Slazenger Hockey Club

Mens Development

Report: 01-10-2011 – Mens 4th’s (1) vs (2) Doncaster Dev.

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Slazenger 4’s gave a decent team performance against a good Doncaster side. In baking hot conditions. Slazenger held their own in the early part of the game, keeping possession quite well and trying to use the full width of the pitch without really troubling the opposition goalkeeper despite Matthew Smith working tirelessly up front.

Doncaster came back into the game more as the first half wore on they were able to keep their shape whilst Slazengers lost their way a little with the constant substitutions that were required on such a hot day. 0-0 at half time.

Doncaster started the second half much brighter and applied lots of pressure keeping the away team in their half for long periods of time. The first goal came about by a mishap in the Slazenger goal area and the opposition took advantage.

Slazengers started to rally after going behind and grimly tried to find a way back into the game. With the pace of the game slowing due to the conditions Robert Cann got hold of a neat through pass and put the visitors level. This parity was short lived as the home side went straight up the other end and scored what proved to be the winner.

Final score 2-1 to the home side.

Report: 24-09-2011 – Mens 4th’s Dev. (2) vs (0) City of York 10

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Slazenger 4ths started their league programme sluggishly and were somewhat wasteful in possession, giving the ball away too often to build up any meaningful attacks. There was the odd isolated movement in the oppositions penalty area but Slazenger’s failed to have a meaningful strike on goal. Keeper Giles Field kept the side in the game with a handful of decent saves and Paul Johnson looked composed at the heart of defence in partnership with Matthew Feather.

In the second hald Slazenger’s woke up and started to build some progressive attacking movements with Tom Pitchforth and Rowan Tejura linking well in the centre of midfield. The first goal was a good example of possession hockey and players making intelligent moves into space as the ball was moved forward.Alex Calderley was on hand to slot the ball low into the right hand bottom corner after being put through with a telling pass.

The second goal, which won the game for the home side, was coolly finished after the ball had been passed with great accuracy to Rowan Tejura in lots of space at the far post.

Slazengers 4ths next game is away at Doncaster and is a 10.30am pushback.

Report: 17-09-2011 – Mens 4th’s Dev. (2) vs (2) Bradford Dev.

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Slazenger 4’s Development team played a spirited game against their Bradford opponents for their first fixture of the new season. Retaining possession well and working hard to regain possession when defending, the team carved out several good opportunities to score. Unfortinately, failure to convert was punished when they conceeded 2 quick goals.

However, Aidan Hopkinson helped calm the away teams nerves by pulling a goal back within a couple of minutes of the half-time whistle.

The second half began as brightly as the first for Slazenger’s with flowing hockey and working hard to retain possession. The team were also showing more composure on the ball. But still the team couldn’t score an equaliser as the weather deteriorated. The rain grew so heavy that play was suspended for 5 minutes to allow the water to drain away.

Upon the restart the away team were the more progressive and after some good passing hockey Tim Hunter converted a great chance created by Peter Gunning at the back post.

Final score 2-2. Slazengers 4ths next game is against York development team pushback is at 15.00.

Report: 02-04-2011 – Mens 4th’s (5) vs. (1) Barnsley 2nd’s

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Slazenger’s Development team finished off the season in style with an impressive performance against local rivals Barnsley.

Playing flowing hockey from the start, they quickly went on the offensive and created several goalscoring opportunities, through good link up play in midfield, with captain of the day Luke Gueli, orchestrating several penetrating attacks. Barnsley had their keeper to thank, for ensuring the game remained scoreless in the early minutes.

However, all this pressure did eventually pay off when Peter Gunning seized on a deflected shot within the goal mouth and gratefully put the ball in the net.

Once in front Slazenger’s never looked back and continued to score at regular intervals during the game. Next on the score sheet was Isaac Fisher who again converted after an initial save from the barnsley keeper. Left winger Alex Calderley capped a fine performance on the wing with the third goal just before half-time.

After the interval, Slazenger’s were momentarily caught off guard by a breakaway goal, defender Rowan Tejura deflecting a well hit shot on goal, away from the reach of Slazenger keeper Ralph Toon.

Other than this one aberration the Slaz defence, also consisting of Danny Croxall and Dave Smyth, coped effectively with every other Barnsley attack.

Slazenger’s quickly got back on track when Paul Corney swept the ball into an open goal from the top of the goal mouth following great forward play from man of the match Robert Cann. Slaz continued to press for further goals applying lots of pressure down the right flank with Ian Hedges working tirelessly, and despite winning several penalty corners it needed another simple tap in at the far post from Peter Gunning again to make the final score 5-1 to the visitors.

Te result means Slazenger finishes 3rd in the development league in their debut season.

Report: 19-03-2011 – Mens 4th’s – Dev. (3) vs (3) Bradford Dev

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Slazengers started brightly playing away against a youthful Bradford development side. All the team played with confidence and were looking to pass the ball early and making good use of the wings.

Captain Tim Hunter continually linked up well with Matthew Feather on the wing and helped create a couple of goal scoring opportunities that weren’t converted.

Rowan Tejura and Luke Gueli were controlling the midfield and Bradford could only manage sporadic attacks into the opposition half.

The pressure eventually paid off when Tom Pitchforth broke in from the left hand side and rolled the ball, disappointingly for the home team, through the keeper’s legs for the first goal. Half-time score was 1-0 to Slazengers.

The second half started in a more disjointed fashion with neither side really creating much quality possession and it was Bradford who levelled slightly against the run of play with a well taken short corner that just evaded keeper Ralph Toon’s right boot.

Slaz responded quickly with veteran Dave Smyth netting a brace of goals, in quick succession, simply by being at the far post and his team mates finding him with time and space to convert both chances.

This galvanised the home team who then started to press and have more of the possession. Quick thinking and by moving the ball briskly around the pitch ensured the Slazengers defence was out of position, to allow the home team a couple of golden opportunities to score, which they gratefully accepted.

A good natured, competitive game ended 3-3. Slazengers development team’s next fixture is at home against Bradford.

From Andy Fisher
Match played at Bradford Hockey Club on Saturday 19th March 2011