Encouraging Results for U16s1

EH Junior Championships 2019 / 20 – Girls 16s Tier 2 – Division 9

Matches 1 and 2 – at Woking HC, Sunday 17th November 2019

Rathbones Jersey Hockey’s U16s Girls started their 2019/2020 campaign hoping to progress out of the group stage for the first time.  The team were a mix of players involved last year and those new to the squad and some who have never been away before. 

The Rathbones Jersey Girls won one and lost one but applied high intensity throughout. 

Epsom 2, Rathbones Jersey 3

In the first match Jersey started with a good tempo, keeping the ball and passing it around the team until opportunities opened and Jersey showed their decisiveness in the opponents circle. Epsom did not seem ready for the pace of the game and soon the coach was calling into question the choice of kit colours for both teams!  These tactics only served to provide the Jersey side with greater fight.

After 10 minutes a decisive run down the right hand side from Chloe Lagadu saw her find Sophie Davies in the circle, a reverse stick shot from Davies deservedly put the visitors one nil up. This was swiftly followed five minutes later by a well worked short corner resulting in an Izzy Heelis strike.

With Jersey firmly in control, they soon became the architects of their own downfall when the Jersey defence spotted an infringement inside their own D on one of the rare Epsom attacks. They all stopped, waiting for the whistle whilst an Epsom forward continued to play and scored a soft goal to punish the onlookers. Five minutes later it was all level following another Epsom attack which resulted in a close range effort finding its way in at the near post.

In the second half the Epsom side came out a lot livelier and play was much more balanced. Some solid defending from Holly Stearn and Katie Doyle rarely saw Jersey's goal under threat and soon the incisive runs from Roisin Flynn made a difference when, with five minutes to go, Sophie Davies scored her second and Jersey’s third with a well taken reverse stick shot. 

Rathbones Jersey 0, Woking 3

Jersey had to start this game within 15 minutes of the end of the previous game. Whilst that meant they were fresh off the back of a win, the physical impact would make a difference. 

Woking started brightly and made plenty of attacks into the Jersey circle.  However, strong defending across the line including from Katie Wetherall and Phoebe Gorman meant Jersey kept Woking at bay. Woking proved particularly strong down the right hand side and if it wasn’t for a fantastic performance by Clemmie Carnegie in goal Jersey would have already conceded but with a minute to half-time it remained 0-0 and Jersey looked dangerous on the break away.

A short corner conceded right on half-time led to the first goal with a crisply struck shot deflected in by a Woking winger.

The second half started a similar way but Izzy Heelis always looked a threat.  With legs tiring the pace of the game was suiting the opponents better.  Jersey took a couple of attacks into the circle having slightly changed the formation to bring Chloe Lagadu and Liv Maryon into midfield but with a more attack minded formation Jersey were left exposed and Woking's second goal came with just under 10 minutes to go and the third was decisive with only four minutes left on the clock with Jersey's legs very stretched as we went for a goal. 

Jersey Hockey is generously supported by Rathbones and Walkers.

Rathbones Jersey girls U16s Squad to Woking, 2019/2020:

Coaches comments

David Stearn:

“The girls did really well as a start to this campaign.The intensity and speed of play shown, particularly in the first match, was impressive and would likely have beaten many teams. 

All the U16 girls teams involved on Sunday ended up with three points so we have every chance to build on our strong start when we next meet opposition on the 2nd February. The girls are a great squad and have gelled well. They bring each other lots of qualities other than just the game of hockey and are motivated to work on the small margins of improvement to bring back maximum points.”

EH Junior Championships 2019 / 20 – Boys U16s Tier 2 – Division 7

Matches 1 and 2 – at Reigate Priory HC, Sunday 17thNovember 2019

Rathbone Jersey Hockey’s U16s Boys started their 2019/2020 campaign in defence of their National (Playoff) win from last season. Many of the boys had been of that victorious squad and the team headed off to Reigate Priory for Group 7 matches against the hosts and Trojans from Southampton

The Rathbones Jersey Boys won both games, one more comfortably than the other, despite dominating both matches for long periods. The winning margins from the two games would have been higher if not for some wonderful saves by the opposing goal keepers.

Reigate Priory 2, Rathbones Jersey 3

In the first match against a useful Reigate Priory side, Jersey had almost all of the play in the first half and created many chances along with some penalty corners, with the Reigate Priory keeper making some amazing saves.  The Jersey midfield of Blake MacRae, Jake Thomas and Rusden Merritt, supported by wing back Freddie Pollard, were dominating possession and causing problems for the Reigate Priory defence.  Two of those opportunities, however, were put away by striker Ethan Toudic, who reacted quickest in the D each time to force the ball home from close range.

Jersey were three up not long into the second half when left attack Dylan Dunphy finished well after good work by Toudic and Jersey captain Ned Crosby, who was acting as a very strong link between defence and attack in both matches.  But then, for no apparent reason, the Jersey boys stopped playing with the same intensity and allowed Reigate Priory back into the match.  A quick break eventually won the hosts a penalty flick, which was despatched high and firmly into the roof of the net giving Jersey keeper Josh Le Maistre no chance.

Sensing a comeback, Reigate Priory pushed forward and they started to create chances, two of which were well saved by Le Maistre.  Jersey’s defenders Robin Carnegie, Harvey Pallent, Oli Flemmer, Tom Healy and Robbie Mossop were working hard to repel the attacks but with five minutes remaining Jersey’s lead was down to one goal after Reigate Priory’s influential midfielder finished well with a raised reverse-stick shot.  There were a couple more tense moments but Jersey defended well and held on for the overall deserved victory.

Rathbones Jersey 8, Trojans B 0

After a short break Jersey took to the field against a young Trojans squad.  After a somewhat nervous opening five minutes, Jersey eventually settled and won a penalty flick but the effort was saved.  That actually seemed to spark the Caesareans into action and with swift and accurate passing and movement found themselves three goals in the lead in a short space of time.

Right attack Charlie Reid scored the first from open play, followed quickly by a solo effort from the tireless MacRae and the third goal was a beauty.  Toudic blasted into the Trojans D, to be confronted by the tall Trojans keeper. At pace, Toudic lifted the ball over the keeper towards the far post, where Reid buried the ball home with an overhead smash.  Just before halftime, Reid completed his hat-trick with a first-time slap from a decisive through ball from inside-forward Thomas.

The young Trojans side knew they were well beaten but they never gave up.  The second half saw many Jersey chances and four more goals.  Such was the dominance that Jersey’ keeper Le Maistre did not touch the ball for the whole game.  Jersey’s fifth goal came from a powerful strike at the top of the D from Dunphy, before left wing-back Mossop, who was bossing the Trojans’ right wing, went on a mazy run towards their circle, then releasing an intelligent ball across the Trojans keeper for a tap in from Pollard.  The final two goals came from good work in the Reigate D well finished by Flemmer and Dunphy’s second of the game with a firm slap, which wrong-footed the keeper at the near post.

Attention now turns to the next match against old foes Guernsey on 1stDecember, which also acts as a double-header as the annual U16s InterInsular.  Rathbones Jersey will be very keen to retain the Trophy, as well as picking up another 3 points to secure their qualification into the South of England Area Championships in March.

Jersey Hockey is generously supported by Rathbones and Walkers.

Rathbones Jersey Boys U16s Squad to Reigate Priory, 2019/2020:

Coaches comments

Bill Aston:

“The boys did really well as a start to this campaign.  For almost all of each match they played good exciting hockey and carried out the plan that we have been working on.

They dominated both games and showed if they continue to grow their hockey, gain confidence and train well they are a good squad that can achieve much.”

Dom Pallot:

“Two good wins to start this season’s campaign, although one finished much too close for comfort after dominating the match and nearly letting slip a three-goal lead.  This squad has so much pace and ability that creating chances will not be a problem.

We need to work on converting possession and opportunities into more goals so that we can close out matches with no scares.  We will also improve the boys’ decision-making, in order to maintain intensity.

We are really looking forward to the next match against Guernsey and then to finish the group stage of the Englsih Club Championships in February.”