Isle of Wight Hockey Club Men’s 2XI put 6 past Fareham at Smallbrook last weekend (Saturday 15th February).
Saturday at Smallbrook kicked off with the IoW Men’s 2XI taking on Fareham 6XI in a rearranged fixture. The match started at a fast pace, with both teams showing promise early on. Fareham struck first, scoring within the first 10 minutes. The Island responded quickly, with Stephen Woodford delivering a brilliant pass to Oscar Purser, who calmly slotted the ball into the net.
The game remained end-to-end, and the Island earned a short corner. Allan Ball took the opportunity to flick the ball expertly into the net. As the match continued, the Island made good use of their substitutions, keeping the pressure on. In a goalmouth scramble, a Fareham player’s foot stopped the ball on the line, leading to a penalty stroke. Cian Smallwood-Butler stepped up and calmly fired the ball into the corner, leaving the keeper with no chance. The score at half-time was 3-1 in favour of IoW.
In the second half, the Island continued to dominate. Forwards Jonny Kirby, Rupert King, and Peter McClelland worked tirelessly to create chances. It wasn’t long before Cian latched onto a shot from Carl Joyce, making sure it crossed the line for his second goal, bringing the score to 4-1. The team’s passing and control of the game were outstanding, and Cian completed his hat-trick shortly after, with a well-placed finish for the Island’s fifth goal.
Despite facing some pressure, the Island’s defence, led by Jarrod Butler, Seb Foster, Jack Curtis, and Toby Noyes, stood strong. Goalkeeper Nate Bower also made several key saves to keep Fareham at bay. Against the run of play, Fareham managed a quick counter-attack and pulled one back to make it 5-2. However, before the final whistle, Cian and Oscar combined beautifully, with Oscar smashing the ball into the far bottom corner for the Island’s sixth goal.
The Ladies’ 2XI then hosted Portsmouth 3XI. The first half was closely contested, with both sides creating opportunities but failing to score. The Island team, a mix of youth and experience, held strong.
In the second half, Jaimie Payne made a brilliant run along the by-line, slotting the ball past the keeper at the near post. Portsmouth quickly responded, scoring two goals in quick succession to take the lead. Despite relentless pressure and several short corners, the Island couldn’t find the equalizer, and the match ended with a 2-1 defeat.
On Sunday, with several games cancelled, the U14 boys were the only junior team in action. They took on Winchester Boys away and were determined to secure their first win as a team. Their grit and determination paid off as Remi scored a hat-trick, and Harry Webb added another goal, giving the team a 4-2 victory.
Scores:
IoW Men’s 2XI 6 – 2 Fareham 6XI
- Scorer(s) – Cian Smallwood-Butler (3), Oscar Purser (2), Allan Ball (1)
- Wightlink Player of the Match – Cian Smallwood-Butler & Seb Foster
IoW Ladies 2XI 1 – 2 Portsmouth 3XI
- Scorer(s) – Jaimie Payne (1)
- Wightlink Player of the Match – Katie Bunn & Klara Greszczyk
Winchester U14 Boys 2 – 4 IoW U14 Boys
- Scorers – Remi (3), Harry Webb (1)
- Wightlink Player of the Match – Remi
