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MENS 1ST XI - 02/11/2025 VS UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 02/11/2025 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 02/11/2025 
HEADLINE: Norwich Travel to rivals looking to kickstart their season with 3 points 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Nottingham Hockey Centre 
RESULT: 1-0 Loss 
 
REPORT: They know each other's formations, their star players, and even their preferred pre-match playlists. Norwich City's trip to face University of Nottingham Men's 2s is always one that has promotion-defining outcomes. Yet, despite the rich history of competitive hockey between the two sides, both teams entered this vital clash having made a slow start to the season and already rueing dropped points. With the gap to the top widening, this clash was a vital opportunity for one of these perennial contenders to shake off their slow start and finally ignite their true campaign. 
​The first quarter didn't disappoint, and both sides came out of the blocks at high speed. The game was fluid, the pitch was stretched, and the hockey was intense. It was Nottingham that threatened first with a slap that flashed past the P spot, and neither side was able to get a touch on it. Shortly afterwards, Cam Cooke found himself with a 1v1 in the D but couldn't get anything goal-bound, and the chance faded away. Louis Preston threatened next. He made an excellent lead from outside the 23 to the D, and Tom Cooke perfectly found the unmarked man with a pinpoint aerial, but Louis couldn't quite bring it under with the sun in his eyes. Nottingham won the first penalty corner of the game, but Simon Dolan was equal to the drag and kept his net clean. Q1 Score: 0-0. 
​Q2 got underway, and there was immediate drama as Nottingham won their second corner and thought they'd broken the deadlock after a deflected drag flick made it in. However, the newly-added rule for the season saved Norwich City's blushes: the umpire had forgotten to start the Penalty Corner with a blow of his whistle, and therefore the ball was still dead. They had to try again, much to their despair. Simon Dolan was once again on hand to save another corner, and Norwich saw out the rest of the quarter where Nottingham dominated possession but never really threatened. Meanwhile, Norwich had a few counter-attacks but equally never really threatened. 
​Q3 started with a pair of penalty corners for Norwich. The first was a drag low left, saved by the Nottingham goalkeeper, and the second was a slap, also saved by the Nottingham keeper. So far, both goalkeepers were having excellent matches, and neither side could make their chances count. This continued as Simon Dolan was once again equal to a Nottingham drag flick. Just before the end of the quarter, a Nottingham forward managed to find himself in space and carried along the baseline. After he had forced a save from Simon and a second save from Tom Irvine, the ball found its way to another Nottingham forward who was able to lift the ball over a melee of sticks and into the corner to finally see a goal scored. Q3 Score: 1-0 UoN. 
​Q4 was exactly the finish the spectators were after. Jonty Black was the first player to trouble the Nottingham defence as his reverse hit was saved from close to the goal. Then Nottingham replied with a deflection that Simon Dolan was equal to, and Simon backed that up with another penalty corner save just afterwards. He unfortunately also got a lovely present of a knee to the head at the same time but was thankfully absolutely fine to continue playing and to continue to keep Norwich in it, as he was once again equal to Nottingham's 6th penalty corner of the game. Ben Chapman, Ben Griffiths, James Mackenzie, and Max Wilson all linked up with precision to create not one but three chances in quick succession. First came James Mackenzie with a great 1-2 with Max, and his shot to the far post was saved. Then Ben Griffiths came running through, but his shot to the near post was saved. And then, to round off the pressure, Max 'Moses' Wilson made the defence part, and his well-hit reverse was unfortunately too well struck and it blazed over the bar, much to the relief of the helpless Nottingham goalkeeper. Norwich pulled the keeper with a minute to spare, and a long ball from Tom Cooke into Max Wilson almost led to a PC win as time expired, but the umpire blew for time rather than a foul, and the nervy fixture was final.