Wimbledon Hockey Club Newsletter November 2014

TEAM PHOTOS We have been able to arrange for a photographer to UPCOMING MAJOR EVENTS: come along to some matches and training in order to • Champions Trophy take team photos during November. A list of Home Women's: Argentina, 29 Nov–7 Dec 2014 fixtures has been given to him and we aim to send an o email to team captains to let you know when he will be o Men's: India, 13-21 Dec 2014 there to take your photo. The photos will be available to • Hockey 5s indoor finals 25 January 2015, Wembley purchase on line. Details of this to follow. Arena, London • NOW: Pensions Men's Finals Weekend 11-12 April BEN REA AWARDED THE DIPLOMA OF 2015, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London • Investec Women's Finals Weekend 18-19 April. Lee MERIT FROM THE FEDERATION Valley Hockey and 2015 Tennis Centre, London INTERNATIONAL DE HOCKEY • Investec London Cup May 2015, Lee Valley Hockey The International Hockey Federation’s Congress held in and Tennis Centre, London Morocco recently was attended by National • EuroHockey Championships 2015 London, 21-30 Representatives of all 136 affiliated Nations. At this August 2015. Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, event a Diploma of Merit was awarded to our Chairman London and past President, Ben Rea, for long service to International Hockey. Something that has not gone to an English person for at least 15 years or so! KEY DATES FOR THE SEASON Ben has been involved in Hockey for many years but a 29th Nov: Pub Golf couple of particular achievements have won him this 6th Dec: First Saturday of the month social & Festive award. Fun Weekend at the Cub Back in 2002 he was Sec. General of England and in 2006 organised a massive International Congress at THIS WEEKEND: Lords for the FIH. Mens 1s v Surbiton Sat 4.30pm But it was his organisation of International Masters Hockey that has been particularly noted with this award. Ladies 1s v East Grinstead Sat 1pm Over the past 12 years Ben has worked, virtually from Matches vs Surbiton are always a fierce battle as the scratch, to set up international masters hockey events rivalry between the Clubs goes way back! Our ladies need our support too with the season so far which has led to World Cups for Men at ages Over 40, standing as W3 D1 L4. 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 and for Women at ages So please come along to support our teams at East Over 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60. The latest of these World Grinstead or Surbiton! Cups were held in Holland in June when some 110 national teams from all 5 continents contested World Cups at all these ages. Even better the England team for which he was responsible won gold medals! Did you know? Next year England will be hosting European Cups at all In 1890 Stanley Christopherson was captain of these age groups as well as the European Cups that our the first team and was also appointed the first younger 1st Xl members will be competing for. Captain of an England team. He also played Congratulations Ben! cricket for England and played in the first ever Test at Lords. In later life when an umpire, he was largely responsible for allowing umpires to make decisions without an appeal as in cricket!

1 WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX

LADIES

WHC’s hockey pathway taking its girls to new heights Others have worked hard through other teams in the The pathway from junior girls’ hockey into the senior Club earning their place in the squad, including some of ladies teams continues to develop at Wimbledon for girls our youthful talent after 2 of our number were promoted of all standards. to the ladies 1st team this season. The Ladies 4s is dominated by U18 girls who play All teams need their core of club stalwarts who give Saturday and train on a Wednesday evening. This set everything year after year and finally every team needs up has provided hockey and training for those girls who their leaders and this year the team is ably led by Kerry want to play with their friends and continue playing and Bean and Lolly Glossop. developing hockey in a relaxed atmosphere. The team Navigating the South Div 3b is as challenging as always has been a huge success both on and off the field and a and with 4W 2L 1D we are still biting at the ankles of the big thank you must go to Claire Burrell who manages three teams ahead of us currently. this team and has been seen once or twice on the pitch Libby Sheriff currently heads our top goal scorer board helping out. with 10 goals, one of the best in the league. We want top The development team continues this season with a 3 by Christmas and our trip to Eastbourne next week will selected pool of 16 U16 and U15 girls who are making a help toward that with a win. step into adult league hockey. These girls also have So we have the team, we have the attitude and our school commitments on Saturdays so they play when resolve is determined and spirited. they can, often rushing from one sports field to another. The girls are supported by more mature (!) adults in this Tina Dullaghan team with the aim of developing their tactical understanding of the game by playing alongside them. The Development team provides a stepping-stone into ! ! the ladies section. This year we have 9 junior girls ! ! !! playing in the 1s,1as, 2s and 2as. As more girls play in ! the adult teams, the coaches can see the quality of the ! juniors we have coming through and this season invited ! a further 6 of our promising juniors to train alongside the ! different ladies teams in the evening sessions. This ! provides the girls with a more intense session and an ! insight into what they can achieve if they are prepared to put the time and effort in. ! In all we have approx 40 junior girls involved in senior !Wimbledon Ladies Hockey Club hockey this year, from Surrey Div 10 to National League Reflecting on the last 25yrs East Conference, from GKs to Centre Forward, we have a system in place that can provide hockey development Book by Kezia Evans! across the board for our U18 girls. £4

Ladies 1a’s – FRESH! 125yr Celebratory Wine The ladies 1as start of the season can be described in many words but one that sums it up to date is FRESH - White (Chablis) fresh team, fresh attitude, fresh resolve. Red (Malbec) I would challenge anyone in the club to ask a member of this team about their team goals and they could all tell £15 per bottle you and they would all be the same. They want success and they all want to do it together. ! The level of commitment for a team that is in the south [email protected]!to!place!your!order! league and has many new players has been fantastic. We have a balance of new players with triads from Cambridge Uni and Durham Uni as well as players who have joined us for the first time after arriving newly to London.

WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX 2

1s TEAM HOME GAMES MATCH DATES:

Men: Ladies:

23 Nov vs E. Grinstead KCS2 2pm 29 Nov vs Harleston Magpies KCS2 2pm

29 Nov vs Southgate KCS2 6pm

To see fixtures for all Club teams go to ‘This Weekend’ on the website, select Men, Ladies,

Boys or Girls and then the team you are interested in – this will take you to the team’s fixtures live page which lists the season’s games.

On the challenges ahead: ENGLAND HOCKEY "We’ve got three big games coming up. East Grinstead INTERVIEW HENRY WEIR is a huge game. The way we’re playing at the moment I With six games gone in the NOW: Pensions feel like we could beat any team but also lose to any team. They’re conceding goals but also scoring plenty; Men's Premier Division the leagues are starting we’ll have to see what we can do on the day. We then to take shape. Both Reading and play Canterbury, who beat us twice last season, then Wimbledon have endured tough starts to the Surbiton who are just above us so the next month is season but are still firmly in contention at the massive." top of the league. Henry Weir tells us what he thinks of the campaign so far. On Wimbledon's aims for the season: "We’re very ambitious. We have the team to be ambitious. We want to make the top four and make the On the win over playoffs. Our aim for the first season was to consolidate Brooklands MU: but now in our second season in the Premier Division we "We knew it’d be a have the personnel to really kick on. It's an aim we tough game. When believe we can achieve." you play them it’s always hard and physical. They scrap for everything and they don’t let up. We weren’t ready for that in the BALL PATROL first half, which is why we were 2-0 behind. It took guts and determination to pull it back. I think we were the STAR OF THE MONTH better side towards the end of the game but it took a bit of digging deep to get there." Eloise Page-Cowman

On facing his brother, Brooklands MU's Louis Weir: "It’s in your mind and it adds something to the game, Please contact Ruth if you are interested definitely. I was walking off at half time thinking I’d never hear the end of it. Maybe that gave me some in being part of the Ball Patrol team. determination to do better in the second half! My brother Spaces are limited and work on a first played well, but I’m glad to get the win over him and his come, first served basis. team!" A training session will be held during the On Wimbledon's start to the season: next month so register your interest in "It’s been an inconsistent start and with that comes quite order to take part! a bit of frustration. We’ve got some quality players and a quality team but making it stick and doing it for 70 [email protected] minutes has been a bit tricky.

The good thing is we have played patches of really good hockey, we just need to do it for longer periods."

3 WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX

JUNIORS

Team Photos Northwood, one of 3 East England centres, where we As with the senior teams we are aiming to get photos of trained six days this summer. Following this, we were all junior teams/squads during November. We hope to selected to play in the Tier 1 competition which was held inform the team administrators when he will be there so over two September Sundays at Old Loughts. time can be made for the photos to be taken weather Early October, we heard that both Bella and I were permitting. Photos will then be available for purchase selected to represent East England Saxon Tigers U16s online. Details of which to follow. and U18s respectively at Futures Cup (trials for NAGS). In preparation we had two "full on" training days at Winter weather Tonbridge (11:00-18:30), an opportunity to get to know th If there is snow on the ground then it generally means the team and develop tactics. On Wednesday 29 no play. This is particularly so with the 9am sessions. October we travelled to Walsall where we met our Once the sun is up it has usually got the pitches squads in our respective hotels. playable by 10.15am. If in doubt please check the After this we headed down for the first of many trips to website or your age group administrator. Cannock Hockey Club to get our team photos taken in bright yellow kit and for a short and intense final training Coaches session. We are always looking for new coaches so if you are Across Thursday, Friday and Saturday we played three interested or know someone who might like to join the matches in total against the other regions. In the U18s, team please email [email protected]. similar to the format of an international tournament, we played cross-finals on Sunday. When we were not Futures Cup running around an astro-turf, we were bonding with our team, working on tactics and studying video analysis of WHC’s Sophia and Bella Padt, Meg Dowthwaite, our games. Jack Waller, Josh Coniglio, Julia Schofield and Lynn Vanderstichele take Wimbledon players at Futures were all playing for the part. Saxon Tigers, Meg Dowthwaite, Jack Waller and I for The England the U18 girls and boys, Bella and Julia Schofield for Hockey Futures Cup is GU16s. Both the U18 boys and girls were victorious in a competition that forms the tournament and were awarded with gold medals in part of the Junior the final ceremony. Regional Performance Meanwhile earlier on in the week, Lynn and Josh were Centre (JRPC) Tier 2 selected to attend HiPac for a three day England Hockey activity. intense training camp for U15s and U17s. The EHFC is for players Futures Cup was such exciting experience, playing with in the U16 and U18 age groups, who are selected for and against highly motivated hockey athletes in a squads from JRPC Tier 1 activity. These squads are competitive and super fun environment! Thank you called the Saxon Tigers, Pennine Pumas, Wessex England Hockey.’ Leopards and Mercia Lynx. As Sophia mentioned, Lynn and Josh were selected to The EHFC aims to give players in the U16 and U18 age attend HiPAC. This is a 3 day, residential camp held groups first-hand experience of an international annually for the U15 and U17 age groups. It aims to tournament environment, in preparation for potential give players first hand experience of an international future involvement in a National Age Group Squad training camp environment in preparation for potential (NAGS). future involvement in the National Age Group Squad. They play a round robin competition over three days High praise indeed to be selected for this – followed by classification matches on the fourth day for congratulations Lynn and Josh! the U18s. Squads are also involved in training days leading up to the tournaments. Selected players from the Futures Cup are then invited to attend National Age KCS PAVILLION CAFÉ Group Squads (NAGS) (U16 & U18) training. The café is open providing shelter on cold wet Sophia Padt tell us all about it … days as well as coffee, tea and snacks. ‘After having played last season Surrey County JAC, Bella and I, along with another 10+ players, were nominated for JRPC. Our JRPC training was at

WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX 4

CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2014

Wimbledon quartet Alister Brogdon, Mike Pool A opponents England face a tough opening game Hoare, Phil Roper and Henry Weir join as they play world number one side Australia. Not only are the Kookaburras the current World Cup and England squad going to the Champions Commonwealth Games Champions, but they will also be Trophy. defending their Champions Trophy title after Kieran Govers’ golden goal winner handed them a 2-1 victory The tournament, which is taking place in Bhubaneswar, against the Netherlands in the 2012 final. India, will run from Saturday 6 December to Sunday 14 December. England Hockey Oct 2014 Belgium, who England beat 3-2 at the World Cup in The Hague to qualify for the semi-finals are ranked fourth in England are in Pool A and will face Australia, Belgium the world, one place above England. It’s always a feisty and Pakistan in the preliminary stages while Pool B sees affair between these two sides with Belgium winning Argentina, the Netherlands and Germany battle it out three out of their last five encounters. against hosts India. Pakistan are the lowest ranked side in the competition, The squad After a fourth place finish at the World Cup with a current world placing of 11th. They come into the and a Commonwealth bronze medal, Crutchley’s team competition off the back of a silver medal at the Asian remains largely unchanged following a solid two month games, where they lost the final in dramatic fashion via a training block and test matches [as Great Britain] against shootout with India. Three of the last five meetings France which saw two dominant 9-1 and 10-0 victories. between England and Pakistan have finished in a draw, October has been a good month for the East Grinstead so expect it to go down to the wire. duo of Chris Griffiths and Patrick Smith; after 2014 Men’s Hero Champions Trophy Squad by Name impressing Crutchley during their Great Britain debuts - Club - Hometown - Region against France two weeks ago and showing strong form Alastair Brogdon – Wimbledon – Hale, Manchester in training and for their club, both have earned a call-up Tom Carson – Reading – Wellington, Somerset for England duty. Griffiths will make his England debut at Nick Catlin – Holcombe – Marlow, Bucks the tournament. David Condon – East Grinstead – Leicester, Leics Beeston’s Tim Whiteman, who was forced to miss the Adam Dixon – Beeston – Nottingham, Notts Commonwealth Games following a broken thumb, Dan Fox – Holcombe – Godalming, Surrey Mark Gleghorne – East Grinstead – Antrim, Nth Ire comes back into the line-up. Chris Griffiths – East Grinstead – Birmingham, West Midlands The other addition to the squad is Reading’s Tom Michael Hoare – Wimbledon – Liverpool, Merseyside Carson, who comes back into the fold after missing out Ashley Jackson – East Grinstead – Tunbridge Wells, Kent on selection for the Commonwealth Games. Carson will Iain Lewers – Holcombe – Belfast, Northern Ireland be no stranger to England fans after making 49 Harry Martin – Beeston – Ipswich, Suffolk Barry Middleton – Holcombe – Doncaster, Sth Yorkshire appearances and scoring 14 times since making his George Pinner (GK) – Holcombe – Ipswich - Suffolk debut in June last year. Phil Roper – Wimbledon – Chester, Cheshire England Head Coach Bobby Crutchley: “The Patrick Smith (GK) – East Grinstead – Harlow, Essex Champions Trophy will provide us with the first real Henry Weir – Wimbledon – Nantwich, Cheshire opportunity to assess where we are at as a squad Tim Whiteman – Beeston – Bungay, Suffolk following a significant block of training [September- November]. We are looking forward to going to Champions Trophy: the tournament - Source: FIH - Bhubaneswar for the first time and it will be interesting to The front runners. see the new system of four quarters over 60 minutes in Australia are the most successful men's team with 13 place for the first time at a major tournament.” titles to their name. The Kookaburras have dominated On England debutant Chris Griffiths: “The tournament the competition for the past decade, not only are they sets us against the best teams in the world and allows the defending champions, having won the event in 2012 us to give new players an opportunity to play at the very on home turf at Melbourne, they also won the previous top. Chris [Griffiths] has impressed since he joined the four tournaments. Four titles behind them are Germany programme and I’ve watched him improve through the who have won the tournament nine times, with the Dutch junior age groups and through his club hockey at winning eight times. Along with Pakistan three times, Loughborough Students and now East Grinstead. He’s and Spain once in 2004, these are the only teams to an exciting young forward and I’m looking forward to have been crowned Champions Trophy winners. seeing him step up to senior international hockey.”

5 WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX

Bhubaneswar, India – the hosts. The opening day of the tournament (Saturday 6 December) will feature all eight teams taking to the field on India's first newly built Olympic standard pink and blue hockey pitch in the Kalinga Stadium. The 5,000 seater stadium also serves as the home ground for Hero Hockey India League franchise, Kalinga Lancers. 5 minutes with …

Qualification for this year's edition was as follows: India qualified as host nation and their fourth place in the Jack Waller 2012 Champions Trophy; Australia are the defending champions; the Netherlands were runners-up in the When did you start playing hockey? When I was 7 2012 Champions Trophy; Pakistan and Belgium qualify years old by virtue of their third and fifth respective placings in the

2012 Champions Trophy; Argentina were winners of the Do you play at school? Yes at KGS and now with 2012 Champions Challenge 1, while England and Whitgift - indoor and outdoor national champions. Germany were given invitational places.

And you are also a County player? Yes, I’ve played The future of the Champions Trophy. From 2016, the for Surrey since I was 11 and played for England U16s qualification criteria as set out by FIH will be slightly in the Germany Test Series and the 4 Nations in modified to accommodate the Hockey World League Valencia. I’m hoping to be selected for England U18s results. Qualifying teams will comprise: the host, the this year. 2012 Olympic Champions, the 2014 World Cup winners,

2015 World League champions, the winners of the 2014 In addition to this you are also a member of the Champions Challenge and a team nominated by FIH Men’s 1s squad. I’ve played a number of matches for Executive Board. If any team qualifies twice under the them – against Beeston and Reading for instance last criteria, then FIH Executive Board will invite a further year and this year scored the opening goal against team. The format of the competition will also revert to a East Grinstead. six team round robin followed by classification matches.

So why hockey, Jack? That’s dad’s influence! I For all the details of the Champions Trophy, really enjoy hockey, the social aspects, fitness, including the full schedule visit the tournament balance and of course the kit! website.

Who are your greatest influences? My KGS coach, Jon Royce and Lionel Messi with a hockey stick!

Who do you look up to/admire? Dad – 50 years of hockey …

How does hockey fit in around your other commitments like exams? It’s really tricky balancing my time with exams, a social life, a university application and the hockey but I get by.

NB: Jack’s dad is John Waller, a Club member for over 30 years who has played at all levels for the Club, from 1st XI to the Masters where he still plays today. He has also coached the juniors for over 10 years.

WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX 6

MATCH REPORTS

Shortly there will be an area on the website especially Ladies 1s: Wimbledon 2 Horsham 1 th for match reports so please send in your reports so that Saturday 18 October 2014 they can be included on the website for all to keep in Wimbledon travelled away to Horsham this weekend for touch with how all the Club teams are doing. Please a mid-table battle. We all knew this was going to be a send your reports to [email protected] big match for both teams. Wimbledon started there preparation before entering the changing rooms and Mens 1s: East Grinstead 1 Wimbledon 4 carried this straight onto the pitch with a high intensity Wimbledon unleash potential warm up. Everyone’s mind was on one outcome – This Wimbledon side have always had potential. How winning! good to see it realised in a match controlled by two very Wimbledon played some fantastic hockey in the first good umpires. Against top of the table, unbeaten East half, connecting nicely through the midfield with the Grinstead, it was always going to be a challenge. forwards making space up front. The hard work paid off However this Wimbledon side came out with “attitude”. and we were awarded a penalty corner, which was They could have been two up after five minutes and slipped to the post and knocked in by Sophia, 1-0! With East Grinstead were on the back foot and lost their Wimbledon in hold of the momentum we were soon shape. There were chances at both ends but it was no awarded another penalty corner before half time, struck surprise when on 19 minutes Jack Waller, on his debut from the top by Liv with Sophia getting the final touch. appearance this year, followed up to clip a partly saved We were 2-0 up at half time – great! shot over the keeper to open the scoring. The second half was definitely what we expected from a East Grinstead were stung into action and threatened to mid-table battle. Horsham came out hard and put the level the scoring. Following a smart cross from Ashley pressure on us. This pressure played off and Horsham Jackson, Wilson scored from close range on 22 minutes. were awarded with a penalty corner, which they 1-1 at the interval and the game was poised ... but in the converted to take the score to 2-1. The battle continued second half it was Wimbledon who won the only short right up to the final whistle with the score remaining 2-1. corner of the game on 42 minutes. A powerful cross into A victory to Wimbledon taking us 5th in the league. the D was diverted by an East Grinstead defender onto MOM – ‘Hazza’ Harriet Naismith DOD – Sophie his own player and Phil Roper launched the short into the top corner. GU10s Tournament: Wimbledon 4 wins, 3 draws East Grinstead again looked rattled and the pace of and 1 loss - vs Barnes, Old Cranleighans and THD Wimbledon told when two minutes later the ball was swept across the goal for Ali Brogdon to ram home from The girls played out of their socks with the Pink team playing very well indeed. The parents were all fantastic close range. cheering them on too. East Grinstead are still a class act and the Wimbledon defence successfully repulsed attack after attack with Results keeper Bailey in the thick of it, but increasingly East Wimbledon Purples vs Barnes Robins 0-3 (L) Grinstead were open at the back. On 65 minutes, a Wimbledon Purple vs Old Cranleighans 1 0-0 (D) lovely aerial ball from Ben Hawes found Ben Marsden who swept into the D and teed up Henry Weir for the Wimbledon Purple vs Wimbledon Blue 0-0 (D) killer fourth goal. All over. Wimbledon Blues vs Barnes Robins 1-0 (W) The Wimbledon coaches should be commended. They Wimbledon Blues vs Old Cranleighans 1 0-0 (D) have had the job of integrating good new players and on this performance; it certainly looks like it is working. The Wimbledon Pinks vs Barnes Sparrows 4-0 (W) work rate and covering from the team was exemplary Wimbledon Pink vs THD 4-0 (W) and no better illustration was the display of Captain Ben Wimbledon Pink vs Old Cranleighans 2 3-0 (W) Hawes who at centre back was “awesome”. The team were without Hoare, Kinder and Woods but the players Teams: who came in produced first class performances in a Purple – Sophie Hunt, Claudia Beckett, Elin Tousaint, great team effort. Georgina Burnett, Isadora Kennedy, Annabelle Le Roux, “The best I’ve seen a Wimbledon team play in 60 years” Eliza Farrar, Amber Billet, Katarina Oestmann said one mature Wimbledon supporter. That says it all. Blue – Natasha Felt, Hiba Jelassi, Isabel Acratopulo, Team: Bailey (GK), Weir, Osborn, Marsden, Hawes Sophie Kelly, Bianca Sallusti, Lucy Simpson, Millie (Capt), Cerulus, Ball, Brogdon, Roper, Sloan, Hanspal, Levine, Elsie Callen, Isla Simpson Ebbers, Farrant, Sloan, Spencer, Waller Pink – Isobel Smith, Alice Griffin, Ailish Donovan, Isabel Boley, Henrietta Hunt, Grace Taylor, Jess Bryden, Millie Roibinson, Anais de Unger

7 WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX

WHC GU16 Premier 4 Old Loughts 0 taken up great positions in the D. We had half a dozen On Sunday 9th Nov excellent chances to score but our finishing was at times the GU16 Premier hurried, meaning the game finished 2-2 but we deserved squad travelled to to win. Old Loughts in The second match against Surbiton Bs was always Chigwell for our 4th likely to be a tougher test for the boys. Surbiton retained EH Cup match. possession and carried the ball well and despite some After a shaky great saves from our new goal keeper Oliver, pressure opening 10 minutes told and we conceded two quick goals. We responded when our goalie, the well though with some good attacking play through GU13 Kiera Mason Viktor and Oscar with several chances of our own to (Man of the Match) score. We battled hard and counter-attacked well, were saved our bacon with some super saves, we slowly denied scoring chances several times by the opposition started controlling the game. The opening goal by Issy keeper but in the end Surbiton were too strong for us came as great relief. Further goals came from good and finished in a 4-1 defeat. passing in D. Before HT Mia scored 2-0 followed by Georgie and Lynn in the 2nd Half. Mens 1s: Wimbledon 5 Canterbury 0 (Sun 9th Nov) Especially in 2nd Half, our distribution was much All the teams in the hockey premier league have quality improved and we connected well between defence, mid- and Canterbury are no exception. However this field and strikers, creating some super opportunities for Wimbledon side also have quality in depth and it more goals. Well done to all for high work rate and team showed. They should have taken the lead after 5 spirit. minutes as Kwan Browne lost the ball on the 25 and Phil On 15 Feb we will be playing Spencer for the EH Cup. A Roper was bundled to the ground as he was about to win will guarantee qualifying for Regional Quarter finals! shoot. However the penalty stroke awarded was saved Next week 16th November against Surbiton for the and the crowd had to wait until the 17th minute for the League (push back at 12:30). superb opening goal. Steven Ebbers has silky skills. To see them in action at pace is a treat. Picking up the ball near the half way line Boys U12 As and Bs at Surbiton Sunday 9th he glided past three tackles before beating the keeper November: with a well placed reverse stick shot on 32 minutes Phil As promised, a wake-up call for Wimbledon As in their Roper made up for the missed stroke by converting a first match against Surbiton As. Surbiton were short corner. strong, committed and skillful and we were soon 4-1 2-0 at the interval and Wimbledon were comfortably on down. However, to their credit the boys kept their heads top but Canterbury can be dangerous and they came out up, re-grouped and drew the second half 2-2 to end up fighting in the second half. Nevertheless, it was on the wrong side of a credible 6-3 result. Special effectively game over on 49 minutes when Wimbledon praise for the back three, Damien, Robert and Max, who were awarded a second penalty stroke, ably put away by steadied the ship after the panic-stricken first half. As Ben Hawes. Canterbury responded and won a series of ever, when the team does the basics well and the short corners, all well defended until Wimbledon killed passes flow, it is able to compete with any side. We them off with two sharp goals. Phil Roper raced into the should look at this game as the standard by which we D and the keeper didn’t move as the ferocious reverse should judge ourselves. stick shot went between his legs. A minute later a In complete contrast, the second game against Oxted delightful lob from George Farrant released James resulted in an 11-1 victory. The opposition was spirited Osborn who’s first touch sent the ball bobbing into the D for 10 minutes or so, but then a rush of goals for Rafe and his second placed it past the onrushing keeper. and Weiger killed their spirit and the floodgates Wimbledon were the better side and deserved the opened. Jon raided well down the right and produced a victory. There wasn’t the fluency seen at East Grinstead number of telling crosses. Jake supported well and but there was plenty to admire including the energy and Charles drove the team forward as ever. Goal of the closing down work rate of Weir, Sloan and Waller in day goes to Robert for finishing off a flowing move with a midfield. To keep a clean sheet against Canterbury is no wonderful strike on the run from the edge of the circle. mean feat so well done all round. Next week the local derby against Surbiton. More fun! Wimbledon Bs enjoyed mixed results today, despite Team: Bailey (GK), Hoare, Weir, Osborn, Marsden, enjoying some good possession and showing at times a Hawes (Capt), Sloan, Cerulus, Ball, Brogdon, Roper, good degree of flair. Against Surbiton C team, we were Ebbers, Farrant, Kinder, Spencer, Waller. caught cold and quickly went two goals down in the first 5 minutes before we imposed ourselves through solid tackling, hard work in defence via Tom and Joseph . releasing Benjy and Allessio to attack down the wings. We got to the by-line several times and delivered dangerous crosses in for Oscar and Robert who had WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX 8

FESTIVE FUN 6th & 7th December 2014 SATURDAY: 8.45am - 11.45am Junior Squash 9am - 11.30am Junior Tennis 9.15am - 11am Quicksticks Fun Games 9am - 4pm Club Kit Sale 11.30am - 12.45pm Pantomime Jack & the Beanstalk 12.45pm - 3.30pm Father Christmas Midday - 2pm Christmas Carvery 3pm - 6pm Senior Cricket Match 6pm - 7.30pm Wine Tasting 7.30pm Christmas Jumper Party/Quiz

SUNDAY: Midday - 3pm Christmas Lunch 1pm - 4pm Singalong a Scilla

We look forward to welcoming you to our Christmas festivities

9 WHC sponsored by: Hall School Wimbledon, Savanna, NER & STX