Results

WOMENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 22/03/2025 VS DEREHAM LD (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens Development XI 
DATE: 22/03/2025 
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI VS 22/03/2025 
HEADLINE: Fine form! 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Dereham HC 
RESULT: Win!!! 
 
REPORT:  
Dereham Dev’s 2-3 Norwich City Dev’s 
 
With City keen to build on good recent results, we travelled to Dereham for a late 5pm pushback against a side who have been unbeaten so far this season.  
 
City were up for it from the whistle, Beattie and Otilie quickly taking control of the midfield and Lucy working hard in attack and defence. Dereham were equally up for the battle and looked to attack down the right with Sienna busy at the back making some fine saves which was super impressive after dashing to Dereham from Taverham having played in goal for the Boys Devs team too.  
 
City’s attack continued to threaten with India and Lucy pushing forward before a cross to Annabelle from Mollie H found her in space and she showed great composure to score and give City a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, Beattie took the ball on half way and drove forward with Dereham defenders trailing in her wake. With no one able to get a tackle in, Beattie drove into the D and scored to put City 2-0 up and send the supporters wild.  
 
This spurred Dereham into life and they quickly responded with their centre forward sneaking behind our defence and getting the thinnest of touches on a ball into the D to make it 2-1. Dereham were strong down their right and the game was soon level after a drive down their right and a cross making it 2-2 at halftime.  
 
The girls were nothing but encouraging and supportive to each other at half time and the second half started with City starting to use the width of the pitch more. Mollie A, Ottilie and Cressie were outstanding in the midfield and Beattie made a number of great number of runs down the right against a physical Dereham defence which she had the better of. A number of great crosses went into the D from Flo, Beattie and Megan with shots going narrowly wide.  
 
Both teams had a number of chances with Sienna making some amazing saves and blocks and City pushing forwards to try and take a deserved lead.  
 
In the final quarter, Megan took the ball on the 25, attacked the D and fired a rocket of a shot into the bottom corner to put City 3-2 up. Dereham were clearly stung and looked to try and equalise but this only emphasised the strength of City’s defence with Sadie, Mollie H, Tilly and Captain Fantastic Freya making a number of great tackles and interceptions and always being in the right place at the right time keeping a cool head.  
 
With City again on the attack, the final whistle blew giving City a deserved 3-2 win which was great reward for an all round brilliant team performance with everyone supporting each other.  
 
Thank you to all the girls for their huge effort and it was so good hearing their support and encouragement to their teammates when they were having time off.  
 
And a massive thank you to all the parents for cheering the girls on, it made a huge difference.  
 
Great turn out for teas afterwards with the girls chatting about the game and enjoying the hospitality of Dereham who laid on some delicious food.  
 
POTM team votes: 
 
Beattie (4) 
Annabelle (4) 
Tilly (4) 
Megan (1) 
Ottilie (1) 
 
Dereham vote for POTM - Sienna  
 
And in the words of Mollie H - “girls, we have only just gone and beat Dereham!!” 
 
🏑🟢🟡❤️🏑🟢🟡❤️🏑🟢🟡❤️ 

MENS 1ST XI - 23/03/2025 VS ST ALBANS 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 23/03/2025 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 23/03/2025 
HEADLINE: 3rd Vs 4th battle goes down to the final play 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Oakland's College 
RESULT: 3-2 win 
 
REPORT: Final away day of the season. 3rd Vs 4th. A win for Norwich would confirm at least a 3rd place finish. Heavy rain scheduled throughout. It was due to be a corker. Norwich pushed back and about 10 seconds later they had lost the ball and were defending a long corner. This lead to nothing but was a warning they'd have to be at the best to overcome St Alban's. A team they'd drawn 1-1 against at home in the earlier meeting. A few minutes later and St Alban's had caught Norwich napping again and found a foot in the D for their first penalty corner of the match. A drag low left and a save from Harry Brown maintained the deadlock. Norwich soon retained some possession and begin to slow the st Alban's momentum, but couldn't quite stop it entirely as they won a penalty to end the quarter and went low left again but it missed the target completely. Q1: 0-0. 
The rain begun. But so did the Norwich offence. James Mackenzie on back to back attacks beat 2/3 defenders but for some reason the umpires were allergic to giving him a foul and both attacks came to nought. Shortly after, Tom Ridley had a hit saved and Harry Gill then found Stu Wardle at the baseline line but his turn and hit was also saved. Both sides defences under significant pressure over the first half but neither net had been broken yet. HT the scoreline remained 0-0. 
Q3 was more of the same, end to end but neither defence giving too much of a chance to any attacker. Norwich did break through late on in the quarter but Cameron Cooke wasn't able to squeeze the ball past the rushing St Alban's GK. I probably could've skipped straight to Q4 but who doesn't like a bit of a scene setting pre-amble. Entering the quarter both sides were convinced it'd be a one goal game and it was just about who broke first. And it was Norwich who broke first; Jonty black with an interception that fell to Max Wilson, he carried through one quarter before reversing a ball into Cam Cooke who beat the final defender and played a reverse pass around the keeper to an arriving Jonty Black who started and finished the goal. 60 seconds later and Tom Cooke had burst through from the back, beating one player with a body feint and then breezing last two more before finding max Wilson in the D who rolled around one defender and slot the ball under the keeper for a 2-0 lead. 12 minutes left and the game had finally opened up. Sadly that also meant St Alban's began to threaten and with a horrific tackle in the D from Harry Gill they had been awarded a panelty flick and halved the Norwich lead. 2 minutes later after a foot on the line at a panelty corner they had a second penalty flick and they had been allowed back into the game at 2-2. A tense last 5 minutes ensued, neither side wanting to overcommit and throw the game away. With 60 seconds left on the game clock, Elliot Hibell won a PC, Cam Cooke stepped up to drag it high right, the st albans keeper was equal to it but parried it into the path of Elliot Hibell who after batting up the rebound then volleyed it into the crossbar and the ball fell just behind the line to take the win 3-2. The result means Norwich have an unassailable gap to 4th and can only finish at least 3rd, equaling the achievements of the previous 2 seasons in national league. A win this final weekend and a draw or loss for chelmsford would secure 2nd and would be a great and well deserved achievement for the squad!