E-MAIL ADDRESS UPDATE

Under the Data Protection Act it is our responsibility to ensure the information we hold on file is up to date. Having recently undertaken a review of the newsletter distribution list, the decision has been taken to remove a number of people currently receiving the newsletter. If you have been receiving the newsletter and it stops after this week it may be that we have removed your address in error. If you would like to be added back onto the newsletter distribution list please contact Zoë Scott at zoe.scott@ntlworld.com.

CANNONS LOGO ONE MONTH'S FAMILY PASS

These vouchers are still available for £10. They are for a one-month family pass worth £110 (2 adults and 2 children) at Cannons Health Club in Stoke Poges.

These vouchers are valid until 31/12/05 and limited to one per family. Cannons have given us the vouchers to sell to help raise funds for the Sports Club and of course, promote their health club.

Swimming Pool, Gym, Fitness Classes, Café Bar, Crèche

For more information please contact Caroline on 07887 675310 or at carolinechipperfield@hotmail.com.

Thank you to the following that umpired for us last weekend:

END OF SEASON DINNER

Chalfont Park Softball Club held its second annual end of season dinner last Saturday at the club. Following an excellent three course meal from the new caterers, the following awards were presented:

Flames Leading Walker - Sara Daughtrey
Flames RBI Leader - James Heath
Flames Home Run Leader - James Heath
Flames Leading Batting Percentage - Chris Snelling

Flames Male Most Valuable Player - Chris Snelling
Flames Female Most Valuable Player - Sara Daughtrey

Phoenix Leading Walker - Sarah Wood
Phoenix RBI Leader - Chris Paine
Phoenix Home Run Leader - Tony Hewston
Phoenix Leading Batting Percentage - Chris Blamey

Phoenix Male Most Valuable Player - Chris Blamey
Phoenix Female Most Valuable Player - Carol Dapogny

Club Most Improved Male - Simon Beedell
Club Most Improved Female - Clare Winter

CUP FINALS DAY

Chalfont Park Flames play their last softball of the season this Sunday at the league Cup Finals Day. The Cup is played between teams from the Windsor League and the Greater London League and Flames are the only Windsor League team remaining in the Division 3 Cup. They are matched against MI6 from Wandsworth in their semi-final at lunchtime with hopefully to the final to follow later on in the day.

A very young B team playing their first night in the top league produced a quality display of Indoor hockey on Monday night to record a fine start to the season.

Starting with only 5 players against Wycombe Rye A, last seasons runners-up, the team defended superbly as a unit with Lou Hagan doing a huge amount of covering in the middle of the pitch. After going a goal behind some good passing movements starting from Erin at LB created a number of corners, and much to Wycombe's frustration a slick conversion by Erin pulled A&C level.

Up to a full team for the second half, A&C matched their vastly more experienced opponents and took the lead midway through the half. Despite creating a number of further chances Wycombe managed to build up the pressure as time ran down, but it looked like Helen Marsden would keep everything out, only to be beaten in the last second (literally) by a little deflection from close range that trickled into the goal. But a 2-2 draw was a great result.

And in the second game the team went from strength to strength. With Sarah Cowley settling into the Indoor game and mixing passing and running from right back, A&C enjoyed plenty of possession and created a number of corners. The lead was gained, only for Sonning to equalise before half time, but A&C were in much more control in this match. And in the second half Lorna and Emma up front started to cause the Sonning defence lots of problems, and pressure was eventually converted into an open play goal for Emma, after the ball got lost behind the keeper, and another corner conversion from Erin to seal the win by 3-1.

A great performance from three 15 year olds, Sarah playing her first Indoor matches, and the two veterans Emma and Lou (sorry Em, couldn't resist - it happens to us all!).

This week saw the Ladies 2's in action against West Witney at Newlands. The game started well with A&C dominating the game and pinning West Witney into their defensive 25. Unfortunately, several shots on goal during this period either hit the posts, went wide or exacted excellent saves from the West Witney keeper. Undeterred A&C continued to attack, and after 20-odd minutes A&C scored their first goal when Al Spicer laid the ball off to Sara Daughtrey in front of the P spot who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the goal.

A&C managed to avoid the Henman-esque wobble that plagued them on occasion last season and continued to put West Witney under pressure. Shortly after the restart A&C won a short corner which led to their second goal of the game - Jo Peters slipping the ball to Sue Donaldson on the right who found Sara Daughtrey on the post waiting to push the ball past the keeper once again.

Towards the end of the first half West Witney came back at A&C and won a series of short corners one after the other. A&C defence kept their heads and did well to keep the ball out of the goal with several shots saved by Helen Marsden, and another stopped on the line by Lou Hagan.

A&C were unlucky to have their third goal of the game disallowed just before half-time when Sara Daughtrey took Kate Campbell's shot that had rebounded off the crossbar and smacked it into the back of the goal, the original shot from Kate being deemed to be dangerous.

The second half was evenly matched and saw A&C linking up well across the whole of the pitch - Alice Madden in particular put in some penetrating runs up the right wing to take the pressure off the A&C defence. Sara Daughtrey finally got her well-deserved hat-trick (must have been the new astros!) with a reverse stick swipe at the ball from a free hit outside the D after 43 minutes. However, A&C were not to have it all their own way, and mid-way through the second-half West Witney scored their only goal of the game after a quick break in mid-field left a tired A&C scrabbling to get back to defend.

I must say that after last weeks game, the first in a new league for this side, I was impressed how they seemed to take it all in their stride and give Wycombe a good run for their money. Some would say a little unlucky to loose 2-1 but that's the game of hockey for you.

This week saw a new challenge, a much harder one. The team talk revolved around self belief, as well as people getting fined for numerous offences. We hit the first snag five minutes from the start when our goalie still had not arrived. In her defence, she was doubling up and doing some low flying back from Milton Keynes. Up stepped Sally Maxted, a new comer to the club to don the helmet and gloves kindly leant to us by the men's 2's keeper. Well we got off to a flyer with a good break down the middle taking the ball wide left for Elaine Hunter to slot in her first of the season. Bicester fought back strongly, winning a short corner and getting a shot in at goal. However Sally stepped forward and with no padding booted the ball back at them (how is the bruise?). Sarah Wood then arrived and took her place, unfortunately her first part in the game was picking the ball up from her goal as Bicester scored, 1-1.

The first half was evenly matched with both sides getting good breaks, yet we all had the feeling that A&C were getting stronger and with a couple of minutes left in the first half Rachel Dunning found some space in the D to make it 2-1.
After the break and with the self belief starting to ooze from each player, A&C started to dominate. Another two good goals by Louise Stockdale and then a straight strike from Janet Carter from a penalty corner saw us take the game 5-1.

A really good all round performance by each team member who gave 100% from start to finish.

Team: Sarah Wood, Val Cremin, Fay Rider, Gillian Brewer, Helen Johnston, Elaine Hunter, Janet Carter, Louise Stockdale, Sally Maxted, Gabby Bugg, Rachel Dunning, Kate Hext, Sarah Watts.

Team: Fyffe; Watson; Brothwell, Parker, Ferguson; Cowley, Ruxton, Fermor, Durkin; Coates, Cartledge; Sub. L. Dunning

A&C came up against a tough tackling experienced Bracknell side on Saturday and struggled to break them down in their Trysports Three Counties League encounter at Newland Park.

Caroline Coates nearly put A&C ahead in the first few minutes following a quick free hit but she was denied by the keeper. Bracknell looked the more likely to score in the first half especially from their penalty corners. A&C managed to break into the Bracknell circle but the closest they came was from Lorna Dunning who shot just wide after good work by Erin Ruxton.

In the second-half, A&C's passing improved and they enjoyed greater spells of possession although Bracknell still created several opportunities. A fine run by Ruxton at the start of the half found the Bracknell defence back pedalling as she just failed to put Coates through on goal.

Annie Brothwell then produced the first of two fine stops on her goal-line from penalty corner strikes and Tanya Fyffe made a couple of excellent saves in one-on-one situations. Brothwell was then the instigator in a couple of A&C's better attacking moves. Firstly a driving run and cross which just evaded the forwards. Then a quick free-hit set up Sarah Cartledge whose shot was saved and Natalie Durkin's follow up went wide.

Bracknell took the lead, slightly against the run of play, with a quick counter-attack after 57 minutes. To A&C's credit, they did not panic and just pressed their visitors back and got a deserved equaliser 3 minutes later when Durkin scored from a penalty corner to share the points.

On Sunday, A&C were unlucky to lose 2-1 in the 1st Round of the Women's Cup at home to Teddington from a higher division. They enjoyed good spells of possession and took the lead through Brothwell's 48th minute strike but two goals in the last 7 minutes sealed their fate.

TESCOS VOUCHERS

If you shop in Tesco or buy your petrol there, please save the green sports for schools and clubs vouchers that they offer you. We have registered the junior section of our club with Tesco and the more vouchers we collect, the more free kit we can get for our growing (100+) junior section.