Mixed B Team Fly the Flag for Berkshire
South Berkshire Hockey Club finally returned to competitive action at the weekend after the Christmas break, although freezing conditions across Berkshire meant that much of the scheduled programme was severely disrupted.
An overnight frost rendered the Cantley pitch unplayable on Saturday morning, leading to the postponement of the Ladies’ First XI fixture against Aldershot. The cold weather continued to take its toll as the Men’s First XI Premier Division clash with Amersham was also called off shortly before push-back, while the Over 60s’ match against Havant suffered the same fate.
The only senior men’s sides to see any action on Saturday were the Second, Third and Fourth XIs, who travelled to Wycombe for a series of friendly fixtures. A combined Berkshire 2nd, 3rd and 4th XI recorded a victory over a Wycombe side made up of their 3rd and 4th teams, while the Men’s Second XI were involved in an entertaining 4–4 draw against a combined Wycombe First and Second XI.
With temperatures rising overnight, Sunday morning brought welcome relief as the frozen Cantley surface thawed sufficiently to allow the Mixed B team’s Hockey England Trophy tie against Basingstoke to go ahead.
Berkshire fielded a side drawn largely from the Men’s and Ladies’ Second XIs, supplemented by a small number of players from the Third teams. From the opening whistle, the home side played with energy and intent, moving the ball well and looking the more likely to open the scoring in a match played in excellent spirit by both sides.
Despite Berkshire’s early pressure, the first quarter ended goalless, with Basingstoke defending stubbornly and both teams adjusting to the heavy surface. The breakthrough came just two minutes into the second quarter when Sam Pillar showed great anticipation to rob a Basingstoke defender on the 23-yard line. Pillar drove powerfully into the circle, rounded the goalkeeper, and slid the ball into the net from a tight angle to give Berkshire a deserved 1–0 lead.
Basingstoke responded with a sustained spell of pressure, forcing veteran Berkshire goalkeeper David Baines into a series of important saves as the visitors sought an equaliser. However, Berkshire extended their advantage in the 23rd minute when Alex Sykes capitalised on a well-worked attacking move, deflecting the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 2–0.
Just before the interval, Basingstoke found a way back into the contest. Erin Chambers found space inside the circle and finished calmly to reduce the deficit to 2–1 at half-time, ensuring the match remained finely balanced.
Weather conditions worsened after the break, with light rain swirling around Cantley in an increasingly strong and unpredictable wind. Ten minutes into the second half, Basingstoke levelled the scores when Lucas Chambers struck from close range after a period of sustained pressure, making it 2–2.
As the pitch became more slippery, the match opened up, with both sides committing players forward. Berkshire regained the lead on 59 minutes after being awarded a penalty stroke following a foul in the circle. Neil Bennett showed great composure to slot the stroke home and restore Berkshire’s advantage. Bennett was at it again just five minutes later, firing an unstoppable shot from the edge of the D to extend the lead to 4–2.
Basingstoke refused to concede defeat and were rewarded for their persistence when Harriet Sage scored with five minutes remaining to set up a tense finish. However, Berkshire managed the closing stages with discipline and composure, retaining possession and running down the clock to secure a hard-fought 4–3 victory.
The win sends Berkshire through to the next round of the Hockey England Trophy, where they face a challenging away tie against Woking on 25 January. On the same day, the Mixed A team will be in action at home to Horsham.
