MBBO Open League Division 5

A&C Mens 4ths have won MBBO League Division 5 2002/2003 season with 3 matches to spare. We have 41 points and the most anyone else can achieve is 40.

A big thank you to the 5th team for beating Rover Oxford 4ths this week to seal it for us so early. With two teams to go up, this result has also kept alive their own promotion aspirations (with a favourable wind and some guts behind it!).

Hockey Club AGM

Please note that the date for the AGM has now been fixed of Friday 16th May 2003 starting at 7.30 pm in the Club House. We'd like to see as many Club Members there as possible as this is your chance to put your views on the Club and how it is run across.

Ladies 1st 2-0 Ladies 2nd

Amersham & Chalfont took on their 2nd team counterparts in a very competitive Trysports Three Counties League encounter on Saturday at Newland Park. The early exchanges were very even and Laura Patterson had the first shot at goal for the 2nd team, which was deflected wide. The 1st team started to enjoy some greater spells of possession but were thwarted by some resolute defending. Annie Brothwell came closest during this spell when put through by Heidi Frick but as she rounded the advancing Tanya Fyffe in goal Janet Velde cleared. The breakthrough came after 21 minutes when the 2nd's were still re-organising, having lost Rosemary Brand through injury, Cal Tomlinson found herself free at the top of the circle and showed good composure in scoring. Just before half-time, Jenny Reape released Tomlinson to bear down on goal but Velde was there again to clear her lines.

The 2nd's started the second-half very brightly with Celia Etchegoyen and Jo Peters prompting some very promising attacks. The 1st's responded and although denied by one fantastic save by Fyffe, Tomlinson struck home her second from a penalty corner after 47 minutes. After this, there were further chances at both ends with both Patterson and Tomlinson again going close but the defences held firm.

1st XI: Williams, Watts, Spicer, Hagan, Parker, Reape, Hewitt, Watson, Tomkinson, Brothwell, Tomlinson. Sub: Frick

2nd XI: Fyffe, Velde, James, Brand, Oddie, Weber, Peters, Etchegoyen, Patterson, Winter, Schelshorn. Sub: Brettle.

Mens 1st 3-5 Mens 2nd

A&C Mens 2nd XI defeated A&C Mens 1st XI at golf on Sunday 5 & 3.

On a mild February Sunday afternoon Martin Cartledge and James Stevens tasted defeat to Duncan Ward and Giles Payne at Weston Turville Golf Course.

The tubby 2's got into their stride early on and found themselves 4 up after 7. The expected bitching between the first XI players failed to materialise and as the tubbies relaxed just before the turn Martin and Trick fought back to win two in a row and be only 2 down at the turn.

This was the closest the 1st XI came to being level and the tubbies found that the added girth and the thought of free food and beer was all the encouragement needed by the tubbies to power them to victory.

Dear All,

We have just confirmed that in conjunction with Oxfordshire and Berkshire Active Sports, we have 6 places available on a Level 2 Coach Award this year. This course will be commencing at the end of March and the names of candidates need to be forwarded for registration during the first week of March. Therefore we need to act on this as a matter of urgency.

THE LEVEL TWO COACH AWARD

* the Level 2 Award is the qualification for those who wish to coach the techniques of the game at a level beyond the introductory level and apply them to tactical play and the coaching of teams.

* the course is only suitable for those over the age of 18 and with experience of coaching hockey.

* in addition to the induction and assessment processes, it is anticipated that the course will involve at least 24 hours of tutored pitch-time and a further 20 hours of practical coaching, some of which will be mentored.

* candidates will have two practical assessments, one with adults and one with children.

* those who achieve the Level 2 Award will be awarded the NVQ Level 2.

* the course must be completed within 2 years of registration.

* those licensed at level 2 will be able to coach the full range of techniques and skills in the modern game and to lead a group of coaches in delivering a programme in a safe and enjoyable way.

* it is recommended that the coaching of junior county teams or adult teams should not normally be undertaken by coaches who have not achieved the Level 2 Award or be actively working towards it.

To express an interest and get further details please contact me on the mobile number below.

Many thanks

Saturday 15th March
Irish night
Tickets on sale £2 (includes Beef in Guinness). Tickets available from Catherine Watson & social reps.

Saturday 26th April 2003
End of season do - Spring Ball
Tickets available from Saturday from Captains, Catherine Watson, Caroline Chipperfield & Helen Kitto. £30 at ticket - includes 3 course meal, music etc. Tickets are limited - first come first served bias.

Saturday 26th April

For all those of you keeping track of events via your Fixture Card this is just a quick note to let you know that Presidents Day has changed from the date originally printed. It will now be held on Saturday 26th April 2003 with the following games scheduled:

12.00 pm - Junior Boys Match
1.00 pm - Men's Team Match
2.30 pm - Junior Girls Match
3.30 pm - Ladies Team Match

We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Bar Opening Times

The club will be open for the following matches of the Cricket World Cup.

Wed Feb 26th - from 6pm
England v India (Day/Night game)

Fri Feb 28th - from 6pm
Sri Lanka v W. Indies (Day/Night game)

Sat Mar 1st - from 1pm
Pakistan v India

Sun Mar 2nd - from 10.30am
Australia v England

Mens 4th 2-0 Harrow

In the absence of our usual captain Bruce, the job was left to Chris Lander to control the team during the game. Our venue was Harrow and revenge in sight after the bottom of the league club had stolen a point during the first half of the season. That game was more notable for a John Finch miss from 20cm (he claims he was drunk).

Finch started for the 4's and within three minutes had his revenge with a bullet of a goal just above the backboard. Harrow stunned, fought back... or rather their umpire did for them. He pulled out a green card seconds later for a challenge from James Lander on one of Harrow's players. We've seen worse in this league and to be fair, it wasn't deserved. Two masterful misses from Chris and one from Henri Etchegoyen kept the score the same. Josh's moment of glory was when he used the back of his stick to tackle a player outside the D. The Harrow umpire, obviously not accustomed to the rules of hockey, gave a penalty flick. Harrow were about to equalize and show us up again... until Keoghan pulled off a fantastic save low and to the right, to keep us in the lead. He was invincible all game. Our umpire then carded James for 'backchat' and left him to contemplate his actions on the sidelines with a yellow. The Harrow umpire then livened up the game by yellow carding Chris and his marker (coincidentally he wouldn't tell why!). They'd had a heated chat and there seemed no grounds for the card as there was no foul or threatening language - just your friendly hockey banter! This turned the game into a 9 vs. 10 situation. Half time came and the team analysed the places where the play was breaking down and how we hadn't converted all our chances.

The second half started like the first half ended - Chris' marker uppercutted him with his stick which earned A&C a short corner and the Harrow player a good talking to. The short corner routines left much to be desired. We were lucky if we even got a pass away. The turning point in the game was when the opposition began to tire and James (with a point to prove) took control from midfield. Superb long range passes created wonderful opportunities for Henri to lob the goalkeeper from the edge of the D and miss the goal by about 3 inches... twice! Unfortunately, the John Finch award for abysmal finishing has to go to Mark Stevenson for missing about 7 one-on-ones. Unhappy with only 13 goals this season I'm sure he'll shine in the next game. The man of the match performance was a close decision with Josh and Mark V solidly controlling the Harrow attack. However, James' rifle shot into the bottom right corner in the second half was enough to polish his brilliant performance. If only everyone played that well after getting yellow carded...

John Finch, not satisfied with his goal, also joined the discipline list as he was yellow carded (along with his marker) for a bit of physical tumbling. Again worse has been seen. This was not enough to hold A&C down as they now had control of the game. The score ended as 2-0. Harrow were not as graceful in defeat as had been expected as there were hardly any handshakes and no cheer from the home team.

Special mentions must go Josh, Mark V, James and Alex for holding the back together. Russell and Tom Hanson on their first outings for the team were greatly appreciated and played an important part in the win. The captaincy is left to Bruce after a match that tripled our whole season's disciplinary record. Best wishes to Harrow next season and I hope they pick themselves up from their relegation.

Team: Keoghan (GK), Josh, Mark V, Russell, A Whayman, J Lander, T Hanson, J Finch, M Stevenson, C Lander, H Etchegoyen

A comment from Bruce Greenwood: the 5ths have done us a great service by beating Rover Oxford 4s 4-2.....Club spirit and all that. It just goes to show that on their day the 5ths can't be that far behind us, they just can't match us for consistency at the moment.

Latest Results

A&C vs. Harlow, won 4-2
(Al Spicer, Sarah Watts, Lynda Bullock, Cal Tomlinson)

A&C vs. Wycombe Rye A, lost 1-4
(Sarah Watts)

Lowlight: A&C getting all confused when Wycombe Rye decided to swap sides on their attacking corner routine, resulting in the 5 outfield defenders running in all (the wrong) directions & conceding probably 2 of the goals in the muddle.

Highlight: S. Watts adopting some interesting ways of rounding defenders, unfortunately ending up in a pile of bodies & losing the ball (you had to see it really to fully appreciate the comedy value!).