![]() WOMENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 07/12/2024 VS HARLESTON MAGPIES LD (H)
TEAM: Womens Development XI
DATE: 07/12/2024
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI VS 07/12/2024
HEADLINE: Hockey in Storm Darragh!
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED
VENUE: Taverham
RESULT: Lost 4-2
REPORT:
Despite blowy winds and driving rain during the game, the girls seemed keen to be playing and were unlucky not to draw this game. Magpies started strong while we were still finding our feet with positions and formation and scored 2 goals in the first quarter. With lots of young players who are used to playing 7 a side, they learnt well during this game about where they should be positionally and it was clear to see after the first quarter that everyone had a better idea of where to go.
At the back, Freya had her first game in the devs and grew in confidence throughout the game. In the second half she made some fantastic clearances with such power and confidence! It was great to see how much she progressed in just one game. Her centre back was Sadie who absolutely bossed the game (and was definitely my player of the match!). Having recently switched from playing up front, Sadie has really found her position at the back and shows such confidence and power. She closes down players at pace and wins the ball, distributing it with power to the wide midfield players. Mollie H also grew in confidence during the game and had a fantastic final quarter, tackling, dribbling and passing well down the right wing. Freya progressed well with her marking throughout the game and gained confidence to step towards players and make tackles further up the pitch.
Throughout the midfield we had some very young players in Lily-Grace, Mollie A, Georgie and Cressie - all who are U11/U12! With a little guidance they all worked out where they needed to be when we had the ball and who they were meant to mark when the oppo had the ball. Their confidence grew, with Mollie A diving around and tackling, making some great passes forwards, Georgie beating players with some lovely elimination skills and Cressie working hard in the middle to tackle and drive forwards with the ball.
I convinced Lily-Grace to have a spell up front on the right wing and I think we can say we found the right spot for her! She immediately showed a different level of confidence and was tackling, closing down, running down the line for passes and doing brilliantly. Florence as always was a danger down the wings with her fantastic work rate, fearlessness and speed. She drove the baseline and played the ball into the D and was also unlucky not to score. Captain for the day Emily was centre forward and showed once again how powerful her strikes can be, scoring 2 absolute stormers that flew into the goal at top speed, reverberating off the backboard! India showed lots of skill and thought down the wings, elimination players and making quick passes forward to Emily. She worked hard and also did well with her understanding of where she should be when we didn’t have the ball.
City were unlucky to concede 2 goals int he final quarter as the driving rain got worse, Magpie had some bigger, older and stronger players and our very young City side proved an excellent opposition. Fantastic work by all who played and thanks to the parents who supported in the wind and rain, cheering them on!
Joint player of the match: Sadie and Emily
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![]() WOMENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 30/11/2024 VS DEREHAM LD (A)
TEAM: Womens Development XI
DATE: 30/11/2024
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI VS 30/11/2024
HEADLINE: Christmas hockey
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED
VENUE: Dereham HC
RESULT: lost 4-1
REPORT:
With the countdown to Christmas underway, Norwich City Girls Devs headed to Dereham in the Bleak Mid Winter for the late pushback.
From the start, both teams were as busy as the elves on the night before Christmas with both sides pushing forwards. Captain Flo was as ever leading by example down the left and proved a constant threat pushing forwards and put a great cross in for Annabelle who was in the perfect position and unlucky not to score.
At the other end, our defence were brilliant combining as a team with Sadie, Mollie A and Mollie H a strong presents 🎁 at the back, constantly thwarting Dereham attacks. And Sienna in goal pulled off remarkable save after remarkable save throughout.
With the score 2-0 at half time, the girls continued to work so so hard which was epitomised by our own Polar Express Annabelle who stopped a ball going out when everyone thought it was going off. Cressie, Amelia, Georgie and India in the middle must have covered more miles than the three wise men running up and down and City got their deserved goal when Tilly hit a Blitzen of a ball to Emily who Dereham had left Home Alone at the back post. Her first shot was well saved but on the rebound, Emily sent a cracker of a shot into the roof of the net, gifting City a goal back and sending 12 Young Womens a leaping.
All the girls worked tirelessly to the very end with Mollie A and Georgie combining really well on the left and showing incredible enthusiasm and determination. Sienna was a star 🌟 throughout and continued to pull off some incredible saves and was unlucky to concede towards the end.
Final score 4-1 to Dereham but a really great game and with our last game next week we weren’t quite Driving Home for Christmas after. The girls enjoyed the teas laid on, especially the Hot Chocolate and Dereham were hugely complimentary about how our team played.
Sienna - outstanding throughout and made some quite brilliant saves
Mollie H - excellent as ever in defence making some great tackles and blocks
Sadie - Deserved POTM and put in some really brave tackles and always in the right place
Mollie A - probably the smallest girl on the pitch but undoubtedly the most enthusiastic and was just amazing at the back with her tackles and passes
Georgie - ran her little legs off and her shoulder barge to win the ball off a girl twice her size was a real highlight. Had a great game
Tilly - mixed it with the strong Dereham midfield, some strong hits and gets the assist for Emily’s goal
Cressie - along with Amelia, covered the most distance in the game and was hugely influential
Amelia - didn’t stop running and showed her great understanding of the game by always being available for a pass
India - always positive driving forwards and constantly involved with our attacks showing good stick skills
Annabelle - what a great game from the Birthday girl. Incredible speed and skill and unlucky not to get a very deserved goal
Flo - captain fantastic. With Emily, had Dereham shaking in their boots every time she had the ball and left them trailing in her wake
Emily - really strong game leading the attack and scored easily the best goal of the game with a wonderful finish
Thank you to all the parents who cheered the girls on which was a huge encouragement for them and you made sure it wasn’t a Silent Night!!
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![]() WOMENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 16/11/2024 VS NORWICH DRAGONS LD (A)
TEAM: Womens Development XI
DATE: 16/11/2024
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI VS 16/11/2024
HEADLINE: Tough Dragons
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED
VENUE: Dragon’s Den
RESULT: 5-2 loss
REPORT:
Norwich Dragons Devs 5 - 2 Norwich City Devs
On a chilly autumn morning, City looked to build on a strong performance against Pelicans last week. We started with a spring in our step with Cressie battling hard in the middle and our back line of Sadie, Freya and Ruby Taylor standing firm like a line of autumnal oak trees.
Dragons were having to work hard and Sienna pulled off a number of cracking saves when Dragons got in our D.
Dragons went one up but this didn’t deter City and a quick break forwards started from Sadie at the back lead to Emily in acres of space and she rocketed the ball into the goal to make it 1-1.
City continued to work hard with Amelia, Rose and Cressie squirrelling away in the middle and Flo and Chloe on the wings constantly driving forwards and City were unlucky not to score on a few occasions with Dragons having last ditch blocks on the line with Emily and Flo unlucky not score.
The second half started and was soon very end to end with both teams working harder than a squirrel collecting its acorns for the winter which led to chances at both ends. The best move of the match saw a great transition from the left with Flo and Amelia switching via Tilly to Rose who fed Chloe, playing her first 11 a side match, who put a great cross in and we were unlucky not to score.
Dragons looked to use their fast wingers with Ruby Taylor also playing her first 11 a side match making some outstanding tackles and blocks and helping us push forwards. Three quick goals from Dragons put them ahead which wasn’t a reflection of the game or the way our defence worked exceptionally well together. The girls never once let their heads drop and encouraged each other throughout playing some great hockey.
We continued to push forwards with Cressie and Tilly taking control of the middle. Emily had an incredible shot that hit the post and some brilliant play from Sadie and Amelia led to a great pass to Tilly who got our second goal slotting it past the Dragons goalie.
Final score 5-2 with Dragons getting the win(ter)!!
Well done to Chloe and Ruby Taylor playing their first 11 a side games. Both grew in confidence more and more as the game went on and were key players.
Two great goals from Captain Emily and Tilly and all the girls played so so well as a team constantly supporting and encouraging each other.
Thank you to Rose for coming to help us out and thank you for all the parents who were cheering from the side and encouraging the girls from start to finish.
POTM voted by the Dragons - Tilly
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Emily Dye,Emily Dye
Sadie Barnwell