With a squad of 13 strong, the sun shining and Gill as team manager - North Devon were all set with a lot to prove since our previous 6-1 loss to S&O earlier in the season.
The game started 'in the air' leaving N.D playing into the sun but with the first pushback. However, it was clear that S&O were here to mean business! After a sluggish start by N.D, a number of well executed set plays ended with an unfortunate not so well executed goal in the net less than 10mins into the first half. This, however, was the wake up call that N.D needed. With the fight and team spirit that we have learnt to do so well, the seconds did what they do best - defend!! The rest of the first half saw relentless attack after attack by S&O, however our tenacious defence kept them from scoring with some epic saves by Amanda and her solid back line, allowing us to go into half time just 1-0 down.
The second half told a similar story, but this time, with the sun behind us, we could finally see where we were going. The odd break by Emily & Edie on the left, supported by Kathryn and Ruby on the right was eventually rewarded with a handful of short corners. Despite N.Ds best efforts and getting so close on a few occasions luck was not going to be on our side this time. To make matters harder S&O, on a turn over ball, scored their second, very well fought for, goal. As play came to an end a hilarious save on the line by Caroline, followed by a S&O shot at goal nearly beheading Kate and two others (fab photos of all of the above taken by Pete) saw the final score at 2-0 to S&O.
Miserable weather and without manager Ali nothing was going to daunt the spirits of the ladies 2nd team on their trip to Exeter to play a fast, young and well drilled Isca 2nds. The opposition displayed some textbook hockey but notwithstanding this North Devon’s defence put up some valiant skills to deny and delay play on their part. The score line does not reflect the skills shown by joint players of the match Helena in goal and Emily in defence. They were relentless in their efforts, backed up well by Charlotte and Lauren. Persistent and slick passing from our opponents kept backs Megan, Kate and Claire on their toes but at no point did any of them wane and lose the desire to win the ball. Several penalty corners were converted well by the opposition although they didn’t have it all their own way. Midfielders Poppy, Fi and Sally all proved a nuisance to their attack slowing play down and disrupting their flow. Shauna was the biggest thorn in their side – she was seemingly (and actually) in every area of the pitch thwarting their efforts. She continually cleared the ball from their attacking circle and created many opportunities for the North with some excellent distributions.
Up front saw good work between Sofia, Gee and Marilyn, all of whom showed their stamina and determination in getting back to help defend and put pressure on the opposing midfielders. All in all I think Isca were frustrated not to have scored more, hampered by a good team effort by North.
The girls were determined to dig deep to secure a win after a tough match last weekend!
We last played taunton away and lost 3-2 but all agreed we could have made improvements, so we knew this would be a close game with all our efforts in practice.
We had a fast powerful start to the game, securing 2 short corners in the first few minutes, unfortunately with no score. But this gave our team a positive start and plenty of belief!
We had all worked hard in training this week, particularly on the efficiency of 16’s and reducing the amount of ‘hit and hope’. This was implemented into our game and made a big difference to the speed of the game. We also had a large squad which was brilliant to allow lots of substitutions to be made to have a constant rotation of fresh legs!
We put the pressure on taunton with several short corners but their goalie made some outstanding saves, proving to us that we needed something special to bypass her. Our first goal came in the first half from a brilliant bit of skill and confidence from Caroline to secure a 1-0 lead.
Our half time chat was really positive, with a main focus on trying different angles/tactics at our short corners, with a few jelly babies consumed!
Taunton came back stronger in the second half, securing a couple of short corners. However, our defensive line held together to clear the ball out quickly without conceding any goals!
Finally, our second half saw two further goals from Kathryn and Edie. Both stemmed from accurate passing, less ‘hitting and hoping’ and great use of space on the wings. This gave our team great confidence that we were only minutes away from our second win of the game!
Overall the girls played extremely well as a team with great communication, which ended in a well deserved 3-0 win!
In their 15th outing of this season’s campaign, North Devon Men’s 2s hosted Teign Men’s 1s at Park School in a tenacious and close-fought affair that ultimately saw the visitors take the spoils in a 0-2 win. While a disappointing result for North, the visitors rode their luck throughout in a game whose result hardly reveals the bigger picture.
North began the first half in the driving seat, dominating possession and getting in behind the visitors’ defensive line, particularly down the right side and producing some of the best collective hockey of the season thus far. Despite a couple of decent chances on goal within the first 10 minutes, the home side were unable to capitalise and the match remained goalless. Teign steadily grew into the match, making use of some fine aerial passing in an attempt to get through the hosts’ stalwart back line. While North continued to string together some fine passing and leaving little in the way of space between midfield and defence, the all-elusive first goal would go to the away side who, benefitting from a very fortuitous deflection, converted a penalty corner routine shortly before the break.
The second half saw Teign up the intensity and increase their number of attempts on goal. In spite of this, North continued to counter with purpose, while admittedly losing the shape they maintained so well in the first half at times. Drawing a plethora of superb saves from the reliably excellent Nat Mitchell in goal, Teign were unable to put the game to bed and their lead remained on a knife edge. Unfortunately for the hosts, however, they would ultimately add a second when Teign’s central midfielder launched an audacious lob from the edge of the D to the loop the keeper and nestle in the bottom corner. Undeterred, North ploughed on in search of an equaliser, inspiring some fine saves from the away side’s keeper to retain their two-goal advantage. For all their determined pressing, the hosts were unable to break through and the seasoned Teign side left with the spoils.
On another day, the quality hockey produced by the 2s would’ve undoubtedly given them all three points. A great display against a seasoned, high-flying team to build on going forward.
North kicked off the match with the first pushback and quickly set the tone, creating several promising breaks early on. Minehead, however, proved to be challenging opponents, testing North’s defense with some strong attacking play. North didn’t take long to seize the advantage, with Selina opening the scoring with a composed shot taken from the baseline. North kept the pressure high, and their persistence paid off when they were rewarded with a short corner, which Shauna converted to make it 2-0.
The middle of the pitch was quite congested as both teams worked to control possession. However, there was space out wide which both teams looked to take advantage of. North made good use of this and moved the ball well round the back to find the space out on the wings, followed by good link up play with the forwards to create goal scoring opportunities. Special mention goes to MOTM Gaby who, despite being regularly surrounded by Minehead players, kept her composure and skillfully gained North a number of short corners.
Kirstie then hammered home a powerful shot from the top of the D, with Martika doing a well-timed duck to avoid being hit, which extended North’s lead to 3-0. Minehead responded with a well-taken short corner, pulling one back to make it 3-1 at the break.
The second half saw fewer goals on the board, but North maintained the majority of possession and had a number of opportunities but just couldn’t find the net. Minehead caught North on the break a few times with some strong attacking play down the middle, but fortunately our strength in midfield meant that Minehead rarely reached our D.
We had a number of short corners in the 2nd half, but were unable to convert them. Credit to Minehead’s defence, who stayed strong and managed to read one of our short corners and catch us on the break. Thankfully, our solid defensive line was there waiting for them.
North continued to use the width, putting our Tuesday night drills into practise. Some precise passing down the right hand side gave Martika the chance to drive down the baseline and slot it past the keeper to make it 4-1.
In the end, the team’s discipline and determination paid off, securing a well earned victory against a strong side.
On Saturday a depleted North Devon side hosted the league leaders Caradon. From the start Caradon was on the attack, trying to find their strikers. However, with solid defence and good communication North Devon kept them at bay. Caradon forced many penalty corners, where the forced a penalty stroke, to score from. North Devon moved the ball well, however with turnover Caradon scored again to make it 2-0 at half time.
North Devon worked hard in the 2nd half but the Caradon forwards found space and with quick movement they scored another 2. However, North Devon dominated the next 10 - 15 minutes and with slick passing on the right Joe Taylor Richards found space and with good movement in the D he scored. Soon after, with good passing and movement Ash Thorne scored from a ball coming accross the D. North Devon then converted a penalty corner with slip pass to the right and back to Giles Rowden to make it 4-3.
However, Caradon calmed down after a card was given. They then utilised their airels to their nippy forwards, that had the North Devon defence to turn back. They then scored another 3 goals, to hive them a 7-3 win. North Devon has fought hard in this match with good defence pressure but unfortunately ran out of steam.
Sporting the club’s stylish new strips in their 14th outing of the campaign, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled across county to meet Torbay 3s in what would prove an assured and one-sided win for the visitors. While the hosts have seen very little in the way of positive results this season, North refused to rest on their laurels and produced a cavalcade of slick hockey to put the contest well and truly to bed.
North began the match with the lion’s share of possession, passing the ball comfortably, finding pockets of space down either flank—exploited particularly well by the Man of the Match Micah Upward—and preventing Torbay from mounting anything resembling a serious counterattack. Despite a couple of bold forays into the D, the away side would have to remain patient in search of the opening goal, which they did perfectly, sticking to their game plan and staying level-headed in their pursuit. Around the 20-minute mark, their reward finally came when, latching onto a ball from the middle of the park, Craig Carruthers broke towards the byline and squared to Richard Locke who, free at the P-spot, tucked the ball home past the static keeper to give North the lead. Naturally, this opener spurred the hosts to push further up the pitch, much to the away side’s delight, as pockets in and around their defensive line began to open up. Following another piercing left-sided run, Carruthers found Bradley Bellingham who gained his composure to rifle North’s second into the bottom corner.
Following some cautious praise at the break, emphasising the need to maintain the same level in the second half, North began the second half in much the same fashion. Seizing on some noticeable frustration in the home camp, they strung together a serious of spirited attacks and quelled Torbay’s forward press. It wouldn’t be long before Bellingham and Locke would strike again in quick succession to put North four up and the match out of sight. Still, to their credit, Torbay upped the pressure towards the end and managed to weave together two enterprising attacks that, on another day, might’ve been converted. Alas, North remained resolute and saw the game out for a much-needed victory, one that takes them up a position in the league table and will inspire an equally intrepid display against Teign at home next week.
What a game!
North Devon Ladies 2 felt hard done by last week when, despite playing really well as a team remained unable to score and take the win. In training on Tuesday, we spent time working on some week areas, and we headed into this weekend full of promise.
From the outset, we showed our opponents they were going to have to be on top form to take the points from us this week. Both sides fielding young teams the pace was fast, and Exeter were pretty slick with their passing. Some great determination and marking at the back saw them struggle to find any gaps. The midfield battled tirelessly and our forwards had some break away chances, but we didn't manage to take full advantage of them. We went into halftime 0-0.
We discussed making our formation a bit more attacking for the second half but decided to stay as we were. We started off strongly but 10 minutes in Exeter were awarded with a flurry of penalty corners and managed to put the ball away. This spurred us on and the forwards pushed up, and finally, we were rewarded with a goal by Edie to bring us level. Boosted her goal, Edie continued to drive really hard and ended up running out of space and she smashed her shoulder into the goal and cut her head on the way down. Showing tremendous courage after such a nasty incident she left the field for a trip A&E. The game carried on and Exeter were starting to panic and were losing their shape. A last minute substitution from Coach Ali saw Gee come on and within moments she'd taken the ball round a defender and slotted the ball in the back of the net to put us ahead. We battened down the defence and spent the last 5 minutes desperately trying not to lose our lead. The final whistle blew and we had our first win of the season !! I couldn't be more proud of everyone !
With news later in day that Edie hadn't broken anything, and had had her head glued together and she was on her way home - it was a great ending to a great day !
In their 13th outing of the campaign, North Devon Men’s 2s hosted Isca Men’s 6s in what would prove a scintillating affair, resulting, ultimately, in a narrow defeat for the home side in spite of a tireless fightback that was very nearly one for the ages.
The match began on very much the wrong foot for the home side, with Isca pouncing on a lost ball within seconds and cutting straight through North’s defence to convert at the near post. Shellshocked by what could hardly have been a faster opener, North regrouped and established some footing in the game. Despite this, Isca sensed some frayed nerves and pressed high, hemming North in and keeping themselves on the front foot. Ten minutes in, this was rewarded again, when they broke through to double their lead. While North started to get in behind their adversaries’ midfield and defence to threaten with a couple attempts of their own, Isca remained in the ascendency and eventually struck a deflected third to put the affair seemingly out of sight. Facing an uphill battle, North began what would become a valiant fightback. From a well worked foray forward, they won a short corner that led to a frenzied melee in the D. Seizing on the ball from the right-hand side, Craig Carruthers struck the ball across the face of goal, wrongfooting the keeper and allowing Matt Upward to convert North’s first at the post. Coming shortly before the break, this energised the home team, who would head into the second half with renewed purpose.
The second half began in a totally different way, with a revitalised North bearing down on Isca’s goal in search of another. Penning the away side back, the hosts kept the pressure on intrepidly, working hard for one another and winning a number of long and short corners. One of the latter would reward them once more when, following a layoff pass from the top of the D, Gerrie De Beer dragged the ball across goal, which was deflected in to reduce the deficit to one. In response, visitors upped the tempo and began moving with the flair they showed in the first half. Regardless, North stood strong and continued to work together, the efforts of which paid off when, following a slick move forward down the right flank, the ball broke into the D, where Bradley Bellingham composed himself to tuck in a reverse-struck third over the charging keeper. With the score level, both teams attacked with purpose, knocking the ball from end-to-end with some fine and not so fine (‘squaerial’, anyone?) passing. It would, however, be Isca who managed to spare their blushes when, ten minutes before the end, they charged forward, exploiting some tiredness and striking their fourth – the winning goal.
While the hosts were understandably disappointed with the end result, they will take huge encouragement from such a plucky, hard-fought comeback and build on such endeavours next week.
In what would prove an ill-tempered and terribly officiated 12th match of their campaign, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled to Exeter to meet Exeter Men’s 3s in a cagey and close-fought encounter in which the hosts narrowly seized the spoils.
Despite the home side beginning the game with the lion’s share of possession, they were unable to do much with it, and North’s back line dealt comfortably with any burgeoning attacks. They also kept their cool while the officials awarded every 50/50 challenge to the hosts and missed a number of fouls – foot interceptions, stick tackles and the like – that should’ve gone in North’s favour. While both teams threatened on occasion, the first period would end goalless.
Following some positive exchanges at the break, North came out with renewed vigour, taking the game to the home team and building more in the way of an attack through the middle and down the flanks, seemingly putting them in the driving seat. In spite of this, some wayward tackling, choice opinions and one particularly ugly encounter between the visiting goalkeeper (defending himself admirably) and one of Exeter’s forwards – all characterised by some vile discriminatory language being used by the home team’s players both on the pitch and sidelines – would see the umpires brandishing their green and yellow cards throughout. One such booking left North without a keeper for 10 minutes: an opening that Exeter were able to exploit despite Louis Hardy’s heroics between the sticks. North responded with great intensity, bearing down on the hosts’ goal with intent and purpose for the remainder of the game and coming close to an equaliser repeatedly. Regardless, the home side stood firm and saw the rest of the affair out for a narrow 1-0 win.
While a bitter pill to swallow in a game they didn’t deserve to lose, North will hope to build on this strong performance and bounce back with flair next week.
On Saturday 11 January, North Devon Men’s 2s returned to action following the festive break to host Ashmoor Men’s 3s in what would become a thrilling, dynamic-shifting encounter to kick off the second half of the season.
North began the match on the back foot, losing possession across the park and allowing Ashmoor – spearheaded by the steely attacking prowess of their younger players – to bear down on goal and threaten from the off. Sensing some nerves and unburdened by North’s press, Ashmoor kept the pressure on and eventually got their reward when, following a slaloming run down the left side of the D, a wide player hooked in a fine finish to put the visitors in front. Keeping the tempo steady, Ashmoor followed their opener with a plethora of piercing forward runs, weaving together some fine passing and registering a number of shots on goal. Nonetheless, most of these were no match for Nathan Mitchell in goal who, parrying with self-assured aplomb, produced yet another brilliant display. This, together with a couple of superb goal-line clearances from Jack Mcgarry, kept North in the game. Shortly before the break, however, the visitors’ pressure told once more when they deservingly doubled their advantage.
Fortunate to have not conceded more, North reconvened at half time for a chastening team talk, in which the need to press higher and get the ball moving quicker were made clear.
And they did just that. The second half began as it would continue, with what looked like a completely different team from the first. North flew out of the blocks to hem in Ashmoor’s defensive line and bamboozle the seemingly comfortable away side with a barnstorming forward press. They were rewarded within minutes when, latching onto a fine pass through the middle, Luke Brunton deflected the ball into the left corner to halve the deficit. Revitalised, the hosts ploughed on, quelling little in the way of countering hockey from their opponents. The away side’s frustrations began to show, with a few snippy words for the umpires and hosts. Undeterred, and despite a double brandishing of the green card, the home side remained resolute in search of an equaliser, buoyed on by what had become a crowd of supporters in fine voice on the sidelines. Earning a short corner right at the death, the players gathered around the D, desperate to level the affair and, following a frenzied melee comprising almost every player on the pitch, Matt Upward struck the equaliser, sending the onlookers into raptures and capping off the hosts’ comeback in the best possible way.
Following what felt like a win, captain Bradley Bellingham praised the side’s pluck and bouncebackability (yep, it’s is in the dictionary) in the second half. This will definitely raise spirits for the weeks to come and bodes well for a team aiming to climb the table.
To cap off the first half of the season before the festive break, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled to Exeter to meet high-flying University of Exeter Men’s 7s in a spirited and, at times, dubiously officiated clash in which the hosts ran out 3-0 victors.
Taking to the home side’s bouncy yet impressive water-based pitch, Exeter began the match with an intense high press, holding North back and quelling the visitors’ counter-attacking endeavours early on. That said, the away side absorbed the pressure admirably and conceded little in the way of clear-cut chances to the hosts – sat second in the league table – thanks to some stalwart defending and fine tackling across the park. Holding their own, North grew into the game, weaving together some enterprising forward forays to threaten Exeter on their own patch. They also had some poor decision-making to contend with, including miscalled stick tackles and an ugly clattering from the Exeter keeper on forward Ethan Jones yielding nothing. Alas, Exeter’s high press was rewarded when they broke into the visitors’ D and opened the scoring midway through the half. Undeterred, North responded, firing forward as a unit and registering a number of attempts that were either parried by the keeper or missed narrowly. One fine back-and-forth down the left side came agonisingly close and, on a less springy pitch, would have surely been dispatched to level the match before the break.
At the start of the second half, the dynamic remained much the same, with Exeter pressing and North countering with a more reactive approach. Both teams rolled their substitutes well, keeping all areas on the park replenished and fitness levels up. It would be the home side, however, that would extend their advantage when, following a seemingly innocuous run into the D on the far left side, Exeter’s left winger fired a shot on his strong side, which bounced horribly and fortuitously into the goal to double their lead. Despite the deflating setback, the away team kept their heads up and stuck to their game plan, finding some joy in behind the hosts’ back line. Chances were few and far between, however, and, at the other end, the hosts managed to latch onto another fortunate bounce at the far post to score a third and put the game out of sight. North kept going but Exeter saw the encounter out to consolidate their position in the table.
In spite of the loss, captain Bradley Bellingham praised his side’s tenacity and poise as a unit against a very strong team, and all agreed that displays like this would bring rich reward in the new year.
Saturday 30th November sets the seen for a bottom half mid table clash, as North Devon Hockey Club ones host Truro Hockey Club twos. Both teams in need of the 3 points and potential to climb the ladder to mid table.
Vice Captain Sam Wormington had difficult squad decisions, with a plethora of the clubs players out due to injury.
A lengthy pre-game team talk and motivated warm up, North were ready, or so they thought.
Within a few minutes of the whistle, an early Truro strike from outside the D, caught a North defender unexpectedly striking his foot, giving Truro a short corner and early opportunity to score. Truro’s opportunity was denied, North given the wake up call required.
Man of the match Andrew ‘The General’ Buller stepped up to the challenge, blocking all Truro access through the middle with strong tackling and fast distribution. Truro disorganised struggled to cope with Norths offensive breaks, in no time Truro’s frustration ended in an offence at the edge of their own D. Norths quick set up and speedy thinking by Oscar Spear, delivered a 5 yard pass back to Buller, Buller unleashed his best crazy eyes, sliding in a right deception pass, which found Ash Thorne’s deflection lifting the ball to the right post and into the goal, putting North 1-0 up.
This home lead was short lived. A Truro aerial bounced past a North defensive stick, finding the Truro striker. Goal Keeper Wormington responded leaving his goal line, some skilful stick skill by the Truro forward dribbled past Wormington and slotted the ball in the goal, levelling the score to 1-1.
Norths fire was fuelled, firing in 4 more in the first half. A forehand drill by Peter Smale making the score 2-1. Some good North building around Truro’s D, saw a quick slip by David ‘Cheeser’ Orr into the keeper, some scrappy Truro communication handed Josh Thorne his bread and butter to score Norths 3rd goal.
Joe Taylor Richards made sure of our 4th and 5th. His first was received by a Peter Smale cross, JTR calmly finished the job. JTR’s second came from a scramble off the Truro goal line, finding JTR top D, JTD popped the ball to his reverse and powered a tomahawk to the roof of the net.
Back end of the first half Wormington was forced to make changes he prepared days in advance. Norths consistent strength in their centre back Mike Cuthbertson limped off with a calf strain, Wormington put Buller in to fill the void and reshuffled the midfield.
North dominated the first half to the end. Elite tackling, skill and ball handling by Finley ‘Jedi’ Cumiskey. Defensive and offensive support by Ash Thorne. Dom Corks pestering and JTR’s unrivalled speed, brought an end to the first half with North 5 goals to Truro’s 1.
A positive half time break, resulted in confusion for the second half starting line up. This lack of cohesion unsettled North, unable to find their first half performance, Cork come on to help stabilise the central midfield. Yet another unwarranted change minutes later, North lost the little strength found.
A motivated and skilful Truro front line, put continuous pressure on Norths defensive line and Goalkeeper Wormington. Despite the tackles made by Norths defence and Wormingtons haste at closing down the Truro forwards, Norths lack of individual responsibility aided Truro to slot away two avoidable goals. Bringing the score to 5-3.
Poor positioning and a divided North team’s opinion of whether to attack or retain position in our own 25, sent visions of North losing their 2 goal lead.
To Norths luck, a late second half break found Smale with the ball centre of Truro’s D. A panicked Truro defender mounted Smale from behind (without permission, flowers, chocolates and wine), knocking Smale to the floor. The umpires awarded North the games first Penalty flick, up steps Guy Cockcroft for a fumbled execution down the centre.
The final whistle blows, North take a 6-3 win and 3 valved points. A great and intense game of 2 very different halves, both teams playing some stellar hockey.
Captain Sam Kirkness and Vice Captain Sam Wormington have much to discuss and hurdles to overcome, in the week’s preparation ready for an away 1015am push back against Bodmin Hockey Club.
In their final November fixture, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled to meet Torbay Men’s 2s in a fiery clash that, despite a strong effort from the away side, ended 3-2 to the hosts. Despite only being able to field 11 men and suffering some debilitating injuries throughout the match, North showed great togetherness and tenacity.
The match began with the home side in the ascendency, bearing down on North’s goal at breakneck speed from the off. While the hosts kept this pressure on for the first 10 minutes or so, North were able to absorb the pressure and gain a foothold. Despite registering little in the way of counterattacks early on, North were able to break the deadlock with their first real attempt on goal, when a fine pass from the middle of the park found Bradley Bellingham in the D, who slipped a fine finish past the hosts’ charging keeper. This buoyed the visitors greatly and they began to dominate possession, pass well across the park and intercept the home side’s attacks effectively. This was rewarded a second time when, following a steely foray into the D, Archie Shawcross hammered the ball into the bottom corner to double North’s lead. Despite North holding firm with no substitutes and a nasty head injury to contend with, the home side stepped up the pressure and won a penalty corner right before the break. Following a brief melee, a clean strike from the top of the D clawed them back an admittedly deserved goal before half time.
The second half began fairly level in terms of possession, with both teams defending well and keeping their respective attackers at bay. Despite this, Torbay’s extra numbers began to give them the edge, with fresh legs stretching North’s midfield and defence. Their intensity was rewarded when, following a smart penalty corner routine, they fired in an equaliser. Proceedings continued in a testy manner, with two green cards and a yellow brandished for some feisty tackling and fully understandable dissent. Torbay, however, would have the last laugh when, latching onto some fine movement through the middle, their attacker broke free and converted what would be the winning goal, completing a fine comeback. Despite North’s best efforts, responding to this setback with purpose and intensity right until the end, they were unable to level the match.
In spite of the narrow defeat, the players can be proud of this spirited effort with limited resources and, on another day, would probably have emerged victors.
North Devon 2 turned up to Park in pretty horrendous weather with but with a determination to unsettle ISCA 3 and we did just that, with a great run from Edie in the first 5 mins that saw Regina finishing it off and putting us ahead for the first time this season.
ISCA drove hard with a counter attack but North showed great strength in midfield, defence and with some great saves by Amanda we kept them at bay for the next 15 minutes. Unfortunately, after a further flurry of attacks and a penalty corner the visitors were 3-1 ahead at half time.
Many positives were shared at half time and we went back out knowing there wasn't much separating the two teams. At 55 minutes ISCA scored again off a penalty corner which seemed to ignite North Devon's fire as 2 minutes later Gaby drove into the D and took on the goal keeper and found the back of the net. 5 Minutes after that North Devon were awarded a penalty corner, Sally took the strike and then picked up the rebound off the keeper drove towards the goal, and Edie put it away to bring the game to 4-3. North Devon took charge of the 2nd half and saw great performances from everyone on the team. Well done everyone- definitely our best performance to date.
Thanks to Simon and Heather for great umpiring - and teaching me the rules on aerials !
Thanks to Ali for coaching and managing the subs.
Result ECVH 1 North Devon 0. In the wet and windy conditions and a grey atmosphere in both the air and the players, both sides battled through the frustrating match and despite the sheer volume of opportunities and chances, North Devon were unable to score following ECVH's neat short corner put away. Early in the game a shot from North Devon's Luke Brunton took out the ECVH defender splitting his brow and sending him off to AnE, this galvanised ECVH's play pushing them to new heights of defence and attack. Where they managed to score from a penalty corner. In spite of the weather Micah Upwards and Freddy Lee took joint Man of the Match.
The team blew our way into Taunton Vale, even with the adverse weather we knew we had to start confidently.
North Devon moved the ball well through midfield finding width through Paige and Shauna, also allowing the forwards space Martika and Kirstie working the keeper hard.
Kirstie scored from open play after just 11minutes. Taunton were working hard to move it through midfield, but were not finding too much space.
Keeley out on the left shut down a lot of play and able to move it well done the line.
North Devon had a run of short corners with no conversion which was frustrating, Taunton came away smiling.
North Devon had to use some quality switch play with Nell and Dawn linking well to make Taunton work hard to get the ball.
More attacking play at pace found Selina in the right place placing it well into Tauntons goal. This finished the first half 2-0.
The second saw North Devon start strong, pressing Taunton back. North Devon wanted to keep momentum, Helen Thomas utilised the space on the right using some fab line ball execution finding the forwards, with multiple circle entry’s, Selina was in the right place right time popping another in the goal taking her tally to 2, and the score to 3-0.
Taunton tried hard to go with long balls, but many were intercepted allowing Shauna to move it on quickly, the midfielders both Kalena and Rachel took advantage using the width. Paige found herself with space running a beautiful line around the back of Tauntons circle, able to get a shot away which ricochet of Tauntons keeper and going in, taking it to 4-0. North didn’t back down and with only a short amount of time left the team kept pressing, with the advantage to North lots of circle entry’s meant another goal came to Kirstie slotting it past Taunton‘s keeper taking her tally to 2, the scoreline finished 5-0 the final whistle blew not that you could hardly hear it as the strong winds and side ways rain continued.
The 1st half was closely competed, with missed opportunities by us and Tiverton White Eagles 1st finishing theirs. The 2nd half saw some great team play and a lovely strike by Eddie which hit the post but Gina managed to touch it in. However, Tiverton White Eagles had some cracking strikes on goal, Amanda made some great saves but the pressure was too much and we resulted in an 8-1 loss. A well deserved POTM for Emily who held her own brilliantly at the back against some tough opposition.
North Devon HC men’s 1sts hosted Cornish rivals Duchy HC 1sts last weekend at Park School. An important game for the home side who had only won one game so far this season. A rejigged lineup saw Guy Cockcroft start at left midfield with Joe Taylor-Richards and Pete Smale starting up front.
North Devon had the pushback and scored before Duchy had even touched the ball, an aerial ball from Cockcroft finding Taylor-Richards who squared it to Smale who smashed it into the far corner of the goal. Unfortunately North Devon conceded pretty much straight away, a misplaced pass down the left saw Duchy intercept the ball and break on mass. Poor marking allowed the Duchy forward to shoot on his backhand and with keeper Sam Wormington unsighted, the ball bobbled in. Duchy then took control of the game, attacks starting deep with ex North Devon player Ben Andrews using the aerial game to great effect. The consistent Duchy pressure saw penalty corners won, Guy Cockcroft saving one off the line and Mike Cuthbertson and Ben Cox desperately clearing the ball on other occasions. North Devon attacks were few and far between the best chance came after Josh Thorne’s pass to Ash Thorne in the circle just failed to connect at the far post.
Somehow it remained 1-1 at half time. North Devon knew that if they wanted to take the win, they had to improve things in the second half. Ash Thorne started the second half further back and his energy helped North Devon slowly get back into the game. The pace of Toby Fletcher down the right allowed North Devon to push Duchy back. Eventually the pressure paid off with Ben Cox winning a penalty corner with determined base line play. Cockcroft saw an opportunity and his strike found the bottom corner. Poor discipline by Duchy saw them reduced to 10 players and North Devon capitalised against a tiring team, Dave Orr stealing the ball off Andrews and playing it to Smale who looked like it was going to be walked into the goal before an incredible last ditch stick tackle by the goalie denied him. The winner came soon afterwards. Giles Rowden intercepting a loose pass and feeding the ball to Cockcroft, his baseline drive and pass to Smale saw the latter slot the ball home. Cockcroft was awarded man of the match for his tenacity and a much better team effort saw North Devon move two places up the league. Next week they travel to Torbay in another important mid table clash.
North Devon Ladies 1 set off to Exeter on the weekend to face off against Isca 3.
The first half was evenly matched between the two teams who were trying to assert dominance. North had majority of possession but had moments of hope to get on the scoreboard first but were unable to get through Isca’s defence. A few short corners came North’s way however they weren’t able to convert. The home team were able to break a couple times but North’s defence were strong as usual. During the first half, Isca’s goalie decided to take out Georgie Worrallo and North were unlucky to not walk away with a free hit. It wasn’t long until Georgie got back at the keeper from scoring off a short corner giving North the lead, 3 minutes before half time.
The second half got underway and North were slightly on the back foot with Isca coming out strong but they were stopped in their tracks by Kirsty Crocker, our super sub and MOTM Paige Potter who were incredibly strong in the midfield. North then gained control and were putting the pressure on the opponents. Quick pace from the wings making runs at the baseline pushed North forward whilst players up front were constantly moving and keeping Isca’s defenders on their toes. Martika Gallagher found the back of the goal after a bit of a battle with the keeper. North continued with the pressure and were awarded a short corner. A straight strike from Kirstie Hughes saw the visiting team go 3-0 up with only 2 minutes left of the game.
It was a hard fought game but a solid team performance from North saw them take the 3 points and continue on with their unbeaten streak of the season.
In their seventh outing of the season, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled to Exeter to meet Exeter Men’s 2s in what would be a thrilling encounter that, while end-to-end throughout, saw the hosts take all three points in a 6-3 victory. With just 12 men at their disposal, the away side will take great positives from a match against strong opposition which, on another day, they could well have won.
The home side began the match in the ascendency with an intense forward press, hemming in North’s midfield and defence and muting any attempt for them to break through. This intense pressure was rewarded early on when Exeter registered two goals to put North on the back foot. Undeterred, however, North Devon picked themselves up and gained composure, stringing together some fine passes and working their way through and around Exeter’s intense press. They soon managed to halve their hosts’ lead when Craig Carruthers nicked a deflection at the near post to open the visitors’ account. Bolstered but remaining pragmatic, North drove forward again and soon equalised following a brief melee in the D through Jack McGarry, finishing with poise. Despite the fine effort by all to draw level, the hosts, to their credit, fired back with style, cutting through and restoring their lead in crisp fashion. While they did add a fourth soon after, North slashed their lead once again before the break through a smart finish under the keeper from Bradley Bellingham.
Going into the second half, the hosts stepped up the pressure and, despite some remarkable defending and excellent goalkeeping from North, Exeter managed to extend their lead further, notching up two more in quick fashion. Sensing some openings in behind Exeter’s back line, the away side continued to drive forward in search of more, with spirited runs down the wings almost resulting in more joy for the attackers. Alas, in spite of the away side’s vigour and determination, the match drew to a close in a hard-fought 6-3 defeat.
Off the back of two hard-fought defeats against tough opposition, North Devon Men’s 2s were hoping to bounce back against Ocean City 3s in their sixth outing of the season. They did just that and then some, firing six – with no response – past their adversaries to register an impressive win and bolster their league position.
North began in the ascendancy, passing strongly and breaking through the visitors’ defensive line on multiple occasions in the opening ten minutes. This was soon rewarded when Bradley Bellingham dispatched a clean strike to give the hosts a deserved lead. Unwilling to rest on their laurels, the home side kept the pressure on, leaving little in the way for Ocean to take advantage of on the counter. This was soon rewarded when Bellingham struck a second to double the hosts’ lead. While the away team began to gain some poise, the hosts were unrelenting in their attack, registering two more excellent strikes – a third through Luke Brunton and fourth through Chris Broome – to give North a thumping lead going into the break.
The second half continued in much the same vein and, despite the visitors’ admirable determination to fight on, North remained totally in control. The forays forward that Ocean were able to produce were quelled by the hosts’ defence, particularly Freddie Lee in an exceptional, man of the match-awarded debut. Maintaining possession and working deftly through the middle, the home side kept Ocean squarely on the back foot. This soon paid off again when, following a wonderful yet uncharacteristic slaloming run into the D, defender Per Hampton converted a showstopping, net-bulging fifth from a tight angle, sending the onlookers on the sidelines into raptures. While five goals ahead, North remained steadfast going forward and soon wrapped things up with a blistering sixth from the top of the D by Gerrie de Beer.
Reconvening with smiles all round at the end, all agreed that this was a great, spirited and unified display and a sign of things to come. With confidence up, they will hope to build on this in Exeter next week.
In their fifth outing of the season, North Devon Men’s 2s hosted high-flying Ashmoor Men’s 2s in a very hard-fought and gutsy display that, despite the hosts’ tenacity, togetherness and robust defending, saw the visitors take the spoils in a 0-3 win. Facing what is unquestionably the league’s strongest side, North produced a stalwart effort to keep the table-toppers at bay for most of the match, yielding plenty of positives to build on going forward.
The match began in much the same way it would continue throughout, with Ashmoor dominating possession and keeping the hosts penned in their own half, passing smoothly and with panache through the middle and down both wings. Admirably undeterred, however, North stood strong in the face of mounting pressure, with their superb defensive line and goalkeeper blocking the visiting side’s forwards and muting a series of penalty corners they had amassed. While the away team continued to press in search of the opener, North’s dogged defending saw them break on a couple of occasions to threaten with counter-attacks of their own, displaying some marvellous reactive hockey. Despite the brandishing of two green cards, North remained compact. Alas, pressure would ultimately tell and, following a slaloming move forward toward the latter end of the first half, Ashmoor converted to take the lead, ultimately going into the break ahead.
With half-time’s positive words ringing in ears all round, North began the second half with the same unflinching resolve, staving off Ashmoor’s seemingly tireless pressure with gusto and again registering some spirited counters in a bid to stay toe to toe with the visitors. In spite of a third green card being shown early on, the home side maintained their composure and deflected most of what Ashmoor were producing early on. That said, as the half progressed, the away side’s domination eventually took its toll and they added to their tally twice more to put the contest to bed. Preventing any further damage, North saw the game out 0-3.
A plucky performance that will no doubt boost confidence for the second team’s upcoming fixtures against less seasoned opposition.
An early start for North Devin Ladies 1s this Saturday as they travelled down to take on Honiton Hornets 1.
First half saw the ladies go behind as Honiton were the first to put a goal on the scorecard. It wasn’t long until North managed to settle and find the back of the net from some great work from Shauna Vetch. North started to settle but by no means had it easy. Honiton’s defence were strong and managed to hold off North’s attacks. Eventually North got another goal through Keeley Hathway to see the visitors go 2-1 up. However, that was short lived as Honiton caught North on the break and even the score. North weren’t quite finished with goals for this half, Keeley got another before the whistle went. First half finished 3-2.
Second half underway and Honiton came out strong. They were awarded a short corner and got the goal which again evened out the scoreline. North started passing strong and with purpose which lead to North getting a goal from some great play down the right side from MOTM Helen Thomas and Selina Mather waiting in the D to slip one past the keeper. North kept the pressure on and were attacking together. A few short corners came their way but unfortunately couldn’t make much from them. However, some great attacking play from Martika Gallagher saw North get their fifth and final goal of the match. Considering the ladies only had the minimum 11 players, they put in a solid performance against a good opposition.
The fourth game of the season saw North Devon Ladies 1 host Minehead 1 on a delightful, sunny Saturday. North got first pushback and started off strong with Georgie Worrallo getting North's first goal, showing the visitors what they had to compete with. However, it wasn't long until Minehead were awarded a short corner. Usually, it is the opponent who tries to win the foot in the D for a short, but our defence gave them a little help with that and hit the ball into one of our own's feet. Minehead managed to get one past Joey Lester in goal, meaning it was 1-1 within the first 10 minutes. It was then a back and forth game, as both teams were trying to fight for dominance. North's defence were strong and managed to hold off attacks from the away side. 20 minutes in saw the beginning of MOM Martika Gallagher's string of goals, then before Minehead could even think about attacking, Kirstie Hughes managed to get on the scorecard yet again.
3-0 at half time and whilst they had the lead, North seemed a bit perplexed and drained from a high intensity first half. A pep talk from Gerrie helped reset our vision of what we were capable of achieving and along with words from other team members, North came back on to the pitch, ready and determined for a better second half.
Not long after the whistle, a perfect ball came into the D and Tika was in the right place, at the right time with a superb deflection goal, up into the top of the net, straight over the keeper who didn't have a clue what just happened. North kept on the pressure with great work from Kirsty Crocker and Kalena in the midfield and the defence who were able to keep possession and work the ball around Minehead to get more opportunities to attack. Tika got another couple goals before Emily Brunton bagged one too. Minehead had a few spells where they countered back with a couple of strong players who used their impressive skills but Dawn, Helen, Rachel, Paige and Gaby (whoever was in defence at the time!) were solid and didn't let them make anything of it. Tika wasn't quite finished and from some awesome teamwork down the right side, she got her FIFTH goal of the match. Wasn't long after that, Selina Mather wanted to get involved too in the scoring and got one past the keeper for North's final goal. Whilst this was North's biggest victory of the season, it was a hard fought match and well played to Minehead. Our ladies finished the weekend at the top of the league and are certainly in need of a week off after that match!
Final score: 9-1
After 3 loses in a row, North Devon 1s hosted Dart HC who had also had a bad start to the year. Vice Captain and man of the match Sam Wormington stepped into the skipper role and gave an arosing pre-game speech to give all a confidence boost. The reds started the game well, keeping possession and working up the pitch as a team. Dart occasionally broke through the midfield and did have a few good chances but North continued to push and eventually broke through. Josh Thorne mishit a shot and wrong footed the keeper putting North one up. Just before half time Ash Thorne played a great pass to Josh Thorne who slotted in from close range to make it 2-0 going into half time.
Second half was very much the same, North Devon having the majority of the possession but Dart occasionally breaking when North lost possession. After more pressure a third was added when Pete Smale finally found the net. Then in the dying embers of the game Josh Thorne was fouled in the D getting the team a penalty stroke. Josh was denied a hat trick and Guy stepped forward to slot the stroke into the bottom right. 4 goals and a clean sheet, what more can you ask for stand in skipper Sam W? North Devon now have a 2 week break and then play Plymouth Lions away on 9th November.
We made the long trek to Taunton at what felt like the crack of dawn for a 10am start. Despite the mysterious case of Amanda's missing chest guard, Amanda and the team soldiered on.
After losing the toss and the sun in our eyes, it was tough going for most of the first half as Taunton dominated possession and created opportunities. However, our defences worked tirelessly to keep Taunton out and only one goal sneaking in before half time.
The second half started in a similar fashion as Taunton scored early. However, we wrestled a bit of momentum back and created opportunities but luck just not going our way with shots just wide or a defender even managing to stop the ball in the goal in one instance! Taunton went on to score once more and with the score line at 3-0, we remained positive. With a burst of energy, slick passing and stick skills across the team, Shauna managed to get into a great position at the top of the D to get us on the board with a clean strike. With momentum on our side, we managed to regain possession quickly. Gee and Marilyn took turns wrestling the goalie at different times resulting in a penalty corner. Keely struck it well finding Gee's stick wide of the post deflecting it into the goal.
Unfortunately, time wasn't on our side either with the final whistle blowing shortly after leaving us stranded on 3-2. Despite the loss, the match was played in great spirit and we're continuing to learn and improve every game.
In their fourth match of the season, North Devon Men’s 2s travelled down to Dawlish to meet Teign 1s in a difficult – and interestingly officiated – encounter for the visitors who, despite flashes of well-drilled and forward-thinking hockey, lost 5-0 to a very strong, dynamic side.
Teign began the game on the front foot, attacking relentlessly with purpose and penning North back to prevent anything in the way of a counter-attack early on. This pressure was rewarded with two slickly worked goals in quick succession, which put Teign well and truly in the driving seat. Following a sustained period of pressure, deflected by a compact defensive line and a stalwart display by Nathan Mitchell in goal, North Devon began to find their rhythm, pushing back against the home side’s high press and creating some spirited forward moves spearheaded by Matt Upward in a MOTM-awarded performance. Despite this sprightly response, the visitors were unable to capitalise before going into the break.
With positive words shared at half time, North would hope to build on the promise shown at the tail-end of the first period. Teign, however, seized the momentum again and resumed their intense press. This would pay off soon with a third net-bulging strike that, for most, would be totally deflating. Alas, the visitors kept their heads up and stayed positive, yearning to take what they could from the game. Braving Teign’s pressure and withstanding some testy exchanges with both their hosts and the umpires, North ploughed on. However, they were caught on the back foot twice more before the final whistle, with the home team ultimately bolstering their tally to register a 5-0 win and move up in the table.
Despite the result, the visitors showed great determination and togetherness to build on moving forward, aspects they’ll hope to exploit against the high-flying Ashmoor 2s in two weeks’ time.
In a fiercely contested inter-club league match, North Devon 1’s triumphed over North Devon 2’s with a scoreline of 7-1. However, the result did not accurately reflect the quality of the 2’s performance throughout the match.
From the opening whistle, North Devon 2’s showcased their determination and tactical awareness. They pressed effectively, creating several opportunities and demonstrating solid teamwork. Despite facing a strong opponent, the 2’s held their ground and executed their game plan admirably.
The highlight of the match came in the second half when Edie Milan displayed exceptional skill to break through the 1’s defense. With a brilliant solo effort, Milan slotted home the 2’s goal, igniting cheers from teammates and supporters alike. This moment not only showcased the talent within the 2’s squad but also reflected their relentless spirit.
While the 1’s ultimately took the win, the 2’s performance was a testament to their hard work and potential. They left the pitch with their heads held high, knowing they had put up a formidable fight against a seasoned side. This match serves as a reminder of the competitive nature of the league and the promise shown by North Devon 2’s for the future.
On Saturday 12/10, North Devon Men’s 2s hosted Torbay 3s in what would end up being a thumping 7-0 win for the home side, further bolstering their strong start to the season.
Bradley Bellingham opened the scoring with a scramble for the ball following a rebound from a short corner. This was followed by a debut goal from Henry Peters who slotted in on the back post to make it 2. Before the half ended, MOM Toby Fletcher hit the back of the net to make it 3.
Following positive words and a call for more recycling of the ball, North went out with an aim to put the game to bed.
And they did just that, with Bradley Bellingham striking on the reverse from the top of the D, which despite hitting a Torbay stick, somehow still managed to find the goal. This was soon followed by Micah Upward, converting from the perfect position at the back post to make it 5. Not to be outdone by his son, Matt Upward got on the scoreboard shortly after with a penalty flick, after his initial shot was stopped illegally. To finish the scoring, Will Friend managed to get the deftest of touches on a ball injected into the D from the 25-yard line, with some question of whether he touched the ball or not. To their great credit, Torbay confirmed that he had in a great display of sportsmanship that characterised the game throughout.
Although still very early in the season at just 3 games in, North are off to a good start, sitting 2nd in the league on goal difference and hoping to take this positivity into their next game away against Teign.
North Devon Men’s 1st team vs Ocean City Men’s 1st team
North Devon men’s 1st team had a tough league round 2, up against Ocean City 1sts, who had just been relegated into the league from the league above.
Despite a sobering team talk from skipper Sam Kirkness, and a man of the match performance from Archie Shawcross, the North Devon boys could not quite reach the same mark as their Plymouth counterparts. Flowing play from OC had North Devon running in circles and conceding goals with gut wrenching regularity. Goals from Josh Thorne and Giles Rowden were mere consolations, as OC ran out 7-2 winners.
The challenging start to the season continues next week, with an away match in Liskeard, to the ever-competitive Caradon Hockey Club.
The ladies second team travelled to sunny Exeter to play a strong and youthful side today. We welcomed new (and some returning) players who fitted in well and proved their selection. (I know we only had 12 available but that’s beside the point!)
With only 10 players for the first 10 minutes due to two poorly cats (don’t ask!) the defence did well to weather an onslaught by Exeter. The arrival of Shauna and Gee boosted the team and the midfield then provided some good passes through to the attack. The Exeter midfield players were strong and managed to intercept well but North Devon in turn delayed Exeter’s attack and made any injection into the circle difficult for them.
At the end of the first half the team had done well to hold the opposition to a 0-0 draw. But the start of the second half saw Exeter a little more on the ball than North and they scored within the first few minutes. However despite their youthfulness and speed Exeter could not often penetrate our defence.
Player of the match Megan was superb, tackling accurately and showing a calm disposition under intense pressure from the opposition. Shauna, runner up to POM, in midfield also played with determination, skill and relentless running. Ending up on the ground only two, or maybe three, times this match Shauna (DOD) was a target for an impulsive Exeter player who got sent off for deliberately tripping her up. No doubt she was frustrated that Shauna was managing to get past at least three of their players at a time!
Without the consistent marking and covering by our midfield and defence, and Amanda’s saves in goal, the score would have been much more. And Marilyn’s shot at goal only just went inches wide which would have given us a well earned draw.
It was still a really good result for us and has set the seconds up for their match next weekend against some ‘formidable’ opposition. Maybe. 🤔 😆
North Devon Men’s 2s travelled to Exeter to meet Isca Men’s 6s in a hard-fought clash in which the hosts and visitors stood toe to toe until the final whistle, with the away side ultimately claiming the spoils in a satisfying 0-2 win.
The match began in much the same way it would continue, with both home and away teams fighting gallantly to find space through the middle and down the flanks while keeping the pace and tempo high. For a time, the hosts penned North back, preventing much in the way of counter-attacks and forward momentum for the reds. Alas, the visitors’ defensive line stood strong and foiled a number of penalty corners, frustrating Isca and keeping the score level. Buoyed by their stalwart defending, the visitors’ midfield and attack began to exploit areas in Isca’s back line and their resolve was rewarded when, following a determined foray into the D and a dizzying melee in which the sides scrambled for the ball, Matt Upward pounced and drove home the opener at close range.
The second half saw both sides continue to drive forward and work for one another, with good communication all round and some exciting, end-to-end hockey for the onlookers on the sidelines to savour. Showing little in the way of tiredness, North continued to keep the hosts at bay as they ploughed ahead in search of an equaliser. It was not to be their day, however, as the reds stood firm and, in the closing minutes, broke past their opponents’ high press into the D, where Micah Upward’s clean strike was illegally stopped, handing North a penalty stroke at the death. Having switched to 11 outfield players, Isca were without their keeper between the sticks and Bradley Bellingham converted to make the final score 0-2.
North Devon M2 began their season on 28 September with a hard-fought, end-to-end draw with Exeter M3. In a feisty yet balanced clash, both teams showed plenty of pluck and determination, ultimately sharing the spoils in spite of some inevitable early-season wobbles.
Both sides flew out of the traps quickly, pressing one another and racking up a number of unconverted attempts on goal, all while producing some sleek passing, particularly down the flanks. Defensively, both teams stood relatively strong early on, conceding little in the way of fouls and space in either D. The first half continued in much the same vein until the last set piece before the break where, right on the half-time whistle, ND won a penalty corner. With everyone forward, the ball fell to Chris Broome who dragged cleanly to dispatch the opener and put the hosts ahead.
Set back but undeterred, Exeter responded tenaciously at the outset of the second half, driving forward with purpose. It wasn’t long before this paid off when, following a slickly woven move forward into their opponents’ D, they scored to level the match. With the game evenly poised, both sides upped the ante in search of the advantage. Going from end to end for the remainder of the game, either team could have nicked all three points. Alas, it was not to be and despite the green card being brandished to ND an unfortunate faux pas, the game ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Convening afterwards, all agreed that the match was a well-contested affair with plenty of pros to build on going forward.
It was North Devon Ladies debut match having merged from Taw Valley at the end of the season, and what a debut it was! With such a stunning performance last season, and coming in on a promotion high, the nerves were real, but ultimately unnecessary.
Sidmouth & Ottery (S&O) started with the push back, and looked to be a strong and well gelled team. Pressure started from the first whistle but strong defence from Dawn de Beer and Bridget Harding stopped them in the tracks. Excellent keeping by Amanda Parsons, and 2 clearance off the line by Nell Thomas kept the score line 0-0. North Devon started to gain their confidence and shake off those nerves with strong possession in the middle by Kirsty Crocker and Paige Potter, linking up with Kalena Tucker and Georgie Worrallo to make the game end to end. Credit to S&O’s keeper who saved shot after shot, to keep the game at 0-0. With the nerves gone and momentum building, North continued to attack with Georgie driving in from the right and scoring North’s first goal. A moments lapse at the back saw S&O break through into the D and score to make it all square at half time.
At half time, a positive prep talk from the captains saw North come out and dominate the game.
In true Kirstie Hughes form, her relentless determination had the backboard ringing in the first 10mins. Boom! 2-1, and that was the start of the string of goals. Martika Gallagher fought hard, surrounded by defence and a strong keeper, to sneak the ball past her kicker. Boom! 3-1. Not wanting to sit back contently, Kirstie was there again to over power the defence and send another one flying into the goal. Boom! 4-1. Gaby Lansley had a great performance on the right and with a cheeky little flick, scored her first of the season. Boom! 5-1. North were now on fire! Clinical passing, possession and positioning (Lefty would’ve been proud) saw beautiful play continue, with Emily Brunton showing exceptional individual skill to make opportunities from nothing. Kirstie Hughes pressed forward and found enough space to whack the ball into D where Martika was waiting. A legendary deflection sent the ball into the top left! Boom! 6-1. S&O tried to break through, and even had a couple of short corners but with a new stick in her hand, Helen Thomas showed what North were made of. Excellent strength on the ball and solid clearances from the back denied S&O any more goals. Were North content with that!? Of course not! In the last 5 mins of the game, North were awarded a short corner. Kirsty took the straight strike, which set Nell up for the rebound to flick it past keeper. Boom! 7-1.
Devonport Services vs North Devon Men’s 1st team
In the first match of the new season, for the newly amalgamated North Devon Hockey Club, the men’s 1st team took on last year’s league runners up, Devonport Services. This was always going to be a tough battle for the North Devon team and a fast start was imperative. And so it became, with North Devon pressing hard in the first half with great energy and enthusiasm. This was rewarded by a slick penalty corner routine, with striker Guy Cockcroft finding Ash Thorne at the back post for a deft deflection, putting the visitors 1 up early on. Good first half displays from Josh Thorne in attack, and great saves from Sam Wormington between the posts ,kept North Devon ahead until the half time break.
The second half was a closer affair, with Devonport having more possession and attacks, and soon they were able to break through. One goal quickly became two, and North Devon found themselves behind. Without strong defence from Man of the Match Giles Rowden, and some crucial penalty corner blocks from Cockcroft and Ben Cox, the score could have quickly run away. As it was, North Devon pushed hard for an equaliser, but left things light in defence. Two late goals from Devonport made the scoreline seem rather one-sided in what was truly a close affair. North Devon will have to wait until their home game next week against Ocean City to get some redemption.
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