first — with Slaz winning yet more short corners. Eventually, though, the pressure told. Emma stepped up at the top of the D and absolutely leathered one goalward, with a deflection taking it past the keeper to finally get Slaz on the scoreboard.
2–1. Game on.
Not long afterwards, Lou got on the end of some great open play to bring Slaz level at 2–2, and suddenly the momentum had completely shifted. The forwards kept running, pressing and causing chaos, with Rebecca eventually being completely wiped out by Leeds inside the D. Penalty stroke. Up stepped Lou. Pressure? What pressure? She sent it top bins to complete the comeback and put Slaz 3–2 ahead. Up the Trin. From there, Slaz had to show a different side of their game — keeping possession, staying organised and managing the closing stages. The final whistle confirmed a brilliant 3–2 comeback win, showing plenty of character after going two goals behind. Player of the Match: Melissa, for some fantastic running, skill and relentless work throughout the game.
Next up: Lindum. And then, once the hockey duties are done, attention turns to another rather important fixture… Wakey in the Super League Grand Final. 👀🏉 Perhaps the comeback spirit is already rubbing off. Up the Slaz 💚🤍❤️. Up the Trin 💙🤍❤️
Ladies 3rd’s (2) vs. (6) Aire Valley 1st’s
Slazenger 3’s welcomed a young Aire Valley 1’s side for a competitive home fixture, with both teams producing an exciting and end-to-end first half. Slazenger started brightly, with Lauren Wood and Beth Buckley looking particularly impressive down the right-hand side. The game was evenly contested, with chances at both ends, but it was Aire Valley who opened the scoring after a penalty stroke was awarded for a Slazenger foot on the line. They soon doubled their advantage to take a 2–0 lead. Slazenger refused to let their heads drop and continued to battle. Just before half time, Ellie Page produced a fantastic individual run, carrying the ball almost half the length of the pitch before entering the D and calmly slotting the ball past the keeper. A brilliant piece of skill gave Slazenger a deserved lifeline, making the half-time score 2–1.
Slazenger carried that momentum into the second half and continued to put Aire Valley under pressure. Katie Knighton produced an excellent save to deny Aire Valley from their second penalty flick, keeping Slazenger firmly in the contest. The next goal came from an unfortunate deflection. The ball came off defender Nicole Knox’s stick, then quickly onto the goalkeeper’s helmet and into the goal. Aire Valley capitalised on the setback and extended their lead to 4–1.
Slazenger continued to fight and brought it to 4–2 putting Slazenger’s back within touching distance. The final 15 minutes proved difficult, however, as Aire Valley began to overrun Slazenger and added two further goals to make the final score 6–2.
Players of the Match: ⭐ Lauren Wood & Katie Knighton ⭐ Well done to everyone who battled right to the final whistle!
Ladies 4th’s (1) vs. (0) Adel 5th’s
12 Slazenger players arrived to what felt like an army of oranges, who had clearly taken full advantage of a 16-player squad. Strangely, despite being outnumbered on the bench, Slazenger got off to a strong start, dominating possession and driving forwards. The low sunset wasn’t exactly helping visibility, but Slaz kept pushing. With nine minutes on the clock, Julie Bailey got her first — hopefully of many — goal of the season. Pouncing on a short-corner rebound, Julie calmly found the back of the net to give Slazenger an early lead.
With newfound confidence, Slaz began forcing Adel into errors, picking up loose balls and creating chances of their own. Unfortunately, the finishing touch proved elusive. May Bailey put in a huge shift in midfield, driving the ball up the pitch and doing an excellent job of cutting off Adel’s breaks. Slazenger went into half-time with a well-earned 1–0 lead. Once the umpire eventually managed to locate his whistle, the second half got underway. It wasn’t long before a little bit of deceit from the sweeper resulted in a green card. Those two minutes somehow felt like an entire half, but the tiring Slazenger side dug deep to withstand the constant Adel pressure.
And what a performance in goal from Gemma Wilson, who put on an absolute masterclass. Poppy Thackrah and Lorna Godson also threw everything they had into blocking the relentless Adel attacks, with the whole team working tirelessly to protect their lead. It was touch and go right until the final whistle, but Slazenger held firm to secure their first win of the season, keeping a clean sheet and coming away with a hard-fought 1–0 victory. A brilliant team effort, a first goal of the season for Julie, and three points in the bag.
Under 12 Boys — TOURNAMENT 1 – DIVISION 2
Six games, plenty of goals and some brilliant hockey from our U12s at their first tournament of the season.
Slazenger (5) vs. (0) Doncaster 2 (Scorers: Noah 4, Matthew 1)
Slaz made a brilliant start, putting Doncaster under pressure from the first whistle. Noah was clinical in attack, finding the back of the net four times, with Matthew adding another. Harry S and Harry R were strong at the back, making important tackles and helping Slaz build play forward. Freddie and Jensen worked hard through the middle, while Jackson made some excellent saves when called upon. A really positive opening game from the whole squad.
Slazenger (3) vs. (0) Wakefield (Scorers: Noah 1, Matthew 2)
Another strong performance from Slaz, with the team moving the ball well and creating plenty of attacking opportunities. Matthew scored twice and Noah added another. Alistair was a constant threat going forward, while Viren and Freddie worked hard to win possession and support the attack. Harry S and Harry R kept things organised defensively, with Jensen covering plenty of ground across the pitch.
Slazenger (1) vs. (0) City of York 2 (Noah 1)
A much tighter game against York, with both teams working hard and chances harder to come by. Noah scored the only goal of the game after some good attacking pressure. Matthew and Alistair continued to create opportunities, while Jensen and Viren battled hard for possession. Harry S and Harry R defended brilliantly, and Jackson made some important saves to help Slaz secure another clean sheet.
Slazenger (4) vs. (0) Doncaster 2
Alistair was on fire in this one, scoring all four goals! Slaz created plenty of pressure and kept Doncaster busy throughout.
Noah and Matthew continued to work hard in attack and create chances, while Freddie and Jensen covered plenty of ground across the pitch. Harry S, Harry R and Viren worked hard defensively to keep Doncaster from creating too many opportunities.
Slazenger (5) vs. (0) Wakefield (scorers: Noah 2, Matthew 3)
Another excellent attacking performance, with Matthew scoring a hat-trick and Noah adding two more goals. Alistair continued to create chances and cause problems in attack, while Viren and Jensen worked tirelessly across the pitch. Harry S, Harry R and Freddie were strong defensively, helping Slaz keep another clean sheet, while Jackson made some great saves when needed.
Slazenger (1) vs. (2) City of York 2 (Scorers: Noah 1)
The final game of the day was another closely fought contest. Noah got Slaz on the scoresheet, with Matthew and Alistair continuing to work hard and create opportunities in attack. Viren, Jensen and Freddie battled for every ball, while Harry S and Harry R defended strongly. Jackson made some excellent saves to keep Slaz in the game, but York eventually edged it 2–1.
Great attacking play, strong defending, brilliant goalkeeping from Jackson and loads of hard work from everyone. Well done Noah, Matthew, Alistair, Jackson, Harry S, Harry R, Freddie, Jensen and Viren! 💚🏑👏 Thanks to Gemma for umpiring all day!
And a little shout-out to our U14 goalkeeper, who popped up to see us after finishing his football game — where he picked up Player of the Match! 🏆 Great to see you supporting the U12s! 💚
Under 12 Girls A — TOURNAMENT 1 – DIVISION 1
A brilliant start to the season for our A Team in Division 1, with three wins and one defeat from four games!
Slazenger (1) vs. (0) Thirsk (Scorer: Ella)
Slaz started brightly, putting Thirsk under pressure from the start. We could easily have been two goals ahead in the opening minutes, with some excellent attacking hockey from Grace, making her A Team debut, alongside Ella, Penny and Darcie. A couple of efforts went just wide, while the Thirsk goalkeeper made some good saves to keep the score level. Maddison and Meera were solid at the back, dealing confidently with the few attacks that came their way. Eden came on midway through the game for her Slaz debut and immediately added energy and skill to the team. With just minutes remaining, some excellent build-up play created an opportunity for Ella at the top of the D. She struck a firm shot into the corner to give Slaz a deserved 1–0 win. A brilliant result for a newly formed team.
Slazenger (1) vs. (2) City of York (Scorer: Darcie)
Facing York once again, we were determined to build on the opening result. A flowing team move involving Eden and Ella created an opportunity for Darcie in the D, and she calmly finished to put Slaz 1–0 ahead. York responded strongly, putting Meera, Maddison and Frances under pressure. Despite some good defending, a scramble in the D eventually led to York’s equaliser. Slaz continued to push for another goal, with Eden, Grace and Darcie all creating opportunities, but we couldn’t find the finish we needed. With just two minutes remaining, York created an opening and found the far corner to take the win. Our first defeat of the season, but another really positive performance and plenty for the girls to take forward.
Slazenger (6) vs. (0) Wakefield (Scorers: Eden 3, Darcie 3)
A local derby and after a focused team talk, the girls were ready to put the York result behind them. From the first whistle, Slaz took control, with the majority of the play in the Wakefield half. Ella dropped back into defence alongside Maddison and dealt comfortably with the limited pressure, while Frances had a relatively quiet game in goal. Meera was outstanding in centre midfield, helping Slaz keep possession and move the ball forward, while Grace, Darcie, Eden and Penny provided plenty of attacking threat. The girls continued to build pressure and were rewarded with six excellent goals. Eden completed her hat-trick with a brilliant individual run and finish, before Darcie completed hers with a well-worked short-corner routine.
A superb team performance from start to finish.
Slazenger (4) vs. (0) Ben Rhydding (Scorers: Darcie 2, Eden 2)
Slaz started quickly, taking the lead within 15 seconds. Darcie picked the ball up from the restart, drove forward through the Ben Rhydding defence and finished brilliantly for a fantastic individual goal. Eden made it 2–0 after another excellent team move involving Ella and Grace. Ben Rhydding tried to respond, but Meera, playing on the right wing but seemingly popping up everywhere, worked tirelessly alongside Maddison and Ella to keep their attacking play under control. Penny came on and immediately added pace down the left, helping create the opportunity for Darcie to make it 3–0. Eden then added another to complete the scoring and secure a confident 4–0 win.
A brilliant team effort across all four games, with debuts for Eden and Meera, and Grace making her first A Team appearance. All three were outstanding and look set to be huge assets to the team this season. Three wins and one defeat is an excellent start for a new team, with plenty of positive hockey and lots more to build on.
🏆 Player of the Tournament: Eden – A fantastic debut tournament from Eden. Her energy, work rate, skill and three goals in two games made her a real standout. Well done, Eden! 💚 Huge thanks to Mark and Rob for co-coaching and umpiring, and Will for coaching from the goal line and keeping the scores. What a start! 💚🏑👏
Under 12 Girls B — TOURNAMENT 1 – DIVISION 6
A fantastic first tournament for our U12 Girls B Team at Adel!
Slazenger 2 (0) vs. (0) Adel 2
A really strong start to the tournament and the season. Slaz dominated possession and spent most of the game in the Adel half, creating plenty of chances and having over 10 shots on goal. Some went just wide, while others were well saved by the Adel goalkeeper. A brilliant opening game from the girls, who looked confident and composed from the start.
Slazenger 2 (0) vs. (1) City of York 5
A tougher test against a strong York side, but Slaz stayed composed and continued to work hard to maintain possession. York won two short corners in the first half, both of which Slaz defended really well and cleared safely. York put Slaz under more pressure in the second half, with most of the play taking place in the Slaz half. The girls defended strongly but York eventually found a way through to score. Maci came close late on after a fantastic run towards goal, but unfortunately couldn’t quite finish the move.
Slazenger 2 (0) vs. (0) Halifax 1
Another closely fought game, with Slaz edging the balance of play and spending most of the game in the Halifax half. The girls were really starting to settle into their positions and grow in confidence, with their passing and movement looking stronger as the tournament progressed. Despite plenty of pressure, neither side could find the breakthrough.
Slazenger 2 (0) vs. (0) Adel 2
A much more evenly matched game than the first meeting, with Adel clearly having settled into the tournament too. Both teams pushed hard and created opportunities, while Slaz defended a couple of short corners really well and didn’t allow Adel to take advantage. The girls worked tirelessly from start to finish and, although both sides deserved a goal, the game finished goalless.
Slazenger 2 (0) vs. (2) City of York 5
York started strongly again, but Slaz stood firm and defended well against their early pressure. York eventually managed to break through and take the lead. Slaz reset quickly and went back on the attack, creating opportunities but unfortunately couldn’t find the finish. York then managed to add a second goal. The girls remained composed and worked hard right to the final whistle, holding York at bay for the remainder of the game.
Slazenger 2 (4) vs. (0) Halifax 1 (Scorers:⚡Maci 3, Izzy 1)
What a way to finish the tournament! Slaz came out flying, with the first goal arriving inside the opening two minutes. That set the tone for the rest of the game, with Slaz putting Halifax under relentless pressure and spending almost the entire game in their D. Maci was on fire, completing a fantastic hat-trick, while Izzy added the fourth to seal an excellent 4–0 win. The girls had clearly found their rhythm by this point and finished the tournament with some fantastic hockey.
The girls grew in confidence with every game, keeping possession well, working hard for each other and creating plenty of chances. They finished the tournament with a brilliant 4–0 win against Halifax!
🏆 Player of the Tournament – Izzy
Izzy was outstanding throughout the tournament, solid in the centre, seemingly everywhere she needed to be and always ready to push the team on when needed. She also showed real determination after taking a direct hit to the wrist in the third game before carrying on.
Maci was brilliant covering the D, working tirelessly and always coming back to support the team when needed. Her hat-trick in the final game was a fantastic reward for her efforts. Hattie was fearless throughout, battling hard against some much larger opponents and never backing down from a challenge. Georgia played just about every position on the pitch and looked completely at home wherever she was asked to play. Martha grew in confidence with every game, with her speed quickly becoming a real asset for the team. Maia and Scarlett gelled together instantly and quickly became a solid defensive wall for Slaz. And Tilly deserves a huge mention for putting on the goalkeeper’s pads for the very first time. She looked like she’d been doing it for years, making some fantastic saves throughout all six games.
A brilliant first tournament as a team, with so much to be proud of. 💚🏑The girls grew in confidence with every game, worked hard for each other and showed some really promising hockey throughout the day. Huge thanks to Kirsty and Moog for coaching and umpiring, and James for the match report! 👏
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