Slazenger Hockey Club

News

Report: 18-03-2012 – Boys U12′s Tournament

by

A great last tournament for the U12 boys in Leeds this last Sunday 18th March. A larger than normal squad took to the last tournament with gusto.

Slazenger (3) vs. (0) Huddersfield Dragons
Playing Huddersfield Dragons first the boys had too much for them in all departments. Kian was first in goals with a small shuffle around as Harry Gunning called in sick at the last moment. Ryan dominated midfield as usual and played the ball through to Matthew Chilton with Matthew worked well up front and slotting away 2 easy goals. Danny Alderson made a surprise substitution on left wing and topped that off with a late goal to put three past the Dragons.

Slazenger (0) vs. (1) Chapeltown
Slaz dominated all phases against Chapeltown but couldn’t capitalise on all the possession we had.  Caught high up the pitch in possession Chapeltown drove towards Kian in net and rounded him even though he was in a good position. Impressive work from Tom Atkinson and Matthew could get a goal back and Chapeltown came out as eventual winners.

Slazenger (0) vs. (0) York 
With Danny back in net and Joe Dickinson helping to shore up defence with Jacob Dennison Slaz looked comfortable against the leagues best team York. A classic hockey match with good competitive play showed both teams at their best. Danny made some fine diving saves snuffing out any chance of a goal for York but Josh Coe couldn’t break the York defence with Matthew either. A satisfying draw against some great opposition.

Slazenger (1) vs. (0) Sheffield 
Knowing we could compete at that level encouraged the boys on and Joe Dickinson up to left wing enabled him to provide a sweet solid pass across goal for Matthew to push past Sheffield. Solid defence work from Chris Gascoinge always turned defence into attack for us and we finished deserved winners.

Slazenger (1) vs. (0) Ben Rhydding 
The final game against Ben Rhydding had the boys fired up and the solid team work from everyone up front saw an early goal against much feared opposion. Swift triangular passes had the Ben Ryhdding defence chasing shadows whilst Josh Coe bagged another goal for this season at near post. Solid defending and discipline during corners and sideline balls kept our lead with no panic or worries. A deserved win from a strong Slaz side.
 
With three wins, a draw and a loss that should move Slaz up to the B league next year. Special thanks to parents who attend in numbers and Danny Croxall for umpiring come hail, rain or shine. (And we have had all three)

Report: 11-03-2012 – Boys U10’s Tournament

by

Sunshine, Smiles, Sticks and Goals were the order of the day for the last tournament of the season with Slazengers fielding almost a full compliment of all thier U10 boys with just Will Fealy having to pull out due to illness at the last minute.

Unfortunatley I do not have a match report for the B team that we put out on the day but having watched the games its all looking good for next season!. Many thanks to Mike Gunning for looking after the boys on that team and it was great to see that EVERYONE got plenty of hockey!

Slazengers (3) vs. (0) Wakefield

James Hayton starting in Goals for this one and with Josh and Harry in defence ensured a strong back line. Slazengers started fairly slowly due to the long period off since the last tournament but soon got thier act together with Owen capitalising on some confusion by Wakefield’s midfield players and Defence slotting in our first goal.

Good teamwork by Owen, Lucas allowed Niran to slot in our Second. The Wakefield goalie saved numerous chances but by now our restless denfenders also got into attack and a neat pass from Owen to Harry allowed Harry to hammer in goal numer three! Final Score 3-0

Slazengers (3) vs. (0) Huddersfield Dragons

A changed formation saw 5 minutes of scrappy play as the Boys got used to thier new positions and this then saw Lucas score from some good team play from our midfielders. The game was dominated by Slazengers but we were unable to get through some great defence play from Dragon’s midfield until Niran awoke thier goalie by a well worked second Goal and the attacking play continued with a driving goal by Harry in the dying seconds.

Slazengers (0) vs. (0) Halifax

Having watched Halifax win all thier previous games by a bucket full of goals; Salzengers worked on a more defensive approach by putting Harry in goals and James back into defence.

Halifax opened the game strongly testing Slazengers defence but great play at the back by James, Josh and Owen now playing further back avoided them scoring. Slazengers in turn made a few attacking runs into the Halifax defence led by Will G and Lucas on the wings but were unable to score. In the last minute Slazenger lost Owen through injury; who up till then had played a Captains game by leading from the front and rallying his team against a strong Halifax outfit. The boys bravly fought on till the end with a man down and the game finished with a goal.

We finished second on goal difference and move up for the start of next season (back to where we started this season!)

This was our last game for this season and I would like thank all the boys and parents for their support throughout this season watching some exceptional hockey and a team that really looks good for the future has we have at least a couple of seasons with them to grow!

Newsletter No 6 – March 2012 – OUT NOW

by

THIS MONTH – SUMMER SOLSTICE 2012, AWARDS DINNER 2012, SPORTS CLUB INFO, AND REGULAR SECTION’S UPDATE. This should have been delivered straight to your inbox for your reading pleasure. If it has not, keep up to date by filling in the “SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER” form on the right

February Icon Hi,
The season is now coming to a close, with everyone having only a few games left to play. But that means time for the End of Season Celebrations! Senior and Junior details are below….

Newsletter No 6 – March 2012

Senior Awards Dinner

As you hopefully know by now – the Senior Awards Dinner is booked for Saturday 12th May 2012. It’s in a new venue this year – the Holiday Inn, just off the M1 at Junction 40 (Ossett). As usual tickets are only available in advance. Adults £25, Students/U18’s £20 which includes meal (There will also be 20% off bar prices). They are available from Mat, Hayles, or behind the bar in the clubhouse. It is open to anyone who has played senior hockey this year.

For those wanting to stay over, we have a discount rate of £55 for a double room, £45 for a single.

With some teams having few/one home game left, please try and get your tickets this weekend, or Mat will be calling you (and nobody wants that!).

 

Junior Presentation, BBQ & Parents v Kids

To end the junior calender, there will be the usual end of season shenanigans!

The junior presentation day will be held on Sunday 20th May, starting with the Parents vs. Kids tournament from 10am-noon, with BBQ and presentation afterwards. All juniors, parents, coaches, etc are all welcome to attend.

Tickets are £2.50 for kids and £5.00 for parents (includes BBQ). They will be available at Sunday training, or alternatively some will be behind the bar in the clubhouse to pick up at other times.

Tickets need to be bought before the event so numbers are known for catering

 

Other News

The Last Hurrah!

On April the 29th, there is an extra special event; a clash of the titans! For one game only, the Slazenger Men’s “old boys” 1st team (from 1985 ish) will be taking on an “old boys” team from Adel Hockey Club (now part of L.A.Carnegie).

Chances are this is the last time the team will play together so all spectators are welcome! Push back is 3pm

U14 Play Offs

The Slaz boys U14’s finished 2nd in the league, so qualify for the Yorkshire Play Offs, to decide the best team in the region (obviously us!). The games will be held on Sunday 29th April from 2pm – 6:30pm at Halifax Hockey Club and the team is looking for plenty of vocal support to help them bring back the silverware.

Mixed Captain

This year, the Yorkshire Mixed Hockey League has been dropped in favour of some ad-hoc mixed tournaments. However, in anticipation of a more regular schedule, the club is looking for a senior mixed captain. If you are interested, please speak to a committee member – voting will be held at the AGM.

Important Junior Information

Last Junior Monday Night Training: 26th March 2012, Last Junior Sunday Training: 1st April 2012.

Please ensure you (junior players) have submitted all votes for this season’s presentation awards ASAP.

Club Committee Meeting

Another date for your diary is the next committee meeting, to be held on Tuesday 3rd March at 7.30pm in the clubhouse. All are welcome to attend.

Summer League

Nez (2nd team captain) will be entering a summer league team to the yearly competition at Wakefield Hockey Club. The team is open to any Ladies 2nd and 3rd players, and anyone interested should speak to Nez. The games are held at Wakefield Hockey Club, on a Thursday night.

Photos

Ian will shortly be putting together this years photobook/ yearbook. For those who don’t know – we use a print-on-demand company to print and deliver the books straight from the web. There is a copy of the books (2010-11 season & summer solstice) in the clubhouse back room.

If you have any photographs which you have taken from the past year, and want to submit them (or just get them online), then drop them in an email Clubhouse@slazengerhc.co.uk. If you have a lot of images, then speak to Ian Hedges to organise a more painless way to send them.

This year there will hopefully be an option to download it as an ebook for IPads/ IPhones from ITunes. There will also be a bulk order at some point after its finished (last year it saved 10-20% off the book price). For anyone who didn’t see it, last years book can be viewed here:

 

Slazenger Sports and Social Club Icon

Sports Club Info…

Slazenger Sports Club is currently in the process of renewing the trust deeds, which is the start of some changes over the next year.

As part of the trust, there are places for appointed members from the local community. If you know of any people interested in helping build links between the sport club, local council, schools, etc then drop an email through to info@slazengersportsclub.co.uk.

Tennis season will be starting soon, and details on court renting will be coming soon along with discounts for club members (inc. hockey club members) and juniors.

 

March in Review

Results Roundup

The season is now growing to a close, with few games left for every team. Three of our teams are still in the running for promotion, though it is all close at the top, so final positions will only be confirmed next month.

The mens firsts have racked up some impressive results, with 4 consecutive wins lifting the team to a secure 2nd place. However, a loss to top tier and promotion competitor Old Malton will put promotion hopes in the hands of the chasing teams. The seconds have secured a strong mid table position; after a run of tough fixtures, 2 back-to-back wins secured a safe mid-league position. The thirds have promotion in their sights. With 3 games left, the fight for 2nd (promotion) place is close and may only be decided by the final game! The fourth’s (development) have finished their fixtures. A series of stong performances in the last month has secured them a strong 3rd place finish.

The ladies firsts had a mixed month; 2 draws, 2 losses and 1 win over high flying Durham University 3rd’s. These results have strengthened their mid-table position on their first season in the north. The ladies seconds still sit in a strong 3rd place, though with a couple of results going against them, promotion may now be tougher. The thirds have booked another season in division 6 next season having already secured a mid-table position. A series of encounters towards the end of the season have proven tough, though the team have battled through to achieve a strong position with games still remaining.

The juniors have continued to have some great results; the boys U10’s finished the season on a high with promotion back to pitch B including 3-0 demolitions of both local rivals – Wakefield and Huddersfield Dragons! Boys U12’s have had similar success, also achieving promotion to pitch B with some very promising results. This success was also reflected with the Boys U14’s reaching the play-offs after finishing second place in the league.

On the girls side, a series of cancelled games have hampered playing. However, the Girls under 10’s have finished 2nd in the league with some impressive results. The Girls U16’s had a tough last tournament, unfortunately their efforts were not enough to secure a play-off position.

Reports Roundup

Mens 1st’s vs Chapeltown 2nd’s (win), Ben Rhydding 3rd’s (win),Thirsk 1st’s (win), Leeds 3rd’s (draw), Old Malton 1st’s (loss).

Mens 2nd’s vs Lincoln Roses 4th’s (draw), Doncaster 5th’s , Leeds 5th’s (win).

Mens 3rd’s vs Hull Uni 3rd’s (win), Garforth 1st’s (loss), Leeds 7th’s (win), Chapeltown 4th’s (win).

Mens 4th’s vs Rotherham 5th’s (win), Airedale 3rd’s (win), Airedale 3rd’s (win), Rotherham 5th’s (loss).

Ladies 1st’s vs Newcastle 1st’s (draw), Driffield 1st’s (draw), Durham Uni 3rd’s (win).

Ladies 2nd’s vs Harrogate 5th’s (win), Horsforth 1st’s (draw), Bingley Bees 2nd’s (win).

Ladies 3rd’s vs Pickering 1st’s (loss), City of York 4th’s (loss).

Juniors: Boys U14’s (04-03-2012), Boys U10’s (12-03-2012), Boys U12’s (18-03-2012), Girls U10’s (18-03-2012).

 

Finally…

If you have any comment, criticism, or stuff which needs getting online, let us know at Clubhouse@slazengerhc.co.uk.

If you have any video, old images, match reports or anything else, let us know using the above address.

Report: 10-03-2012 – Mens 1st’s (1) vs. (1) Leeds 3rd’s

by

This was Slaz’s biggest game of the season, and Slaz were ready for it.

Leeds are a well drilled side and with a win could have a good chance for promotion. Slaz got the toss and started with possession. They whizzed the ball round the pitch keeping it away from the Leeds press for 5 min, which was lovely to see compared to Slaz’s usual starting 10 min.

Slaz played good hockey for the first half and went one goal up through Richard Tuddenham. Good attacking play was seen from both sides , but slaz created the more chances in the first half. But at half time the score was 1 -0 to Slaz thanks to the good vision of the home umpires that disallowed a goal scored by Leeds off their foot.

Dan Perry had a good game keeping a threat down the right even for the fast Leeds defence.

In the second half Leeds took control off Slaz in Midfield and put the Slaz defence under a constant battering, and Slaz clung on thanks to man of the match James Walker who flew around like Harry Potter on his broom stick! Isaac Fisher and Matt Middleton had a good game on the left constantly harassing the Leeds attack.

Finally 8 min from time Leeds found the back of the net to equalise. Both teams continued to battle on for the win, but the game ended 1-1 which was a fair result for both side for the performances they put out.

Next week is another deal breaker at home against Old Malton at 13:30.

Report: 10-03-2012 – Mens 3rd’s (5) vs. (1) Leeds 7th’s

by

Slazenger 3’s went into the weekends match, anticipating a tough encounter and knowing that a win would be a boon to their promotion capaign; The previous (away) leg had resulted in a goalless draw.

Slaz started jittery though at pace; fielding their usual formation, with the addition of newcomer Dave Gascoigne, the team looked stable and in control. The horbury team attacked quickly, and put pressue on the Leeds back line. However, the curse of the 3rds continued, being unable to convert to a goal.

However, this time it was going to be different; a well worked move from the Slaz midfield set up Andy Birkett; flicking the ball towards the keeper, to be plucked out of the air and into the net by Steve “sea-sick” Johnson. After conferring by the umpires, the goal was awarded; putting Slaz ahead. Leeds were a well drilled side, and broke fast when given the opportunity. The team took advantage of this, unfortunately beating keeper Ralph Toon; who otherwise had pulled off some impressive save.

The second half was much more one-sided. The home site consolidated; and reduced the frantic speed at which they had beeplaying. The ball flowed better and attacking play improved. Slaz piled on the pressure; passing more, and making better use of a strong midfield, scoring a further 4 goals to put the game beyond doubt. The second came from a well timed aerial ball, picked out of the air by Andy “Roo” Birkett.

Johnson wrapped up a further 3 goals; a tap-in past the keeper, a finish (or is that poached?) from a shot by Ian Hedges and from a top of the “D” shot by Ste Roberts.

Honourable mention should go to left-half Dave Gascoigne, who put in an impressive performance for his first outing with the 3rd team.

With 2nd place Brigg loosing at the weekend, Slaz now sit in 3rd place; 2 games in hand, 5 points adrift with 4 games of the season remaining. Promotion is now in the teams’ hands.