Results

MENS 1ST XI - 17/03/2024 VS UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 17/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 17/03/2024 
HEADLINE: Norwich made to work away against Birmingham 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Birmingham University  
RESULT: 4-3 win  
 
REPORT: Another week and another dominant opening few minutes from Norwich city, just as they started versus Uni Of Nottingham, Uni of Birmingham struggling to get a touch of the ball and Norwich City threatening. First through Chris Wardale after his deflection from a Harry Gill hit was saved and then Cameron Cooke after his shot blazed past the far post and finally Elliot Hibell who had a drag flick saved. Sadly those missed chances came to pay as Birmingham deservedly won a penalty flick and converted to take the lead against the run of play. This goal switched the balance of power as the roles reversed and Norwich couldn't seem to keep the ball or get out of their own half and Birmingham looked to be on top. They won a short corner but Elliot Hibell deflected it running 1 and managed to find Cam Cooke for a counter attack and he found Dave Gilbert who rounded the keeper and scored past the lone remaining defender and restored the balance to the scoreline. Q1 ended 1-1. 
Q2 started with a flurry of birmingham chances, first a save from Alastair Cooke in open play and then from a short corner. It was third time lucky for UoB as they hit the post and then it fell to an unmarked attacker who easily finished and regained the lead for the home side. Half time Norwich 2-1 down and aware they weren't at their best yet and have more to give in the second half. 
Norwich started the second half a player down after Harry Gill got a yellow just before halftime. The card also meaning he will miss the season curtain closer as this card results in a one match ban due to accumulation of yellow cards across the season. As soon as Norwich were back to their full complement the chances came flowing. Firstly Cameron Cooke and Max Wilson having hits saved and then another Short corner save from the Birmingham keeper. Middle of the quarter a superbly clinical attack from Norwich, Tom Harris found Elliot Hibell who had time to turn and find Cameron Cooke in space and he calmly went past 3 defenders and reversed across the goalkeeper to compete a second Norwich comeback. Quarter 3 closed with an incredible overhead goal line save at a penalty corner from Tom Harris (please refer to the NCHC twitter for video evidence of the audaciousness of the save). Q3 ended 2-2.  
Quarter 4 opening with a similar goal from cam but this time it was Dave Gilbert that found cam in space and he went forehand instead this time and rocketed the ball over the helpless birmigham keepers shoulder. Max Wilson soon completed the comeback with a solo run and reverse into the bottom right corner from the top left. With a minute left a UoB short corner was deflected and looped over everyone to find it's way into the goal.  
UoB proceeded to pull their keeper for the last charge but Cam Cooke saw out the remaining 60 seconds in their 23 and had comeback from behind twice for a hard earned victory.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 10/03/2024 VS UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM 2 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 10/03/2024 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 10/03/2024 
HEADLINE: Norwich City Mens 1s beat top of the table 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 4-1 win  
 
REPORT: We knew our university guests would be in good spirits having beaten their first team on the Wednesday this week and were heading to a cup final. Thankfully we were well up for the game having been bested the previous 3 meetings and began fast and Notts didn't touch the ball for the first 3 minutes, this possession culminated in Norwich city winning a penalty corner which was saved by the UoN goalkeeper. Nottingham had their first touch of the ball and first chance to impress on the game and turned it over almost instantaneously and a quick ball in from Chris Wardale led to Ben chapman shot and the rebound fell to an arriving Gabriel Marchant for his debut national league goal. Nottingham began to maintain some possession of their own and threaten as Alastair Cooke made a close range save and they won a pair of penalty corners that were put wide and saved by #1 runner Elliot Hibell. Shortly into quarter 2 Max Wilson found himself in space done the left flank and reversed across the face of goal to Elliot Hibell who planted the ball into the corner to double the Norwich lead before half time. HT: 2-0.  
The second half started with the same end to end intensity of the first both sides pushing to stay in or kill the game, respectively. But it was Nottingham that got first blood with a well won and well worked routine from their 4th penalty corner of the game ending in a deflection over Alastair cookes head bringing the scoreline to 2-1. Max Wilson then immediately short up the left hand side, beating 3 defenders as he went and played a ball inside to Harry Gill, who proceeded to beat 2 more and let loose a forehand hit form the top of the D into the bottom left corner to restore the 2 goal lead for Norwich. Q3 ended 3-1. 
Cam Cooke finished the job in the middle of the 4th quarter when he was unmarked at the P Spot and a ball across found him for a cool hit home as the keeper struggled to cover the ground from front post to back post. 4-1 final score. 
Superb display from the team, complete performance with minimal for keeper Alastair cooke to do, no cards for city and clinical when going forward.  
 
 

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. 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 25/02/2024 VS BARFORD TIGERS 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 25/02/2024 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 25/02/2024 
HEADLINE: 3rd Vs 4th battle doesn't dissapoint 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Hamstead Hall Academy 
RESULT: 1-1  
 
REPORT: An important game in the closing weeks of the season and it had a feisty start to match, end to end from the off. Alastair Cooke pulled off a great 1-2 set of back to back saves to keep his net empty. Barford after pushing hard early on soon moved to half court, this gave Harry brown, Alex Scott & Tom Harris all the time and space they needed to pick out Elliot Hibell, Gabriel Marchant & Thomas Cooke inside midfield and we slowly moved forward winning a pair of short corners but the Barford keeper was equal to both of them. Q1 ended 0-0. 
 
Q2 continued with more of the same with Barford sitting off and playing for the counter but Elliot, Gabriel & Thomas still finding pockets and seams to progress through. Alastair Cooke continued to marshall the defensive D and keep Barford out, meanwhile Michael Thompson won Norwich Citys 3rd short corner of the match and Cameron Cooke made this one count HT: 1-0. 
 
In quarter 3 Norwich continued their offensive threat with a pair of saves in open play from the Barford keeper and won another Short corner. The corner was blocked and cleared by a Barford defender and it found their central midfielder who quickly countered and found himself 1v1 against our defence and pulled off a great Back space hit into the opposite bottom cornerto level the scorelines, very much against the run of play but Barford had still threatened.  
 
Quarter 4 Started even, both teams pushing for the win, but both teams also showing stout defense and nothing happened to the scoreline. The last 5 was all Barford and all short corners. But between Elliot Hibell running 1 and Alastair Cooke in goal the Barford routines were seen through and city were made to earn a deserved point and no movement between 3rd and 4th.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 10/02/2024 VS STOURPORT 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 10/02/2024 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 10/02/2024 
HEADLINE: 2nd vs 3rd Lives Up To The Hype In An End To End Clash 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 1-1 draw 
 
REPORT: Norwich welcomed stourport to Taverham last week, the conference Midlands newcomers have had a stormer of a debut season, clear in 2nd place and pushing for 1st. We were the only team to have beaten them so far, which meant they arrived to Taverham with revenge definitely on the agenda.  
Norwich City took the opening pushback and made a confident start to the game, holding possession well and created a few chances with that. It was an equally calm and measured start for stourport. Stourport who won a pair of short corners with a drag low right being saved by Tom Harris and drag low left being saved by Harry Brown. The quality defending from both sides meant neither side troubled the scoreboard and it remained 0-0.  
2nd quarter opened up far more, both sides started to press higher and tighter, end to end hockey with both sides threatening more and more as the game went on. Stourport went on to win their third corner of the game and with an expert drag high into the roof of the net they had taken the lead. Unfortunately the Stourport captain took a goalwards bound deflection to the jaw and had to leave for A&E, we have since heard he has multiple fractures and has had surgery to hold his jaw in place and wish him a swift recovery. 0-1 HT. 
The 3rd quarter was led by Norwich, dominating possession and territory, leading to stourport making some less than savoury challenges to keep us from their D and paying the price with a pair of green cards and a yellow throughout the quarter. Norwich City won a pair of corners of their own, but one went wide and one was saved. The dominance of both possession and territory continued but lots of chances going wide or passes falling just short of their intended recipient and Stourport kept the lead they came into the quarter with, despite the Norwich City threat.  
4th quarter was more of the same, more Norwich Territory and another yellow for Stourport. Although Norwich had a pair of greens which removed any chance of an advantage there. Norwich kept pressing for an equaliser and after another Short corner from the Stourport keeper and a goal line clearance from a player after David Gilbert rounded the keeper it was looking like it would be Stourport's day to hold on. However as time expired a short corner was won and Elliot Hibell cooly slotted it away beneath the keeper and after some complaints over whether it left the D or not the goal stood and a fantastic game of hockey came to a close with a 1-1 scoreline. Both sides happy but both knew they could've won it on another day. The draw, despite being an excellent result, does see Norwich City drop to 4th but with a game against 3rd place Barford in 2 weeks time it is entirely within our control to correct that.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 19/11/2023 VS UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM 2 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 19/11/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 19/11/2023 
HEADLINE: M1s Get Back On Track After Tough Away Loss 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 3-2 W 
 
REPORT: After the previous weeks last second loss to top of the table University of Nottingham the scars we're still fresh as we welcomed University of Birmingham to Taverham. Norwich City dominated the early phases, Birmingham full pressed but couldn't find a turnover. Cam Cooke had an unmarked hit go narrowly wide and shortly after he also had a drag flick narrowly saved by the Birmingham keeper but the first quarter finished 0-0.  
To start the 2nd quarter Cam showed he'd warmed up from the earlier chances evading the backboard by making sure with Norwich & Cams second short corner of the game, going for the same spot again but this time the keeper not managing to save it and Norwich took a deserved lead. Unfortunately Birmingham snapped back with a short corner of their own, a well worked routine slipping from one castle to the next and it was 1-1 at HT.  
Quarter 3 was a story of missed chances for both teams. UoB had 2 corners saved and a 3rd one missed the target. Norwich had a deflection well saved and a pass through the face of the D from Elliot Hibell that didn't quite fall for the unmarked David Gilbert at the back post. Q3: 1-1. 
Q4 was quite the opposite, a flurry of goals. Dave Gilbert turnover that fell to ben Chapman who lifted the ball into the D for Cameron Cooke to half volley home made it 2-1 to Norwich. Stuart Wardle followed up by winning a short corner that Cameron Cooke converted for a 3-1 lead. And after a yellow card for both sides Birmingham won their 5th corner of the game and upgraded that into a penalty flick and made it 3-2 for a tense last few minutes. Norwich City clung on and got much needed points to retain 3rd place. 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 12/11/2023 VS UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 12/11/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 12/11/2023 
HEADLINE: Unbeaten top of the table Notts remain unbeaten and top of the table 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Nottingham Hockey Centre  
RESULT: 2-3 L 
 
REPORT: The long trip to face University of Nottingham had not held man fond memories after being 3-0 down in the first quarter against them last time. Thankfully we were a bit more alert and it was only 1-0 this time. Once again, former Norwich City player Harry Patterson was the goal scorer. The rest of the half saw 3 Nottingham penalty corners that were saved comfortably by Alastair Cooke. Q3 was phonetic from the start, end to end play, 5 minutes in Harry Brown got a turnover at halfway and found Cam Cooke in a great position, he continued into the D and after beating the keeper was fouled by a defender for a p-flick of which he converted to level the scores. But the end-to-end play continued, Notts replying within 2 minutes after Norwich were dispossessed on their 23, Notts quickly passed around the D to find a player at the backpost to restore their lead. But as I'm sure you've probably seen coming, the intense play continued and Cam Cooke won a short corner which Tom Cooke converted to keep the game in the balance to end Q3. 
Q4 started well, Norwich winning 2 penalty corners in quick succession but they weren't able to make an impact on the scoreboard. This was soon followed by a Cameron Cooke quickly taken free hit aerial from just inside the Notts half to find Max Wilson not he move across the D, he attempted to volley the aerial in and to the astonishment of the crowd it blazed just wide. What could have been... And then came the moment of controversy. 60 seconds left on the clock Louis Preston caught their Centre Back with no options at the back and quickly pounced to be leading through into the Notts 23 with only the keeper to beat and keeper was ready and waiting and slide through taking the ball within the 23 but sliding outside of the 23 and taking louis with him. But play on was called and with that the Nottingham winger who had dominated the right channel all game had beaten 3 defenders carried into the D and reversed Cooly into the bottom right corner to take a phenomenal last gasp lead and left Norwich with 30 seconds to reply which was not enough time and it ended 3-2 to UoN. Not alot that could be done after a stellar performance from the team. That display beats every single other team in this league and it was a superb spectacle from start to finish for those at the Nottingham Hockey Centre. And with that we carry that hard work, discipline and clinical play into this weekends home clash with another university side. This time Birmingham.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 05/11/2023 VS BANBURY 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 05/11/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 05/11/2023 
HEADLINE: Spoils Shared Versus New National League Foe 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 3-3 D 
 
REPORT: Taverham welcomed Banbury to Norfolk in their debut national League campaign. An honour we knew alot about from last year, which comes with the benefit of the element of the unknown. We knew very little of our opposite and started with that apprehension in the forefront of our thoughts, sitting off and seeing Banbury enter our D 2/3 times in the first 3 minutes with minimal effort. Thankfully Alastair Cooke & Tom Harris were on hand to mop up the early pressure. No long after we had won the ball in good position and Tom Cooke quickly found his brother Cam on the move who broke away and passed around the keeper to Chris Wardale who defected the ball in. Q1 ended 1-0 to Norwich. 
Q2 started with a flurry of Banbury short corners but Alastair Cooke was equal to them all. Shortly after Elliot Hibell won our 2nd short corner of the game and Tom Cooke obliged to score it and double the lead. After an early start Banburys influence on the game had begun to fade, but they soon changed that with a sharply won and quickly taken freehit they'd slammed a ball in to a free man at the backpost and had open their tally for the day. Soon after they'd moved quickly through midfield to find a man at the p-spot who deflected in aswell. Game level in the blink of an eye. HT: 2-2. 
Norwich were welcomed into the second half with a pair of green cards for Elliott & Dave and Banbury made the numerical superiority pay with a short corner goal to take a well deserved lead. Norwich returned to their full compliment and regained control of play. After threatening on multiple attacks it was Elliott Hibell who cut past one defender before slipping a ball to Thomas Cooke who quickly slapped towards goal. Unfortunately the slap missed it's intended target but it did bounce off the post and Chris Wardale was the fastest to react and he had his second goal of the game and leveled up with 5 minutes to play. A few chances from either side to end but nothing to trouble the scoreboard. The match ended 3-3. 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 29/10/2023 VS CITY OF PETERBOROUGH (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 29/10/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 29/10/2023 
HEADLINE: Norwich City Move into the Tier 1 Quarter Finals 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: City Of Peterborough HC 
RESULT: 2-1 Win 
 
REPORT: The half term bye week break for the league might've been a rest for some clubs but as we have decided to enter the EH Tier 1 Cup (open to all national league teams) we had our last 16 tie vs City Of Peterborough who we had beaten 8-3 two weeks earlier. We arrived with a squad full of 2nd team talent, a great opportunity for them to stake a claim for a permanent first team place as well as a show of depth for the club as a whole.  
The first quarter was largely uneventful, both teams warming up and finding their feet, neither side creating too much. It ended 0-0. The 2nd quarter saw a bit more activity with both keepers being forced into action with numerous double saves. Alastair Cooke in particular dashing from right post to left at a short corner to leave his net unharmed. Elliot Hibell was the on hand to win and finish a short corner to put Norwich into the lead before half time. HT: 1-0. 
The second half got underway with Peterborough immediately taking back control. Short corner after short corner were won but after 2 were missed, 2 were saved and a mistrap the score remained 1 goal in the favour of Norwich. Ed Beake then quickly won and took a free hit near halfway, he found Ben Chapman at the top of the D who with 3 touches, beat his defender and passed into the fast arriving Harry Gill who cooly deflected the ball through the Peterborough keepers legs to double the lead against the run of play. Q3 finished 2-0 to Norwich.  
Quarter 4 was a very similar story to the 3rd. Peterborough short after short but still no goal. A yellow and a green for norwich later and more shorts and eventually peterborough scored with their 10th short corner of the day. It was a very tense ending with a peterborough short as time expired but man of the match Alastair Cooke was equal to it and Norwich saw the ball out the D and earned their move into the next round. Lots of big names to potentially be drawn against; Old Georgians, Oxted, Beeston & Bowden to name a few. Ties to be played Dec 16/17. 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 22/10/2023 VS BARFORD TIGERS 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 22/10/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 22/10/2023 
HEADLINE: Norwich City's 3rd win in a row  
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 5-3 win  
 
REPORT: Barford were welcomed with their long journey with open entry to our D. 3 short corners in 3 minutes but thankfully nothing to trouble to scoreline after 2 Alastair Cooke saves & a Tom Harris pick as post man. After recovering from the early onslaught Norwich took back control. First Cameron Cooke threatened and then Harry Gill beat 2 defenders and ran past 2 more before finding Cameron Cooke in the D to deflect in for the lead. Shortly after, Tom Cooke won a turnover and slapped a pass into Chris Wardale who guided the ball into the D with 1 touch and Cameron Cooke doubled his & Norwich Citys' tally. Q1 ended 2-0.  
Quarter 2 was end to end with neither side taking control but also neither side troubling the scoreboard. HT: 2-0.  
Quarter 2 began with 2 more Barford penalty corners but also 2 more Alastair Cooke saves. Soon after a quickly taken free hit saw Josh Baker being down an aerial deep into Barfords 23 and after a dribble into the D along the baseline he found Elliot Hibell who calmly took the ball onto his reverse and planted it home for a 3 goal lead. And the clinical goal scoring continued with Ben Chapman running from his 23, all the way up the right hand side into the Barford D before he pulled the ball back to Chris Wardale for a first time hit into the opposite bottom and an immense 4 goal lead. Q3: 4-0. 
The 4th quarter opened with Norwich going down to 10men for 5 minutes. Barford made the advantage pay, with 2 short corners they had roofed 2 drag flicks and the once commanding lead had begun to look shakey 4-2. Thankfully Max Wilson was on hand to kill the momentum by being 4 men on a run into the D and reversed into the bottom right corner for a 5-2 lead with 7 minutes to go. Norwich hung on but a hattrick of flicks with Barfords Australian flicker made the scoreline look close. A dominant performance that saw Norwich get well and truly back on track after a shakey start. After next week's cup match it will be another home game vs newcomers & unknown entity Banbury.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 15/10/2023 VS CITY OF PETERBOROUGH 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 15/10/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 15/10/2023 
HEADLINE: Superbly Clinical Display See's the M1s Score 8 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: City Of Peterbough HC 
RESULT: 8-3 Win 
 
REPORT: A well known foe that are always hard to beat but we were in good spirits after last week's performance and knew wed have to be at our best again. 
 
Norwich City made a superb start, Peterbough barely touched it for 10 minutes. 2 goals later and they were well onto the back foot an incredible passing and moving play all the way from a 16 to the D saw Elliot Hibell find Cam Cooke who found Harry Gill who passed across the D to an unmarked Chris Wardale at the back post. Before an Elliot Hibell drag from our first short corner of the day was saved into the path of Josh Baker who rebounded in to double the lead. Unfortunately a calamitious end to the quarter saw peterborough sneak back into the clash after creating zero threat In quarter 1. Q1: 2-1 lead for Norwich. 
Q2 began and the dominance continued. A few short corners were won but nothing changed the scoreboard. Until Thomas cooke quickly took a long corner and found Dave Gilbert in space, he cut into the D and reversed into the bottom right corner towards Chris Wardale (Tapin) who had his 2nd Tap-in and goal of the game. HT 3-1. 
In Q3 after the squad saw out a yellow card we started to see signs of the team back to their best. Dave, Josh, Cam & Ben combining well to give the peterbough defence a torrid time passing around, Turnover after turnover ensued and Norwich city were in the ascendancy. Cameron Cooke worked hard for a turnover and found Dave Gilbert who won a short that Elliot Hibell put away, 4-1. The same trio linked up in exactly the same way for Elliot to make it 5-1 a few minutes later. Then to end the quarter Max Wilson shot was saved, Josh Bakers rebound was saved and Chris Wardale at the third timing of asking put the ball in and had his third goal of the game. Q3: 6-1. 
Quarter 4 saw a few more chances come but the city of peterborough goalkeeper made sure they didn't add to the scoreline. Peterborough did then start to create a few chances of their own, a few 1-2s and they were in our D and made it 6-2 before Dave Gilbert found Chris Wardale by the p spot to deflect in for a 7-2 lead and then Peterborough won their 5th short corner of the day and they made it 7-3. Cameron Cooke singled handedly scored the 11th and final goal of the day with a turnover, run and spin to open up a lovely reverse hit. Final score 8-3. A great display Sunday, back to some of our best hockey. Clinical in the D, superb quick passing & leading interplay. Started well and stayed on top throughout! The boys will look to ride that wave into Barford this week, big effort to be ready to face a former div 1 side who will not give us time and space and will punish each and every mistake we make. 
 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 08/10/2023 VS STOURPORT 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 08/10/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 08/10/2023 
HEADLINE: Mens 1s Get Their First Points On The Board For 23/24 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Stourport Sports Club 
RESULT: 3-2 Win 
 
REPORT: The Longest away day of the year was met with bright sunshine on a weirdly scorching October day. 
Caught napping off the bus and we were 1-0 down inside 3 minutes of play. And after a pair of drag flicks were saved by Alastair Cooke the team finally awoke and showed some thereat with a few D entries but nothing to trouble the scoreboard.  
City took over in Q2 and sent the crowd quiet. First came Elliot Hibell forcing a quality save from Stourports very own A Cooke before Cameron Cooke won and scored a penalty stroke. Soon after he was winning and scoring a short corner and the comeback was complete. HT: 2-1.  
Q3 was measured and controlled with a trio of short taken by Stourport but Russ and the post men stopping anything from entering the goal.  
Q4 started poorly with Stourport playing a long ball down the line and with an easy pass into the p-spot and first time finish they had drawn themselves back into the tie. We then proceeded to receive a yellow card for a bad tackle from Harry Gill and the momentum had totally swung the other way. City saw the 5 minutes out and then pushed for the winner. A Josh Baker reverse went just wide, an Elliot Hibell drag flick went just wide and then Josh Baker stepped up and dribbled around 4 men and the rebound fell to an unmarked Dave Gilbert which saw the summer signing scored his first league goal for the yellows.  
3-2 win, well deserved, could've been easier but 3 points is 3 points and we were off bottom and ended Stourports 54 match unbeaten streak! 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 24/09/2023 VS ST ALBANS 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 24/09/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 24/09/2023 
HEADLINE: Mens 1st team 2nd season in National League gets off to underwhelming start 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Oakland's College 
RESULT: 1-2 L 
 
REPORT: A long and successful preseason that started all the way back in June had come to an end and our sophomore campaign in national League was upon us. No more benefit of being the unknowns, it was now up to applying ourselves week in week out and earning every single point.  
One of our shorter away journeys to ease us back in, a lovely trip to Hertfordshire to face St Alban's. A team that had shown themselves hard to beat on both occasions last year with a 2-1 and 3-1 victory and would obviously want to correct the double defeat they faced laat year. And this expectation was spot on, they came out hot, pressing us all over the pitch and forcing panicked passes or poor touches. But we saw the majority of that out and started to create chances. 3 short corners, 3 saves but it remained 0-0 at quarter time.  
Wasn't until Q2 when St Alban's showed their true attacking threat and won a few shorts of their own. The rebound of their third one finding its way to a forward and being bundled in for a halftime lead. 
Q3 was a flurry of cards, 2 to us and 1 to albans. And in that chaos Max Wilson found himself in alot of space out right drove into the D and on his debut for the 1s expertly slammed his shot in to the near right hand post away from the behemoth St Alban's keeper who had looked unbeatable until then.  
We started Q4 a man down and Alban's full pressed for the minute they had and made it pay. With a quick free hit outside then D and then advantage played from a foot in the D leading to a hit from the centre of the D. 1-2. We pressed and pressed and created danger included a goal disallowed from a short corner for being above the backboard but couldn't add to our one goal and the result was final.  
Good display, an off day for us but we have plenty to reflect on and learn from and come back stronger Vs Harleston next week.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 14/09/2023 VS UEA 1 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 14/09/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 14/09/2023 
HEADLINE: Thursday Night Under The Lights  
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 7-1 win  
 
REPORT: last few preseason games before the league begins on 24th. Dominant display scoring 33seconds into the game but lots to still work on. 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 02/09/2023 VS CAMBRIDGE CITY 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 02/09/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 02/09/2023 
HEADLINE: Big win vs big opposition 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Wilberforce Road  
RESULT: 6-1 win  
 
REPORT: Hot day. Hot hockey. Great performance.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 27/08/2023 VS VIVIER D'OIE 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 27/08/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 27/08/2023 
HEADLINE: Tour Game 2: 2nd win  
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Royal Racing Club De Bruxelles 
RESULT: 7-1 
 
REPORT: win 
 

MENS 1ST XI - 26/08/2023 VS LINKEBEEK 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 26/08/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 26/08/2023 
HEADLINE: 1st Tour Game 
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Linkebeek HC 
RESULT: 3-1  
 
REPORT: clubhouse tucked away in a forest on the edge or Brussels. Lovely spot and some even better hockey. End to end game for a half. Norwich City held on for a confident win and great runaround to really get into preseason.  
 

MENS 1ST XI - 19/08/2023 VS SPALDING 1 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 19/08/2023 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 19/08/2023 
HEADLINE: First preseason game. Confident display.  
LEAGUE: CONFERENCE MIDLANDS 
VENUE: Spalding HC 
RESULT: 12-2  
 
REPORT: a hot day lead to a very sweaty warmup and a very dry pitch. But that didn't stop the lads getting stuck straight in and 6 goals up at HT. This dominance continued into the second half with lots goals for some relatively new faces - Max Wilson & Ed Beake. Shame we conceded 2 but couldn't deflate what was a a good display to open preseason.