This weekend is your last chance to participate in the hockey members survey, please take the time to fill one out at the address below or alternatively ask your captain for a paper copy to complete and return to them or put it in the survey envelope attached to the notice board in the Club, adjacent to the kitchen hatch.

Click here or visit
http://www.d-drive.com/HockeySurvey

Marden Russets 2-3 Mens 1st

A&C first XI travelled 80 miles to Marden (Kent) to face unknown opponents in the National, Hockey England Vase Competition. The early exchanges showed Marden to be a fast side with good skills and close control. However A&C remained composed and began to pass the ball around with speed. It soon became apparent that the combination of Ward and Scott up the right were to be crucial as twice Scott rounded the last defender to set up shooting opportunities, the second of which was calmly clipped away by Cartledge. Strong attack from Heath and Wardman on the left kept the Marden outlets at bay and quick stick work from Chiles and Stevens was controlling the midfield. Only minutes after the first goal Cartledge was awarded and scored a flick and A&C were on a roll. The third goal came as the ball was fizzed around the back by A&C to find Ward wide. His feed left Scott close to the corner flag, but seeing the run of Cartledge picked him to crack home his hat trick.

Half time was a welcome break for Marden who, despite being down, were still fighting. Immediately after the break a quick start saw Marden awarded a flick against a static A&C. The second goal, still within two minutes of the second half came through a slight defensive error and the competition was back on. While the first half had been about A&C attack, the second became about team spirit and composure. James Cremin, on his debut, charged the defensive lines with energy as Ward, Payne and Wardman all played crucial roles. Man of the match Lovelace again saved the team on several occasions at one end, while Watts, Stevens and Chiles at the other harried the Russets defence to take pressure off when possible. With Captain Cartledge back on striking form, this looked like a team with potential, though the final whistle was a relief to all, the second cup weekend in a row, a spirited win, ending a well fought and good spirited cup match.

A&C now face Sutton Valence, at home, in round 4 of the competition on 9th February.

Team: Lovelace, Payne, Wardman, Cremin, Ward, Heath, Chiles, Stevens, Scott, Cartledge, Watts

Karaoke Night

Saturday 25th January 2003 from 7.30pm
Bottle of Champagne for the best team performance!
Tickets: £5

Available NOW from social reps....
Caroline, Goochie, Bruce, Beanie, Fay, Otty, Warren, Bob, Burgey

SCOOP is back (again) - hitting the streets sometime in February. We hope you enjoyed Novembers edition (there are still some behind the bar if you haven't seen one) and that you now have a suitably whetted appetite for muck raking.

If you hear of anything that you think should be included please contact us - we cannot cover all 12 teams. Also, if anyone wishes to write an article or two then please do not hesitate to come forward. Email - andy@watsy.com.

Ladies 5ths Captain Sue Champion has mislaid a small, red rucksack, with "Technetium, rhenium and other metals in nuclear medicine" on the front of it (it was a freebie from a conference, hence the title), full of balls and a first aid kit. It was left at Newlands on 30th Nov after the Ladies 4/5 game (9.30am), and belongs to the Ladies 5s. Has anyone picked it up, or does anyone have any knowledge of who might have got it?

If you have the bag, or any information as to where it may be, please contact Sue Champion, either by email (Sue.Champion@amersham.com) or phone (01442 823508)

Sonning 4-1 Ladies 1st

A&C ladies travelled to Sonning for their last pre-league warm-up game, facing Sonning from the Premier Division. A&C started slowly & were lucky not go 1-0 down in the first minute following a miss-timed back-pass which was picked up by the Sonning attacked for a shot on goal. However the defence were punished just a few minutes later when another errant back-pass found the Sonning striker in space who produced a fine strike to beat the A&C keeper. A&C then started to take more control of the game and there followed a period of even play, with A&C unlucky not to convert any penalty corners. However Sonning scored a second, again when given space to take another fine strike from the edge of the D.

The second half saw A&C, despite being down to 10 through injury, pull back into the game for the first 20 minutes with a penalty corner strike from Cal Tomlinson. However, with failing energy, Sonning pushed forward and A&C conceded 2 more easy goals leaving the final score 4-1 to the home side.

Team: Waugh, Hagan, Watts, Spicer, Bullock, Parker, Tomkinson, Coates, Shaw, Brothwell, Tomlinson, Reape

The ladies second XI won their game against Harlow with a last minute goal by Laura Patterson. Clare Winter had equalised against the run of play in the first-half following Harlow's early goal, but a much improved performance in the second-half saw A&C's greater possession rewarded.