You'll have probably noticed by now that we have helpers in the kitchen - Amy and Amy are responsible for running the teas between 11am and 6pm. Please be helpful and considerate to them as they get used to the job.

ALSO PLEASE NOTE, individual teams are still responsible for running the bar as per the rota. The alloted for the evening slot is also responsible for ensuring the kitchen is cleared up following the teas from the final home game of the day. Your captains already have a lot to do so please try and make their life that bit easier by looking at the rota appearing here (for this Saturday and the following Saturday) and making yourself available to help out for at least some of the shift when your team is rostered for duty.

Many thanks - Al Spicer.

Warren Scott - Mens 1st Top Diamond

The mens 1's played Tring on Saturday resulting in a good 3-0 win. Warren Scott was instrumental in this with great passing and "Beckham" like work throughout the game. All his hard work paid off in the end for him as he slotted home the last of the three A&C goals, even though the team still reckon it was an own goal! His best effort of the day though has definitely got to be in the bar where he collected match fees and actually got the money sheet to tally! All in all a great vice captain performance from Scott, which should stand us in great stead for the upcoming games. Oh and all his toys stayed in his pram!

With the forming of a new club last year some traditions may have been lost, some enhanced, and some just simply refused to die. One such peculiarity is the Mens First XI fines sessions.

Each week, post match, the team groups together to "bond". A fine is awarded, through the Chairman, to each player for any notable events in the last week. These are sometimes Hockey related, but more often than not, with the likes of Trickster in the side, are based on quotes or quips. There are standard fines each week, Buddy losing kit, Warren and his Nike-Air-Jerusalems, Cadfael (Andy Pearce) for looking like a monk,..... Fines for good play, fines for bad play, fines for scoring, fines for missing (we get a lot of them!). Clean sheets, losing, winning, being Captain, being sub, being late, too early, getting lost, having bad habits (on and off the pitch), being blonde, ginger, bald, bald and ginger (Don't ask!). Fines are neither fair, well thought out or refutable.

The session is in a closed group, no phones, no chatting outside the group, no standing or leaving the group - all these are finable. Starting at £2 and capped at £10, plenty of money enters the kitty each week. Does it work? Work for what? It makes a big beer kitty and creates a great night out every so often. Of course it works!

This week we feature team defence. We look at the top five defences in the club based on games played and goals conceded (GAA = Goals Against Average).

Curry & Fireworks - Sat 2nd Nov from 7pm
Tickets (includes food & fireworks!) £10 each, family ticket £20 (2 adults & 2 children under 12). Tickets available from your hockey team social rep eg. Warren, Otty, Fay, Goochie, Kate, Bob, Caroline Chip or Mike Burge (cricket)

Quiz Night - Sat 23rd Nov - 7.30pm
WANTED - 20 teams of 6 people - cost £60/team includes fish & chip supper! If you are interested in getting a team together please email carolinechipperfield@hotmail.com. Cricket have got 4 tables ........ see Mike Burge.

Eastcote 1A 1-2 Amersham & Chalfont

Having a Saturday off from league action, Amersham & Chalfont won a hard fought encounter against a strong Eastcote side. Helen Waugh was called upon to make two good saves before A&C took the lead after 8 minutes. A quick sideline hit in her own half by Lynda Bullock, to Rachel Parker, soon set Caroline Coates on a drive up the pitch before passing to Katy Shaw who drew the goalie and slipped the ball to Annie Brothwell to finish off.

Eastcote were level within 2 minutes from a slick penalty corner routine. Waugh was forced to make three more sharp saves in the first-half and Jacqui Smith made a timely block of a goalbound shot. At the other end, Katie Boughen and Sarah Cartledge both went close.

After the break, Eastcote applied almost constant pressure with a series of penalty corners. However, some resolute defending and fine goalkeeping from Waugh kept the hosts at bay. With just a minute left, Parker broke out of defence and fed Coates who played a quick one-two with Brothwell before scoring the winner.

Team: Waugh; Watts, Spicer; Smith, Parker, Bullock; Tomkinson, Boughen, Coates; Brothwell, Shaw; Sub: Hagan, Cartledge.

Amersham & Chalfont 2/3 3-3 Abingdon 1

The seconds played out a thrilling 3-3 draw away to Abingdon. Jo Peters put A&C ahead before two quick goals saw Abingdon take the lead. Laura Patterson equalised before half-time. Mid-way through the second-half, Abingdon took the lead again but A&C continued to press forward playing some neat hockey and Erika Schelshorn earned the team a deserved draw with 4 minutes left. There was still time for Schelshorn to nearly win the match, and unlucky not to at least win a penalty stroke, when her sweep hit a defender in front of the goal.

Meadhurst 1-2 Mixed

Bolstered by the return of left wing Catherine Watson, but lacking an eleventh player, the mixed team travelled to Meadhurst. A grass pitch could not deter the teams passing game, as Annie Brothwell took control of the central midfield to run a game of close control. Despite a secure defence of Turner, Kitto and Arthurton on which the attack were able to build down either wing, the team took time to find a gap, and it wasn't until Fay Rider and Nick Wilson combined with a series of passes down the right that a ball was fed through a bewildered defence for Scott to flick home the opener.

The second half was dominated by A&C, with Heidi James feeding Watson to mount attack after attack. Only some outstanding keeping denied an early second. Eventually a rebounded short corner was slipped to Scott for his second of the match. A frantic last five followed after a long ball skipped through to the opposition centre forward who drilled the ball past a diving keeper. Chris Paine in goal then made a last minute full diving save to hold a deserved win for the 10 A&C players.