All 4 Isle of Wight hockey teams – the Men’s and Women’s 1st and 2nd XIs – won on Saturday (14th January).
The ladies 1XI were up 1st at Smallbrook to face Bournemouth 2s, grateful that the rain had eased. The Island started strong, defending from the front and forcing the opposition deep into their own half. Bournemouth’s defence transferred the ball well, but Lola Marfleet and Evie Fairhurst put them under significant pressure. Against the run of play and capitalising from a short corner, the 1st goal of the game went to the away side (0-1).
The Island responded in full force, hunting in packs and forcing errors from the opposition. Sarah Shaw pounced on a loose ball and drove straight into the circle, striking the ball into the bottom-left of the goal (1-1).
Bournemouth had their fair share of attacks, but they were cut out each time in the middle by Georgia Whittle and Pip Spibey. The island’s defence of Crys O’Connell, Claire Caddick and Kirsty Fraser backed them up, redistributing the ball to halves Emily Lord and Jamie Payne, to open up attacks down the wings. Supporting each other well, the island kept up the pressure, scoring another two goals before half-time (3-1).
Unhappy with the scoreline, Bournemouth changed things in the 2nd half. Their press was rewarded with a series of short corners, one of which was stopped on the line by an Island foot, resulting in a penalty stroke which was converted by the visitors (3-2)
The game was getting tense. Whilst the opposition had the bare eleven, Dani Devenish and Poppy Gallerwood substituted well into the defence and midfield, allowing new attacks, respite and the Island kept the upper hand. The game finished with end-to-end hockey, but the home team held on, thanks in part to great goalkeeping from Tia Shutler, to gain their 2nd win of the season.
Final score: Isle of Wight ladies 1XI 3-2 Bournemouth 2XI
Goals from: Sarah Shaw (3)
Wightlink player of the match: Sarah Shaw
Up next at Smallbrook, the men’s 1XI started their game in the same fashion as the ladies, moving forward as a unit they pressed hard against Romsey and won a short corner in the first few minutes. Lewis Heaven-Gandy injected the ball, but Romsey’s defence read the attack well and a scrappy clearance denied the home side an early lead.
Reworking the ball into the D, another short corner was won, but Aaron O’Hanlon-Hoare’s drag-flick was denied. Determined to get on the scoresheet and reacting quickly from a free hit, Adam Payne had a free run into the D, his strike finding the target despite the keeper getting a touch (1-0). Henry Edwards, Samuel Challis and Joe Arnold worked tirelessly in midfield, cutting out Romsey’s attack and supporting forwards Tom Gould and Payne.
The 2nd half was even, with neither team breaking away and possession constantly overturned in the middle. Both sides fought hard, earning themselves short corners but couldn’t convert.
Romsey’s attacks were thwarted each time by Elliot Cole, Ethan Edmunds-Lamb and Pattrick Butt in defence. The Island found their second goal after a well-worked attack down the left saw Heaven-Gandy pass to Payne in the D, who found Finn Woodword on the p-spot to slot the ball past the keeper (2-0).
In end-to-end play, Romsey earnt themselves a short corner and scored (2-1). From this point on it became about game management. Keeping possession, the island ran down the clock to secure the win.
Final score: Isle of Wight men’s 1XI 2 – Romsey 1XI 1
Goals from: Adam Payne (1) and Finn Woodford (1)
Wightlink player of the match: Finn Woodford
Following a very long break, thanks to cancellations and the festive season, the ladies 2XI finally got to play hockey, travelling away for a late push-back against Petersfield.
The island started off dominating play a came close to goal a couple of times after some fantastic build-up play in the midfield. Their perseverance paid off when Evie Longson’s shot across the goal was thumped in by Lizzie Dodds, sealing her 1st senior goal and the Island’s lead (0-1).
The 2nd came soon after when Amelia Wroath-Hickley’s pass into the D found a poised Dee Sanchez-Brown on the goal line, who calmly tapped the ball in (0-2).
Petersfield denied their opposition any more chances and it took until late into the 2nd half for the island to add to their tally; Sanchez-Brown firing a shot in, which Sophie Parkhouse made sure found the target (0-3).
Poppy Cullen’s strong defending denied Petersfield a way onto the scoresheet and the game ended with points earnt by the travelling side.
Final score: Petersfield 2XI 0-3 Isle of Wight ladies 2XI
Goals from: Lizzie Dodds (1), Dee Sanchez-Brown (1) and Sophie Parkhouse (1)
Wightlink player of the match: Lizzie Dodds
The men’s 2XI team had an earlier start against Lavant and captain Dodds had to work hard to motivate the squad to battle the rain.
It took Lavant to go into the lead for the island side to kick into gear and two quick goals from Stephen Woodford, a far-post menace, gained them a halftime lead.
The 2nd half swung many times between both teams scoring. Lewis Wells in goal, supported by an able defence of Bailey Woodford, Ashley Metcalfe, Nick Goode and Toby Noyes, repelled many attacks with class and composure, but a few sneaked through. A fluid midfield including Max Sharp, Steven Holbrooke and Mike Dodds launched many attacks which resulted in Thomas Young bagging a couple of lovely goals from slick short corner routines, with Dodds assisting.
Following another short corner, the IOW were awarded a penalty stroke, which Dodds expertly dispatched. Nathan Bruce and Nick Pratt continued to create chances but did not quite find the finish. As the game neared a conclusion, 1 final attack decided the game. Dodds rolled back the years to dance into the D and smash a shot toward goal. With a defender on the line, Woodford (S) stepped in front of him to make sure, deflecting the powerful shot into the roof of the net for his hattrick goal.
Final score: Lavant 1XI 5-6 Isle of Wight men’s 2XI
Goals from: Stephen Woodford (3), Thomas Young (2) and Mike Dodds (1)
Wightlink player of the match: Stephen Woodford
