On a bright Saturday, September morning South Berkshire Hockey Club returns to league action for the 7th season.
First up at Cantley Park was the Men’s 4th team against Marlow.
After last year’s outstanding unbeaten season great things were expected of the team. They didn’t let themselves down with a stunning 5-2 victory to start their season off in style.
Next up were the Men’s 2nd team against a very strong-looking Windsor.
Fielding a very young side with a few old boys as well the twos did well to restrict Windsor to just a One -nil lead at halftime. In the second half the power of Windsor was too much for South Berkshire and conceded another two goals, but the youngsters didn’t give up and were rewarded with a goal two minutes from full time to make it 3-1 at the end.
The next game at Cantley Park was the main event of the day
The Men’s first team taking on Milton Keynes for the first time in over three years.
From the kick-off, South Berkshire was the much more dominant side forcing two goal line clearances and a couple of near misses. At the quarter-half mark, South Berkshire was awarded a short corner after some more attacking play in the MK goal area.
Sam Fox Harvey stepped up to inject the ball from the corner spot, his pass was stopped by Ravi Patel allowing Tom King to return the ball to Sam who now was lucking by the goal post. Sam waited for the goalkeeper to go to ground before firing the ball in across the goal into the net to make it 1-0 and to also score South Berkshires’ 200th league goal at home.
The goal stirred Milton Keynes into life and so began a battle for midfield supremacy and lead to an action-packed half of hockey. Two minutes before half time a ball down the right-hand side of South Berkshire defence saw fullback Connor Eatwell take out the Milton Keynes attacker with an Industrial tackle which was penalized by the umpire with a short corner to Milton Keynes.
From the corner, the Milton Keynes attacker slammed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-1 at halftime.
The second half began with Milton Keynes very much on the front foot but with Man of the Match Tom King leading the defence Milton Keynes could not break though, until Milton Keynes was awarded another short corner . This time the Milton Keynes forward shot low and hard to the left which produced an outstanding stand form South Berkshire number one keeper David Baines .
The game turned in the 50th minute when striker Paul Kaplanski picked up the ball and drove into the Milton Keynes D letting fly a shot though a crowd of players and into the net 2-1.
Once again, the goal fired up Milton Keynes who started to throw more players forward to an attempt to draw level, but the South Berkshire defence stood firm.
The game was settled 2 minutes from time when Paul Kaplanski does what he does best and running from just inside the Milton Keynes half and being chased by a defender, rounded the goalkeeper and from a near horizontal position slotted the ball home for 3-1 and a match win .
This game was followed by the lady’s second team against Oxford University.
With 3 goals from Sandra Dodington and a goal each from Edie Harrison and Jenna Moors , Saw the ladies record a fine 5-0 win.
The two other home matches saw a 2-1 win for the men’s 6th team against Sonning and a 0-1 defeat to Amersham for the ladies 4th team.
On the away team front the men’s 3rd scored a great 3-1 win at Banbury after being a goal down , with Tim Durance with 2 and a Stike from James Somers giving them the win.
The Men’s 5th team traveled to Maidenhead and came away 4-0 winners with goals from Peter de Lange 2 and one each from Thomas Ellwood and Greg Bertolino.
The ladies’ 3rd team drew 1-1 away at Marlow.
The best result of the day belonged to the ladies first team away at local rivals Phoenix Reading.
In the first half,goals from Pippa Longfield 2, Anabello Pio 2, and one from Emily Yorke-Goldney saw an unbelievable 5-0 halftime score line. The second half was so what a Quiter affair with just a goal to each side making the final score 6-1 to South Berkshire.
Next week’s games see the men’s 1st at Oxford Hawks, the men’s 2nds go to Newbury,the 3rd team is at home to Amersham,the men’s 4th away at Newbury,the 5th team home to Sonning and the 6th team away at Wycombe.
For the ladies,the 1st team are home to Newbury,the seconds have the long trip to Milton Keynes,the 3rds are home to Oxford Hawks,the 4th away at Yateley with the 5th team at home to Staines.