The match was hosted by Chelmsford HC, and with driving rain for most of the trip round the M25 it looked as though the conditions would be less than ideal. However the cloudy weather soon cleared and with a 12.15 start the sun was on its way out and it was a hot and humid start to the match.

Reading started well but it was Cannock who had the first chance of the day from a short corner, however Kirsty Reeman was on hand on the post to deflect the shot away from danger.
As Reading began to settle into the game they moved the ball around well and began to play some good hockey.

They were forced to rearrange when full back Fran Feather lost her footing on the slippery pitch and twisted her knee causing her to leave the pitch for treatment, but the team did well not to let this break their stride and began to pile the pressure onto Cannock with a string of short corners.

Reading narrowly missed out converting these corners, as they first saw the ball go just wide of the left post after a faint touch from a Cannock stick. This was followed by a narrow miss on the other post, and a further chance was scrambled away by the Cannock defence.

The midfield trio of Lauren Woodwiss, Alison Pope and Alex Marshall did a good job to link up play between the defence and forwards, and a flowing move up the pitch led to Reading breaking the deadlock when Hayley Munt received the ball at the top of the D. She hit an unstoppable shot right into the corner of the goal, and it was 1-0 to Reading.

Nicky West, Chiara Clarke and Hayley Munt all continued to put pressure on the Cannock D and the lead was doubled just prior to the half time whistle when Nicky West latched onto a loose ball to chip it past the Cannock keeper into the net.

Reading expected Cannock to come out hard after half time and they did, leaving Reading with not much time on the ball, but Reading were able to maintain their momentum for the early part of the half.

This was enough to extend their lead, with a move that started with a ball played out of defence by Amy Sanders. Her pass up the line ended up on the stick of Chloe Lyons who drove forward and then along the baseline before playing the ball to the waiting Nicky West, who coolly dispatched it past the Cannock defence and keeper for her 2nd and Readings 3rd goal.

Briony Anyon nearly created another goal as some good skills on the left took her away from the Cannock players. She played a pass through towards the far post where West dived at full stretch, but she couldn’t quite reach, and so it was still 3-0 with 10 minutes remaining.

With Kirsty Reeman making some reverse stick tackles on the left and full backs Fran Feather and Rachael Marriott mopping up in the middle Reading looked to be safe, but a lapse in concentration meant they failed to set properly against a Cannock hit out, and the resulting break led to a goal for Cannock.

This seemed to throw Reading and with Cannock piling on the pressure and fighting back they scored a second when they scrambled a short corner over the line.

This left Reading with a single goal lead, at 3-2, but they held on for a tense last few minutes to secure the win and become 2XI Cup Winners for the first time.

TEAM – Grace Lawes, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Fran Feather, Amy Sanders, Lauren Woodwiss, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Nicky West, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Briony Anyon, Chiara Clarke

DINNER OF CHAMPIONS – Pie!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK – “I’m going to eat my Pain au Chocolat now so that when I arrive I can just drink my Lucozade Sport and look like an athlete”! (Captain Alison Pope, on the car journey to the match)
SUPPORTERS – Parents Reeman, Anyon, Feather, and Lyons, just about the whole of Badgers family, Karen, Lucy, Karen, Allum, Mel and Aunty Kath.

Thanks you very much! (Plus anyone I have missed off, sorry!)

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
ENGLAND HOCKEY 2XI CUP FINAL
Date – 25/04/10
Opposition – Cannock 2’s
Result – Won 3-2
Scorers – Hayley Munt, Nicola West x 2

It wasn’t long before Epsom did score though, to give the home side the advantage in the 11th minute.
With Reading starting to settle into the game and take more control it wasn’t long before the equaliser came. Rachael Marriott played a ball out of defence that was picked up by Chloe Lyons who was able to drive forward and pass to Hayley Munt, who finished well.

The score remained at 1-1 until half time, though Amy Bryant nearly gave Reading the lead immediately after the restart, but her reverse stick attempt went wide.

Reading only had to wait 5 minutes to take the lead when Hayley Munt scored her second of the day in the 40th minute. Alison Pope drove towards the D, and proving that training wasn’t a waste of time she played a reverse sweep pass to Chiara Clarke in the D. Clarkes shot was wasn’t was wasn’t might have been going wide but Munt made sure and took the final touch that sent the ball over the line.

With Reading attacking well and also limiting Epsoms chances the 1a’s were able to maintain control of the game, and they finished off with a 3rd goal 10 minutes from time, with Chloe Lyons adding her name to the scoresheet.
League leaders Surbiton could only manage a draw with Harrow, meaning that second placed Reading have narrowed the gap to just a single point ahead of next weeks final set of fixtures. Surbiton host Oxford Hawks, whist Harrow will travel to Sonning Lane to play Reading.

This exciting conclusion to the league season will then lead into an extra month of hockey for the 1a’s as they prepare for their England Hockey 2XI Cup final on 25th April.

TEAM – Mel Insall, Amy Bryant, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Amy Sanders, Alice Margerison, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Nicky West, Fran Feather, Briony Anyon, Chiara Clarke

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 20/03/10

Opposition – Epsom 1’s

Result – Won 3-1

Scorers – Hayley Munt x 2, Chloe Lyons

With Alison Pope taking a battering in midfield the team was able to push forward and they were rewarded with an opening goal from Chiara Clarke.

Trojans however fought back and levelled the score at 1-1 despite Reading having played the better hockey.
The lead was restored for the home side shortly before half time when Alison Pope used the self-pass from a free hit to drive into the D. With the defenders wrong footed she carried on forwards and popped the ball through the Trojans keeper to make it 2-1.

Trojans again fought back after half time and it was soon all square at 2-2. Trojans had 2 chances to take the lead as the forced themselves forward, but Reading were kept in the game twice, first with a last ditch diving tackle from Fran Feather, and secondly with a goal line clearance from Kirsty Reeman defending a short corner on the post.

Up at the other end Reeman had a chance of her own but her fierce short corner strike deflected off the inside of the post, and with the ball deflecting sideways across the goal line her celebrations proved to be premature.

Reading soon began to take control again and a flowing move up the right side of the pitch left Amy Sanders to deliver a ball in towards the goal where Nicky West touched it home to add to her league goal the previous day.

With time ticking down Chloe Lyons looked to be through with a free shot on goal but a Trojans defender took her down and the umpire awarded a penalty to Reading.

Captain Alison Pope stepped up to do the honours and in her head scored with a lethal rocket of a flick, low and to the right. The reality of a bobbly push through the keepers legs was somewhat different, but they all count and she could be happy with a job well done, adding her second of the day and leaving Reading 4-2 winners.

Reading will take on Cannock 2’s in the final, to be played on Sunday 25th April at Chelmsford Hockey Club.

TEAM – Grace Lawes, Helen Ritchie, Kirsty Reeman, Fran Feather, Amy Sanders, Alice Margerison, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Chloe Lyons, Nicky West, Chiara Clarke, Briony Anyon

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 07/03/10

Opposition – Trojans 2’s

Result – Won 4-2

Scorers – Alison Pope x 2, Chiara Clarke, Nicky West

Reading maintained the early possession, though took a while to completely settle into the game, taking until the 22nd minute to turn the pressure into a first goal thanks to Nicky West.

Just 10 minutes later West was then involved in the 2nd goal as she received a hit out from Kirsty Reeman high on the sideline. West was able to drive forward and pass onto Chloe Lyons in the D, who smashed a rocket of a shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

With Lyons keeping well involved she was soon able to add her second goal to give Reading a 3-0 lead.
Alice Margerison was unlucky not to extend the lead when she saw her lifted shot saved by the Rover Oxford keeper, though it fell back to her for a second go, but this time unluckily the ball took a deflection off the crossbar meaning that the 1a’s stayed at 3-0 up going into half time.

With Reading well in control the 2nd half proved to be a good opportunity to keep hold of the ball and to build on moving it around and building up play.

They found much success in switching the ball around the back 4 and working up the sides of the pitch and gave the spectators a display of flowing moves and some good skills.
Short corners however were not going quite to plan, but despite one breaking down the resulting improvised routine was good enough to score, with Chloe Lyons notching up her hat-trick for the day.

Reading rounded off with a 5th goal in the last minute of the game. The call from captain Alison Pope was enough to prompt Amy Bryant to drive forward herself from a free hit near the edge of the D. With space to play in she combined in a neat passing move with Liana Smith. Bryant received the ball back in the middle of the D and dispatched it past the keeper, to finish the game at 5-0 to Reading.

TEAM – Mel Insall, Amy Bryant, Kirsty Reeman, Fran Feather, Amy Sanders, Liana Smith, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Nicky West, Alice Margerison, Chiara Clarke

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 06/03/10

Opposition – Rover Oxford 1’s

Result – Won 5-0

Scorers – Chloe Lyons x 3, Nicky West, Amy Bryant

Before Christmas Surbiton had beaten Reading 6-5 in thrilling encounter and so the repeat fixture had the makings of an exciting match up.

Reading had a fine start to the match and took the early control. With half backs Amy Bryant and Alice Margerison having space up the flanks Reading were able to build play up the pitch but Surbiton thwarted any real chances.

Reading broke through in the 12th minute when a penalty corner led to a Chiara Clarke goal and a 1-0 lead for Reading.

With Nicky West working hard to cover the middle of the pitch and fellow forwards Hayley Munt and Chloe Lyons pressing well Reading were able to apply pressure to the Surbiton defence. However they were more adapt in dealing with the press than many of the other teams that Reading have faced this season leading to an exciting competitive match in the middle areas of the pitch.
Surbiton had some pressure of their own before half time, but with Reading keeper Mel Insall in form, and Kirsty Reeman saving off the line from both open play and a corner Reading took a 1-0 lead going into the half time break.

The second half again started evenly and Reading looked like they would hold onto the league but Surbiton began to force their way back into the game and with little more than 10 minutes remaining they managed to score 2 goals in quick succession and take a 2-1 lead. Despite the best efforts of the 1a’s Surbiton maintained the lead until the final whistle.

Whilst disappointed to have lost Reading can be pleased with the level of hockey that they played in this match, a game which would not have looked out of place in one of the EHL conferences, inevitably where Surbiton will see themselves playing next season. Reading can still mathematically win the league title but with the 1’s already in the EHL the 1a’s would be ineligible for promotion.
TEAM – Mel Insall, Amy Bryant, Kirsty Reeman, Fran Feather, Alice Margerison, Liana Smith, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Nicky West, Amy Sanders, Rachael Marriott, Chiara Clarke

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 20/02/10

Opposition – Surbiton 1’s

Result – Lost 2-1

Scorer – Chiara Clarke

COACH – Paul Turk

Arctic conditions had to be endured a little longer than expected as confusion with the umpires saw them arriving at Sonning Lane when the game was in fact at the Uni this week.

So following a slight delay to proceedings while the umpires got to the right pitch the game got underway, but Reading were left wondering whether they themselves had actually arrived after conceding in the first 2 minutes.

Reading found their feet after the early set back, but the majority of the first half was fairly even with only 1 real chance for each team.

Havant nearly extended their lead when Helen Ritchie tackled a Havant forward who then hit the deck, seemingly without contact from Ritchie, but the umpire thought different and awarded a penalty stroke. Reading keeper Sarah Ellis kept the 1a’s in the game with a fine save of the penalty, reaching it with her stick high and to her right.

Readings chance came when Chloe Lyons found herself in the D with the ball, but with the keeper closing her down she made an intelligent slip to Nicky West on the post. Wests diving effort came agonisingly close with the ball deflecting just wide of the goal.

With a 0-1 halftime score Reading made a better start to the 2nd period and dominated play in a half which was to contain most of the days action.
The score was levelled at 1-1 from a well executed corner routine. Alison Pope stopped the ball for Kirsty Reeman to play into the D and Claire Taylor, stepping up from the 2’s, was in just the right place to deflect the ball into the goal.
Shortly afterwards Taylor turned provider when her cross was converted by Chiara Clarke, a first time shot clearing the Havant keepers head to fly into the roof of the net, giving Reading a 2-1 lead.

Reading were now easily in control of the game, forcing errors from Havant who had a tough time trying to get the ball past the Reading press. Reading kept their feet on the gas and moments after the 2nd goal they added another to make it 3-1. A free hit from Alice Margerison was played to Chiara Clarke and Clarke again combined well with Taylor, this time Clarke laying the ball off to Taylor for Taylor to score her second of the day.

It would later prove crucial that Reading had made the most of a good spell and converted their chances, and they did so by adding a 4th goal courtesy of Chloe Lyons who coolly scored before taking a tumble over the top of the Havant keeper.

Havant got the score to 4-2 from a short corner which Reading keeper Sarah Ellis got a hand to, but the ball deflected over her and into the goal.

Another short corner gave Havant a chance. The ball was flicked into the body of Kirsty Reeman on the goal line and Havant were awarded a second penalty stroke of the day, which this time Ellis was unable to reach, leaving the score at 4-3 to Reading for the closing minutes of the game.

Reading held on to the ball for the last few minutes to take the 3 points, and remain in 2nd place in the league, 6 points behind leaders Surbiton.

Reading take on Surbiton this coming Saturday, 20th Feb, away at Sugden Road. They will then have faced all of the top 5 teams in the league, with only lower teams left to play in the season.

TEAM – Sarah Ellis, Amy Bryant, Kirsty Reeman, Fran Feather, Alice Margerison, Nicky West, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Chiara Clarke, Amy Sanders, Helen Ritchie, Claire Taylor

COACH – Paul Turk
DOD – OJ for admitting she had no idea what she was doing when she scored, and her roof of the net shot was completely unintentional!

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 13/02/10
Opposition – Havant 1’s
Result – Won 4-3
Scorers – Claire Taylor x 2, Chiara Clarke, Chloe Lyon

With numbers depleted due to injury and other commitments the Blues began the game in confident mood, but knowing it might be hard work against the full Chelmsford squad of what seemed like 25 players (‘We only have the full allowed 16 you know’!)
Reading had the better start and it was only 7 minutes before a short corner strike from Kirsty Reeman snuck its way under the keeper to give them a 1-0 lead.
Reading remained the better side throughout the half and with some players playing in more unfamiliar positions they did well to keep the ball moving. Nicky West and Alice Margerison both moving into midfield alongside Alison Pope gave the team a solid midfield platform to push forward from, limiting possession for Chelmsford.
Chiara Clarke had the next big chance for Reading but with the ball on the baseline her reverse stick shot was never going to make the net from such an acute angle.

However she made up for her error in judgement just moments later when she intercepted a Chelmsford pass and took the ball into the D to shoot past the keeper and take Reading 2-0 up, 2 minutes before half time.

With Amy Sanders retiring early with a second knock to the thumb in the weekend the 2nd half had the potential to be a tiring test but Reading were able to maintain control and find space all over the pitch. Both Alison Pope and Alice Margerison came close with shots but the team had to wait until the 56th minute to close the game out when Kirsty Reeman scored her 2nd of the day. Her corner strike this time took a deflection off a defenders stick but was hard enough to carry onto the goal taking the score to 3-0.

A fine performance from the whole team sees them through to a Semi-Final draw at home to Trojans on 7th March, and again proves that Pie really is the Dinner of Champions.
TEAM – Sarah Ellis, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Fran Feather, Amy Sanders, Nicky West, Alison Pope, Alice Margerison, Chiara Clarke, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Briony Anyon, Lucy Scott

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 07/02/10

Opposition – Chelmsford 2’s

Result – Won 3-0

Scorers – Kirsty Reeman x 2, Chiara Clarke

An early slot at The Lane combined with some chilly overnight temperatures meant that the pitch was still frosty at the meet time. A blast of water and some quick footwork in the warmup cleared the worst of the frost and the early morning sun helped things along.

Reading had won the first fixture against Hampstead and Westminster just 2-1 on the opening day of the season, and with the visitors having plenty of draws along with several games decided by a single goal the match had the potential to be a close encounter.

Reading had been pressed hard by the H&W forwards in the previous game and on the whole dealt with it better this time around, though at times with Alison Pope being closely marked in the middle of the pitch they struggled to find space through the H&W attacking line, leading to an even start to the game.

As Reading pushed forward they were awarded a corner around 20 minutes into the game. With Alison Pope stopping the ball and Kirsty Reeman playing the ball accurately towards the post it was left to Chiara Clarke to deflect it into the goal to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Reading were able to keep the lead going into half time, with them having more chances than H&W, but neither team scoring.

Reading began the 2^nd half well and started to move the ball better through the opposition, and when they retained possession the play strung together well.

The forward combination of Hayley Munt, Chloe Lyons and Nicki West kept the H&W defenders busy and Reading were able to keep things moving at a decent pace, utilising their full squad and keeping play going whilst making changes. The backline coped well and adjusted with minimum disruption when, following a blow to the leg from an opposition stick, full back Kirsty Reeman took a brief break to patch up a cut to the shin, which later required stitches.

With H&W sending players high in the closing stages a resolute Reading midfield and defence held firm and the game finished in a 1-0 win for Reading, thanks to their solitary first half goal.

TEAM – Mel Insall, Alice Margerison, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Amy Sanders, Amy Bryant, Alison Pope, Liana Smith, Hayley Munt, Nicky West, Chloe Lyons, Pippa Massey, Alex Marshall, Chiara Clarke

COACH – Paul Turk

MOST INAPPROPRIATELY PREPARED FOR THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES – Westie, having only returned from a 46 degrees Australian trip the day before

MYSTERY SUPPORTER OF THE WEEK – Mr Twenty-One Pounds. Who is he, who is he?!

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report

Date – 30/01/10

Opposition – Hampstead & Westminster 1’s

Result – Won 1-0

Scorer – Chiara Clarke

With a sandy sticky pitch and Reading not really switched on the 1a’s found themselves on the back foot from the start.

With keeper Mel Insall taking a knock to the head an early break in proceedings did nothing to steady the Reading ship and the team were guilty of making errors and not staying composed on the ball. With Southampton more switched on Reading found themselves in the unfamiliar position of being 2 goals down within the first 25 minutes of the game.

The deficit was reduced to a single goal shortly before half time when Chloe Lyons netted her first of the day. With a short corner push out getting a bit stuck on the way out Liana Smith and Emily Malden were quickest to react and a neat one-two between them left space for a ball through towards goal. Lyons latched onto the pass and Reading went into half time trailing 2-1.
Some stern words from coach Paul Turk at half time and Reading were quicker out the blocks in the 2nd half. Readings play was much improved al over the pitch and they more than matched Southampton, though it was a physical battle at times, with Alison Pope and Amy Sanders both taking knocks to the thumb, and Pope also gaining a black eye.

With 5 minutes on the clock Reading were still trailing in the scores but a quick free hit from Amy Bryant started a move that led to an equaliser. Bryant was swift to move the ball on following a Southampton infringement and the ball was played to Nicky West, free on the 25 yard line. She fired a pin point pass into the D where Chloe Lyons, with a touch of class, took a first time shot that rocketed past the keeper.

Reading ran out of time to find a winning goal and had to settle for a 2-2 draw, which left them still 2nd in the league table but now 6 point behind leaders Surbiton.
TEAM – Mel Insall, Alice Margerison, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Amy Bryant, Emily Malden, Alison Pope, Liana Smith, Nicky West, Chloe Lyons, Hayley Munt, Amy Sanders, Chiara Clarke

COACH – Paul Turk

Reading Hockey Club

Ladies 1a’s Team Match Report
Date – 06/02/10

Opposition – Southampton 1’s

Result – Drew 2-2

Scorers – Chloe Lyons x 2

A combination of the stormy weather that was sweeping the country and past experience of Woking could have led to a scrappy affair, but Reading remained on top of the game and managed a nice increase to their goal difference in the process.
Chloe Lyons was first to open the scoring from a neat penalty corner move and it was another penalty corner that gave Reading their second goal, with Chiara Clarke deflecting a tip-in past the Woking keeper.

Reading had a few more chances in the remainder of the half but were unable to convert leaving them with a 2-0 halftime lead.

It was soon 3-0 when early in the 2nd half Chiara Clarke added another and the 4th goal was soon to follow. A free hit from Pippa Massey on the left found Alison Pope who picked out Clarke in the D, and with an upright reverse push Clarke poked it past the keeper to complete her 3rd hattrick in as many weeks and give Reading a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Clarke thought she was on for her 4th of the day with a hit from the top of the D that looked certain to be goal bound – but with Nicky West wanting a piece of the goal pie and making a touch as the ball crossed the line it was West who’s name got on the scoresheet for Readings 5th.
Poacher became Poachee as Hayley Munt tapped in one from West that was already on its way in the goal, and Reading were comfortable at 6-0.

Kirsty Reeman completed the rout and made the final score 7-0 from a short corner effort in the closing stages of the game.

The 1a’s will be pleased to have come away from a potentially scrappy fixture having taken control and closed out the game whilst keeping a clean sheet and converting a high percentage of corners. However the team must remain on form as they face a tougher test on Saturday when they host 3rd placed Epsom at Sonning Lane, 12.00 pushback.

TEAM – Alexa Kearns, Lou Gordon, Kirsty Reeman, Rachael Marriott, Amy Sanders, Amy Bryant, Alison Pope, Alex Marshall, Hayley Munt, Nicky West, Chloe Lyons, Pippa Massey, Mel Lennard, Chiara Clarke

COACH – Paul Turk
MOST POPULAR POWER OUT OF BEING INVISIBLE OR BEING ABLE TO READ MINDS – Being invisible, but only if you are allowed to switch it on and off

MOST PAINFUL MOMENT – Being sandblasted up the legs by gale force winds blowing the sand up from the pitch

Date – 14/11/09

Opposition – Woking 1’s

Result – Won 7-0

Scorers – Chiara Clarke x 3, Chloe Lyons, Nicky West, Hayley Munt, Kirsty Reeman