Results

WOMENS 2ND XI - 02/03/2024 VS IPSWICH EAST-SUFFOLK 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 2nd XI 
DATE: 02/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Womens 2nd XI VS 02/03/2024 
HEADLINE: Crikey, what a game!  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 1 NORTH 
VENUE: IES  
RESULT: 0-0  
 
REPORT: 
As half the team were Ipswich bound, the other half were team bonding, pushing Ange and her car to safety.  
With the warm up underway, City were pleased to see a familiar face as Lucy Tilbrook appeared and stayed to support the team.  
 
The match started with an Ipswich East-Suffolk push back. City went in strong, putting IES under pressure from the off, making it hard for them to make any ground on the attack. Standing firm in the middle, Ange & El sought to feed the ball out wide to Winnie & Milly. While City dominated play, the torrential rain came to test everyone a little more. However, City didn't falter, with several short corners being worn. IES made some breaks through, but the defensive line made it difficult for them to find success. Half time arrived with a score of 0-0.  
 
Milly & Lucy T led the half time talk, while the team huddled for shelter and warmth. With the talk giving City some food for thought, the team shivered their way onto the pitch for the second half. It started as it had finished, with end to end play and shots from each team being fired at goal.  
Sally & Jess played the ball down the line, either side of the pitch, picked up by Georgie, Helen, Lucy & Emma. Frustration grew in IES, and with the rain continuing, their play became more dangerous. With sticks flying through the air and feet being targeted by IES sticks, El's potty mouth caused trouble. But City stood firm, and the game ended 0-0.  
 

WOMENS 4TH XI - 02/03/2024 VS CARROW 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 4th XI 
DATE: 02/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Womens 4th XI VS 02/03/2024 
HEADLINE: City share points with Carrow 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST (NORTH) 
VENUE: Langley School 
RESULT:2-2 
 
REPORT: 
 
It was a game of two halves, with the home team, Carrow taking the lead with two goals in the first half. City 4s came out strong in the second half of the match with much of the play pressuring the Carrow defence, it didn't take long for Mollae Scott to score City's first goal. City continued to maintain the pressure throughout the second half, winning a short corner on the final whistle and with precision passing it was Mollae Scott again who found a gap between defender and post to slot away the final goal of the match to level up the score. 

WOMENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 02/03/2024 VS DEREHAM (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens Development XI 
DATE: 02/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Womens Development XI VS 02/03/2024 
HEADLINE: Aqua Hockey 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: Dereham HC 
RESULT: 3-1 win to City 
 
REPORT: Dereham Dev’s 1 - 3 Norwich City Dev’s 
 
After a week where we have seen more water and rain than Aquaman, City took to the field in the wind and rain to (sea) if they could beat Dereham on their own pitch.  
 
From the very start, it was clear to see City’s determination and endeavour and we soon started to dominate the midfield with Flo and Sophie working hard and Summer showing her skill to support the attacking line and create some good early chances.  
 
It didn’t take long for City to make their dominance count and some great play down the right side lead to a cross where Megan was on hand to add to her impressive tally for the season and put City into a deserved lead.  
 
Both sides showed some great hockey with the highlights being some brilliant play down the left from Tilly, Megan and Anashe who showed skill and composure in tight spaces, Phoebe proving a constant threat with one incredible dribble and pass, India getting herself into oceans of space on numerous occasions to keep us attacking down the right and Ava playing amazingly as our lead attacker and was unlucky not to get a deserved goal with lots of great shots well saved by the Dereham goalkeeper.  
 
The second half started again with City showing incredible motivation in the wind and rain and with Flo working super hard to win the ball back, City pushed forward again and won a penalty corner. Captain Millie called the move, and fed Darcey, who rocketed the ball into the bottom corner with a great hit to make the score (H)2-0 which was reward for her hard work up and down the pitch throughout the game.  
 
Dereham continued to flood forward on the break with Sophie pulling off a wonder save where we all thought Dereham were going to score, only for Sophie to divert the ball past the post. (And loved the cartwheel after!!) 
 
Dereham were clearly determined not to lose, throwing their strong defender upfront and after a lucky ricochet trickled across the D, Dereham scored to set up an exciting finish! 
 
The Dereham goal was a watershed moment for City with the girls cheering each other on and with Tilly, Millie and Anashe at the back setting up a dam good defence, Mollie and Flo outplaying their more experienced and physical opponents and Sophie and India being amazing right forwards providing a constant option down the right.  
 
With City needing a third goal to calm the nerves of the travelling fans who could be heard throughout despite the miserable weather, City’s top scorer stepped up and Megan showed amazing determination to slot the ball past the goalie to put us 3-1 up.  
 
Flo nearly added a fourth outrunning Dereham’s defence making them look by like sitting ducks and getting to a great pass from Megan but narrowly deflected wide.  
 
With the floodgates threatening to open and Dereham at risk of shipping more goals, the umpire blew the final whistle to give City a deserved 3-1 win.  
 
Every girl played incredibly, working really hard in horrible weather putting huge effort into every tackle and run and they should be showered with praise. It was great to see how they cheered each other on and worked as a team.  
 
Sophie pulled off some amazing saves in goal, Millie was dominant at the back with Tilly and Anashe being a great trio. Darcey and Flo must have run a marathon with their work in the middle, Summer was a constant threat, Ava leading the attacking line was outstanding and was unlucky not to get a goal which she deserved and Megan’s goals showed what an exciting talent she is.  
 
Dereham’s POTM was Flo who clearly recognised her tenacity in midfield and attacking threat.  
Our POTM was Darcey who showed her class throughout and her goal was unstoppable and I wish I could hit the ball as cleanly as that!! 
 
Thanks to all the mums and dads on the side who cheered the girls on and your encouragement on the side made a huge difference and you deserved that warm cup of tea after!! 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 03/03/2024 VS BANBURY 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 03/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 03/03/2024 
HEADLINE: Banbury looking for points in their survival race 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: North Oxfordshire Academy 
RESULT: 3-2 win  
 
REPORT: A weirdly sunny start to a game in March, threats of suncream and sunglasses being necessary if it continued, but thankfully it lasted about 10 Minutes by which point Norwich & Banbury had both won their first Short corners of the match. Tom Harris watched the Banbury one go by his post and Thomas Cooke stepped up for Norwich City and his excellent drag was well saved after the banbury keeper was quickly down to his corner. Shortly after  
David Gilbert won a foul at halfway, quickly taken free hit caught them napping and another foul was won, Elliot Hibell this time went quickly and beat 2 Banbury defenders protesting how quickly he'd taken it and before they'd even finished complaining he'd reversed across the face of goal to an unmarked Chris 'tapin' wardale for a trademark finish. 1-0 to the boys in yellow.  
 
The second quarter begun with a very un-trademark Harry Brown marauding run from CB all the way through to the Banbury D, unfortunately the final ball just missed Chris Wardale's stick but that didn't stop the excitement from all involved on what must be close to Harry's first entry to an offensive D this season. Cameron Cooke soon showed a little bit more composure and won Norwich's 2nd short corner. Elliot Hibell this the flicker and went in a similar spot as the first one but this one squeezed into the goal. Just before half time Cameron Cooke turned over the ball just outside the Banbury 23, quickly passed into David Gilbert who beat 2 defenders, reverse pass around keeper, by which time Cameron Cooke had sprinted in to get ahead of his original pass and was able to put the ball in.  
 
Quarter 3 was a tale of missed Norwich chances. Numerous short corners but the injections never found their target. Chris wardale worked himself into the D excellently from an Aerial but just missed Max Wilson at the P Spot. Chris was then on the ball in the D again and this time went for goal but was brutally denied on the reverse by the crossbar. The scoreline remained 3-0.  
Quarter 4 started less than ideally with forward Dave Gilbert being struck in the head with a players stick seeing him spend the rest of the game on the sidelines being being shuttled off to A&E for some glue. This was quickly followed by a yellow to captain Stuart Wardle and the momentum had entirely switched in Banbury's favour. Banbury proceeded to force City to play from within their 23 and eventually made the pressure pay with an excellent deflection into the opposite top corner. A couple minutes later and after their 4th corner of the day they had managed to score another and the comeback was very much on. 
Just as Norwich returned to 11 players and then as Chris Wardale was tracking back he was harshly awarded a yellow for a stick tackle, but he was clearly a marked number after his earlier green card. A couple minutes later Elliot was equally harshly given a yellow for not being 5 but again, as he had been green carded earlier that was an automatic decision for the umpire. A tense last 2 with 9 men but we just about saw it out. A 3-2 win we aren't proud of, but a 3-2 win nonetheless. With 2 more wins we improve on our pts total of 33 from last year. And with 3rd facing 2nd this week as well as us in 4th facing 1st there's still plenty movement possible.