Results

LADIES 5TH XI - 06/01/2018 VS REEPHAM 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 5th XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens 5th XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE:  
LEAGUE: NORFOLK LEAGUE DIVISION 1 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: Norwich City 3- 3 Reepham Draw 
 
REPORT:It was a cold and wet January morning and the 5's knew they were in for a tough first game of 2018 against Reepham. Five minutes into the game Reepham stunned the defence with a great strike from the top of the D, the 5's were 0-1 down!! It was clear the Xmas hangover hadn't cleared and maybe that extra slice of Xmas pudding and glass (bottle) of wine wasn't such a good idea. Luckily the cold winter morning cleared our heads and it wasn't long before we were back on form. Fantastic work from the midfield led to lots of pressure on the Reepham defence, Lucy McNarry repeatedly causing trouble for them on the right wing. It wasn't long before a well worked piece of running from Lucy McNarry and a great ball across goal was calmly slotted home by Fran Cooke for an amazing first goal. Back in it 1-1!! City's confidence grew and with wave after wave of attacking play from both sides of the field, it looked like City were rewarded when another goal was put away by Fran Cooke but it wasn't to be, Carol McNarry's charm hadn't worked on the umpire just yet and the goal was disallowed. It was end to end action with City's defence standing strong against some very skilful Reepham players. City continued with some fantastic attacking play and Lucy McNarry, with a great run, broke through the Reepham defence and put the 5's ahead 2-1. A tough first half!!  
The 5s were feeling positive going into the second half and within a few minutes, great teamwork was rewarded with a fantastic goal from Sharon Phillips. It seemed like City had the upper hand and a win was in the bag.  
Reepham however had other plans and continued with fast breaks on both wings, City seemed to tire and after another Reepham break they were awarded a short corner. The defence were unlucky not to clear the ball and suddenly Reepham were back in the game 3-2. Reepham were inspired by the goal and pressed hard, a scrap at the front of the goal resulted in another quick goal for Reepham, 3-3!! City were left wondering what had happened. The final 10 minutes saw chances at each end, with Citys best opportunity for the win a well worked short corner between Bev Cushion and Sharon Phillips, Bev Cushion was unlucky not to score with the ball flying past the post. Reepham weren't quite finished either and it was only thanks to a brilliant goal line clearance from Jess Taylor-Balls that City earned the point. A challenging first game that could easily have gone either way.  
Well done to Lucy McNarry the well deserved POTM . 
 
Match report kindly provided by Allison McLellan 

LADIES 6TH XI - 06/01/2018 VS LOWESTOFT RAILWAY 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 6th XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens 6th XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: City 6s draw against top table Lowestoft Railway 2s 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK LEAGUE DIVISION 2 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Lowestoft 
RESULT: 2-2 
 
REPORT:A skilled and youthful top-table Lowestoft Railway dominated the early stages of the game from push back – pressing high and keeping the ball in City’s defensive D. An embattled City found themselves frequently cornered in their D with their hard-working defensive unit keeping the ball out of the net. Eventually, the pressure proved too much and Lowestoft scored about 20 minutes into the game.  
The goal jolted the freezing City team battling against the icy rain into action. Despite the goal, they dug deep and soon realised that while Lowestoft were playing well, they were still beatable by working as a team. Heads went up and City found their confidence and skills and began to move the ball up the pitch more.  
City won a couple of short corners and one was converted skilfully with a slip by Jess Ball to Abigail Flatt was crossed to Julia Marchant who netted it. One all and the large City squad had found their best game. 
With equal possession by both teams, Lowestoft unfortunately converted another goal just before half time and the game went into the break with the home team leading 2-1. 
With the rain beating hard City were determined not to let any more goals in and their defence team worked hard as a unit. Player of the match Sophie Briggs made some fantastic tackles and outletted the ball neatly – despite having sustained a dreadful hand injury in the home leg match against Lowestoft before Christmas.  
City upped their game yet further defending and attacking well. The ball moved end to end then with just a couple of minutes of play left City won a short corner which was powered in brilliantly by Josine van den Berg who found the right-hand corner of the net. Josine’s excellent goal saved the day and won City a point against the top table team. Player of the match votes were scattered across the squad showing what a great team effort it had been with Sophie topping the list with her impressive performance. Final result 2.2 
 
 

LADIES DEVELOPMENT XI A - 06/01/2018 VS PELICANS (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens Development XI A 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI A VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Harsh defeat, but encouraging performance! 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: Norwich City 1-2 Pelicans 
 
REPORT: 
 
The first Dev’s match of 2018 was played on this incredibly chilly January afternoon at Taverham. After dominating possession and creating chances by the bucket-load, the Norwich girls were stunned by a much more experienced Pelicans side who scored a last-minute winner to take the three points back to King’s Lynn. Occasionally, we all play in a match where we wonder ‘How did we possibly lose today?’ Despite today being that day, these girls can take a lot of positivity into next week’s clash with Dragons after playing some wonderful hockey throughout. 
 
City were on the front foot from the very beginning with player of the match Amelia marauding relentlessly down the right flank, combining beautifully with Tilly and Katie to create a multitude of chances which were saved, blocked on the line by the Pelicans adult player, who was effectively reduced to playing a sweeper/keeper role to keep her team in the game, or put unluckily the wrong side of the Pelly’s post. When Pelicans did break out of their own quarter, Obie and Millie were on hand to intercept and recycle the ball back to the Norwich attackers. The City defence, playing a high line, easily mopped up anything that sneaked through the midfield and on the freezing touchline, the spectators were waiting for the inevitable goal to come. Towards the end of the half, a goal was indeed scored, but entirely against the run of play. The Pelicans defender launched a long ball that cut out the entire City team and was finally caught by the Pelly’s attacker just outside the D. Despite a fantastic initial save from Sophia, Pelicans pounced on the rebound and finished the half with an unfeasible lead. 
 
Half Time: Norwich City 0-1 Pelicans 
 
With their confidence visibly boosted by the late first-half goal, Pelicans piled forward in the second half looking to extend their lead. City soaked up the pressure comfortably and launched incisive counter-attacks which almost caught the Pelicans defenders napping on several occasions. As the half wore on, Norwich began to exert more control over the midfield and finally the breakthrough came, Katie finishing marvellously from another excellent run by Amelia. The exciting finale now set-up, the Norwich girls sensed that victory was within their grasp and stepped up another gear. Chance after chance, which would have ended with goals on any other day, were heroically defended by Pelicans and just when it looked as though City might snatch a victory, another long ball was chased down by five Pelicans and after some hockey pinball in the City D, the ball cruelly rolled into the goal to give Pelicans the most unlikely victory. 
 
Full Time: Norwich City 1-2 Pelicans 
 
 

LADIES DEVELOPMENT XI B - 06/01/2018 VS WATTON (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens Development XI B 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI B VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Business as usual for exceptional City Girls 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: Norwich City 9-0 Watton 
 
REPORT: 
The first Dev’s match of 2018 was played on this incredibly chilly January afternoon at Taverham. In a game that was played almost exclusively in the Watton half of the field, the Norwich girls put on a scintillating display of hockey in one of their finest performances of the season so far. Debutant Evie Hood at only ten years old, deservedly became the youngest City Dev to be named player of the match in over two years. 
 
It didn’t take long for the first goal to nestle in the Watton net. Receiving the ball just inside the D, Niamh looked momentarily up at the on-rushing defender before lifting the ball with incredible precision and superb technique over both defender and goalkeeper into the very top corner of the goal. Shortly afterwards, Niamh’s mazy run and cross was splendidly finished by Lucy to make the score 2-0 at the end of the first quarter. 
 
The second quarter was more of the same from the yellow and green hockey machine, Tilly almost snapped the back-board with her trademark thunderbolt from a short corner before Freya fired a magnificent shot into the bottom right of the Watton goal. 
 
Half-Time: Norwich City 4-0 Watton 
 
The second half began with a re-shuffle of the Norwich players, but rather than having the desired effect of making the game more of a contest, the utterly relentless City girls took to their unfamiliar positions like collective ducks to water. Evie Hood playing at centre forward played Freya through to bag her brace before turning a Watton defender and passing to Evie T for City’s sixth. A pinpoint cross from Niamh was controlled and slotted in by Evie T before Evie T returned the earlier favour by beating a Watton defender and threading the ball to Evie H who scored in quite some style. 
 
The fourth quarter was memorable for the spectacle of the Norwich defenders playing their own game of keep-ball, recycling from one flank to the other in preparation for tougher tests to come. The final goal of the game sealed Evie T’s hat-trick as she shimmied to the right before sweeping to the left and hitting a powerful reverse sweep millimetres inside the Watton post. 
 
Full-Time: Norwich City 9-0 Watton 
 
 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 06/01/2018 VS BOURNE DEEPING (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Norwich City demonstrate passing prowess 
LEAGUE: EAST PREMIER DIVISION B 
VENUE: Bourne Deeping HC 
RESULT: 4-3 
 
REPORT: 
 
Norwich City restarted their league campaign with the long trip west to Bourne Deeping. Norwich started the match with good possession often playing the ball out from defence, a tactical change from coach Phil Skinner which was put into good practice by the City defence. Perhaps he is following Pep Guardiola’s philosophy? Having created a number of short corners, which were kept out, Bourne eventually got one of their own. They dragflicked to the top corner, but post man Louis Preston was at hand to expertly swat away as seems to be routine for him. Eventually Norwich managed to convert one of their own towards the end of the first half when a slip right to Tom Cooke enabled him to place a low, hard slap to the bottom left corner with the keeper rooted to the spot. Half time came at 1-0 Norwich City. 
 
The second half quickly became a much more end to end and open affair when Bourne Deeping started to press higher up the pitch making it difficult for Norwich to play out of the back. Their pressure paid off as they levelled the match at 1-1 not long after half time. However, this did not deter Norwich from their game. Still playing the ball out from the back, with the odd aerial mixed in to keep the opposition honest, City were still creating chances and managed to go 2-1 up when Dave Skinner produced a diving finish, with the keeper stranded, to round off a counter attacking move. Shortly after the lead was extending when City put together a good passing move which culminated in a beautiful final ball (something which was perhaps just eluding Norwich previously) from Gabriel Marchant, sweeping the ball from the 23 to far post where an unmarked Luke Corden awaited to deflect the ball home. To their credit, Bourne Deeping started to push hard to get back into the game and moments later had the ball in the goal to claw one back. By this point the game was very stretched and perhaps the slight decrease in fitness after the Christmas period was starting to show. However, Norwich showed good character and manged to convert a short corner to restore their two goal cushion; Stuart Wardle showing excellent technique to deflect the ball into the net, having been delivered from Tom Cooke. Again Bourne Deeping pushed a lot of men forward managing to get another back before full time, but it proved a mere consolation as Norwich City saw the game out for a win. No better way to restart the league campaign after Christmas than a well-deserved tree points. Roll on next weekend, where we have two home league matches against Wisbech on Saturday and Cambridge City 2 on Sunday. 
 

MENS 2ND XI - 06/01/2018 VS ST IVES (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 2nd XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 2nd XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Norwich City 2s edge St Ives in a hard fought match 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 1-0 
 
REPORT: 
With little time between the Christmas holidays and the start of the second half of the season, both City and St Ives showed signs of rustiness after pushback on a cold crisp afternoon at Taverham. A scrappy start resulted in an exchange of short corners for both teams with St Ives coming close with a drag flick that just went wide of Norwich’s left upright.  
 
The first big moment of the game came when a St Ives short corner was played out on the angle. The resultant shot from an acute angle came off a City players stick hitting Crichton in the face guard. Whilst St Ives claimed a penalty flick, the umpires judged it to be going wide, and another short corner was given. City made the most of this, and after the subsequent short corner was well defended, Scott started off a slick City passing move from one end of the pitch to the other. The move finished with Cox slotting a pass through to Elliot inside the St Ives ‘D’ and Elliot scoring with a deft touch to lift the ball over the St Ives keeper for a quality team goal.  
 
The rest of the half was hard fought with half chances for both sides. In particular some good saves were made by Millett, including a diving save from a drag flick after a St Ives short corner, which ensured City held on to the lead at half-time.  
 
After the restart City created a number of half-chances with some good work from the City trio in midfield of Fretwell, Plumb and Morgan. With the importance of the game not being lost on either side, both sides fought hard to score the next goal. The result for a St Ives midfielder was a yellow card for a poor challenge from behind on a City player. With St Ives down to 10 men, City looked to press home their numerical advantage, and came very close after an Elliot drag flick from a short corner hit the right hand upright, with the subsequent reverse stick follow up shot from Cheeseman being brilliantly saved by the St Ives keeper.  
 
City were next to lose players to the sin bin with Crichton and Cox both receiving green cards and Elliot receiving a yellow card for encroaching on a free hit. Whilst St Ives had the numerical advantage they were not able to create any significant chances as the game reached its final stages. However, St Ives almost snatched a draw at the death when a through ball almost reached a St Ives forward, this was until a last ditch lung by Ingham, which was enough to distract the St Ives attacker into missing the goal. City road out the last couple of minutes comfortably to take a hard fought and well deserved win, which cements their hold on second position in the league.  
 
 

MENS 3RD XI - 07/01/2018 VS SUDBURY 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 3rd XI 
DATE: 07/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 3rd XI VS 07/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Mens 3s back to top with classy away win! 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Great Conrad Sports Centre 
RESULT: 5-2 Win 
 
REPORT: 
Back to back away trips to IES and Sudbury looked a tough ordeal straight after christmas, and with City;s 3s suffering their first defeat of the season yesterday, they were determined to bounce back with a win against 10th placed Sudbury. A squad of 13 travelled down with Matthew Brine stepping up from the 4s to add some experience to the frontline.  
 
The game started a bit end to end but the defence of Clabon, Perry, Ling and A Sayer coped well with Sudbury's little threat going forward. City started to create some half chances but failed to really test the keeper before R Leonard fired in a PC drag flick, 1 began to 2 as Rees doubled his tally before City played some lovely passing hockey going from one side of the pitch to the other before Mark Fletcher fired a ball into the D for Matthew Brine to glance home at the near post. Sudbury did manage to score with their only effort in the first half as a deflected effort of skipper Lings stick wrong footed keeper Aisthorpe. HT 3-1 
 
After the break City began the half well keeping the ball well and making some excellent tackles, this continued until City added a fourth goal with some good play down the right hand side seeing the ball squared to Lloyd Sayer whose poor attempt hit the post, however before a PS was given for a foot on the line Matthew Brine was on hand to fire the ball home. The game however after this changed with it becoming very scrappy going end to end. Sudbury managed to score a second with a quickly taken free hit to release a Sudbury player down the right, whose shot was blocked but fell kindly to a Sudbury striker who tapped home, a second deflection goal. City however tackled and kept the ball well enough to seal out all three points and added a 5th goal in the final minute as Leonard completed his hattrick with another drag flick.  
 
POTM: Adam Sayer 
 

MENS 3RD XI - 06/01/2018 VS IES 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 3rd XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 3rd XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Mens 3s Suffer First Defeat 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Rushmere Sports Centre 
RESULT: 4-3 Loss 
 
REPORT: 
The Mens 3rd team suffered their first defeat of the season as they went down 4-3 away to 2nd placed Ipswich East Suffolk 2s. Travelling with a 14 man squad City were confident and nearly went ahead when Jack Luther had a 1 on 1 which was well saved by the IES keeper. The game was very open with chance going both ways, IES took the lead from a PC and doubled their lead with a breakaway goal. A third goal was scored just before half time for the home team with a very lucky deflection goal. HT 3-0 with City having a goal disallowed once again this seaosn WRONGLY! 
 
3-0 down at the break City had it all today and fought back excellently second half, Rees Leonard fired in two short corners to bring it back to 3-2 and City really should have levelled with Joe K having two 1 on 1s as well as Richard Silvester and Lloyd Sayer having shots just wide. IES then had the killer blow from another short corner, City's Leonard nodded home another goal to make it a interesting last 5 minutes but City couldn;t get that equalising goal that they deserved. Hard luck but a win tomorrow and we are back to the top! IES enjoy your short stay at the top! 
 
POTM: Tom Ling 
 

MENS 4TH XI - 06/01/2018 VS IES 3 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 4th XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 4th XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: IES SOS 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 2:3 
 
REPORT: The league resumed this week after the Xmas break and although Norwich City 4s started well, They found themselves playing the majority of the game with 10 men after Keeper Dim was sent off. IES scored first but against all odds City found themselves level just before the break when a free hit on the left wing was expertly driven across field by Brine to Dale who took it to the byline and pulled the ball to Hooper who crashed home from close quarters. There seemed to be no fear from the home team as they took the game to the away side on frequent drives forward only to be undone by a penalty corner switch inside the near post to restore IESs lead midway through the second half. Again City drove at the Ipswich midfield and were level once more when Kidner scored from a reverse strike past the hapless dive of the way keeper. As time ticked by and with unrelenting pressure, it seemed City would record an unbelievable result considering the circumstances, but a cruel twist of fate was around the corner with a couple of minutes left. A strong strike from the impressive Centre half from IES was parried by the home keeper only to fall straight to the same player, who drilled the rebound home to steal all 3 points. City MOM: David Fletcher  
 
 
L (0- 
 

MENS 7TH XI - 06/01/2018 VS DEREHAM 4 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 7th XI 
DATE: 06/01/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 7th XI VS 06/01/2018 
HEADLINE: Good start to the New Year 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 6 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE: DEREHAM HOCKEY CLUB 
RESULT: DEREHAM 4 0 NORWICH CITY 7 2 
 
REPORT: 
For the first game of the New Year City arrived at Dereham two hours prior to the start time. Fortunately, all members of the bare 11 plus Paul Ayers, our umpire, were able to stay for the changed start time. On the plus side we were able to have a thorough warm-up under the guidance of Simon Black. However, the chilly evening and intermittent rain made it difficult to keep hands warm which affected one or two players. 
City started brightly, playing some slick passing hockey and restricting Dereham to sporadic attacks to the extent that keeper Dave King did not touch the ball in the first half. For all their endeavours City only managed a single goal in the first half though it should have been more. It was debutant and man of the match Jonty Black who opened the scoring moving left to right across the circle and unleashing a powerful reverse stick shot to beat the keeper. 
After the break Dereham became more of an attacking force, with the City defence having a little more to do and Dave King having a few touches, but they were unable to prevent Dave Keeping a clean sheet. City finally added a second with a move down the right. The ball was threaded through to Alex Tomkinson running in behind the defence who crossed to Lee Allsop, Lee’s shot towards the far post was touched in by Keinan Barber. A good performance from City’s 11 who were pleased to find the warmth of the clubhouse after the game.