Match Reports
U11Blue
Round 1 - lost to Sydney Uni 0-1
Our first game of the season was also the first time many of the team had played on a full size field. Combined with the heat of the day this was quite a challenge but we had a great time getting to know each other and learning the game. Everyone put in a big effort but unfortunately we lost one nil to Sydney Uni. We nearly equaled the score from a corner but just missed getting the deflection we needed for the shot to count.
Ice Cup Award: Hamish Green
Round 2 - lost to ND U11White 0-1
Another very close game which saw the teams tied at nil all at half time. The majority of the game was played in our half. This put a lot of pressure on our defence which held on well. Unfortunately though, mid-way into the second half we finally conceded a goal. This ended up being the difference between the teams. Like last week, late in the second half we finally mounted some sustained attack in the opposition's circle and went very close to scoring. A couple of more minutes in the game could have been interesting. Ice Cup Award: Chris Nicholls
Round 3 - lost to Manly Green 1-4
While the score line was disappointing, there was actually not much difference between the teams. Despite enthusiastic efforts from all the team when defending, we were not quite as effective in blocking the opposition as usual. Our second half was considerably stronger, led by the energetic Hamish. Significant improvement was made in moving more play into the opposition's half, providing a number of scoring opportunities. We were all thrilled by our first goal of the season – the result of a strong run from James and some great finishing from Sanjit. The cheer squad of parents on the hill went wild! Ice Cup Award: James S.
Round 4 - drew with Briars/Baulkham Hills 0-0
What a great team effort!! Everyone played really well and for the majority of the game we were attacking in the opposition's half. In a first for us, our goal keepers this week, Louise and Caitlin, kept the opposition scoreless. While the score was a draw, we were the stronger of the two teams - we were not far of getting our first win for the season. We had a number of opportunities to score - just need to improve our finishing off. Our strong defence meant we rarely looked like letting in a goal. Ice Cup Award: Sanjit Vijayakumar
Round 5 - defeated Ryde Tigers 1-0
Hooray - our first win for the season!! The progressive weekly improvements in our team work and great enthusiasm enabled us to mount consistent attacks on the opposition's goal, particularly in the first half. James produced a solid drive at the end of some great setup work from Matthew to score the only goal of the match. We were all relieved when in the dying seconds of the game Ryde fired a shot at our goal but keeper Aaron gave it a solid boot to push it wide. Well done everyone!! Ice Cup Award: Louise Greenwood
Round 6 - lost to GNS Blue 1-2
Our first competition game on grass against one of the leading sides turned out to be an event of two very different halves. In the first half we dominated play despite having to adjust to the different surface – our defence was strong and the forwards kept the ball in the opposition’s half for much of the time – and we were rewarded with Hamish scoring the only goal. For the second half our whole game play changed – we tended to hit the ball once and wait to see how the opposition responded. We struggled to get into the opposition’s half and our attack and defence faltered – unfortunately conceding two goals to lose the game. While disappointing not to at least come away with a draw, we showed ourselves that we can match the strongest teams if we focus on doing what the Coaches have taught us. Ice Cup Award: Dennis Otter.
Round 7 - Bye
Round 8 - lost to Sydney Uni 0-4
Like our last game, this proved to be a match of two very different halves – the first showed that, like our last game, the team can match it with the leading teams in the comp. For nearly all the first half we were camped in Sydney Uni’s end of the field. We had many scoring chances but just could not get away a decisive shot. Unfortunately Sydney Uni made the most of a rare attacking opportunity and scored the only goal of the first half. In the second half we looked tired and spent the majority of the time defending in our half of the field. Sydney Uni took full advantage of their strong forward line to push home three more goals – made easier as our confidence sagged. Despite the outcome there were some encouraging signs for the whole team (especially in the first half where everyone passed the ball around more rather than getting into huddles) and a number of strong individual performances – Chris and Hamish kept trying to push to ball into the opponents half and James and Louise made a number some strong forward runs. Nathan defended stoutly at full back and earned this weeks Ice Cup award.
Round 9 drew with ND White 0-0
The hard work at training showed out as the team generally kept better to position, passed more often and tried to take shots at goal when in the circle. A tight match throughout and the score pretty well reflected the tight tussle. As has become typical for us, we were particularly strong in the first half and just missed a couple of scoring opportunities. In second half we found ourselves defending more often and tending to bunch up again as we seemed to want to make sure we did not concede a goal. Thew half time “snakes” seemed to lift the energy level. Louise did a great job up front at centre forward, keeping position throughout the game and always looking to pounce on opportunities. Well done to our goal keepers Sanjit and Tim who had their first go and proudly went home successful. Matthew had a very involved game at left half back and won the Ice Cup award for his efforts. We all loved the new scoreboard and time clock – the players enjoyed counting down the finishing seconds. Thanks Northern Districts.
Round 10 - lost to Manly Green 0-2
This was a tough game against one of the competitions stronger sides. We managed to hold to a nil all score line at half time despite facing a number of attacks on our goal line – our defence scrambled well to keep them out. Our goalkeeper Aaron made a number of good saves. We had a couple of chances at scoring – a scrambling shot from James just went wide. In the second half we looked stronger and played better as a team but unfortunately a couple of quick attacks from the opposition were successful and we conceded two goals. Our dedication was strong – Nathan as usual was steadfast in his position and copped a nasty lump to the head for his efforts and Renee came off after taking a hit to the hand. Our attack was stronger in the second half – James, Louise, Renee and Sanjit combined well to nearly score a couple of times. Callum had a lot of defending to do and won this weeks Ice Cup Award for his efforts.
Round 11 - defeated Briars/Baulkham Hills 4 - 0
From the very beginning until the end of the game today everything came together - displaying for the whole game glimpses of what we have seen at various times throughout the season. The team work was fantastic with everyone doing a great job - marking, passing, staying in position. All the parents were so thrilled for all the players and the team was something of a scoring machine! At the end of the first half we were leading two nil through goals from James then Louise. In the second half we continued the great display with a further two goals to Adam and Hamish. The score could have been even greater as a few shots just went wide or were stopped by the opposition keeper. The team dominated field position throughout the game, with the opposition rarely getting into our circle - we don't recall our goal keeper Aaron being called upon even once to stop a shot. It was immensely difficult to award match points this week - it was a champion team performance rather than the efforts of a few. The Ice Cup Award went to Tim for his strong work in the forwards. Congratulations everyone - you should all be pleased with your contribution to a great team effort. Keep it up!!
Round 12 - defeated Ryde 5-0
A wonderful score line as we returned from school holidays and a number missed training through illness and other matters. While the result was a solid win the teamwork was not as impressive as the previous game against Briars/Baulkham Hills. The game saw Renee lead off the scoring with her first goal of the season (meaning that all of our regular forwards have now scored at least one goal this season). The ever busy Chris also nailed his first goal of the season - Adam chipped in another one and Hamish two. For the whole game our goal keeper was never called upon to defend an attack and our fullbacks saw very little of the ball. So the result was never really in doubt, right from hit off when, within seconds, Sanjit had positioned himself in the opponents circle for a shot at goal. Matthew had a strong game and went close to scoring his first goal of the season. Renee won this week's Ice Cup award for her consistent effort throughout the game.
Round 13 - lost to GNS 1-2
So near and yet so far.. against the leading team in the competition we showed that we can be as good as the best. The whole team contributed to a strong result and a draw would have been a fairer reflection of the morning's play. Our team work was much improved from the previous week. Early on it looked like Louise would get her second goal of the season but couldn't quite find the net. By half time we were only one goal down after having defended well and Hamish doing some great work in goals. In the second half we were in more attacking positions with Matthew, Chris and Hamish pushing the ball up the field to our forwards. Mid way through Sanjit grabbed his chance to score and get us level. The game looked headed for a draw until GNS grabbed a chance against the run of play and went ahead 2-1. For the last five minutes it looked like we might still even the score but unfortunately we ran out of time. Dennis had a strong game throughout in defence and Aaron won this week's Ice Cup award for his efforts through the season , particularly his enthusiasm for being goal keeper. This is probably our last game for the season and showed how much everyone had grown in hockey skills and friendship. Everyone can be proud of what they have achieved, individually and as a team. Our thanks to our Bruce and Malcolm for giving their time to coach us for the season. Three cheers!!! Bring on next season.
Round 14 - Bye
U13Gold
Round 1 - lost to Ryde 0-4
Our team were a bit rusty the first half with most of the play at our end of the field. There was some good defence by the backs & some great saves by our Goalkeeper Ash. The play tended to be directed to the centre of the field which played into Ryde's hands. In the second half, the team really stepped up the play & most of the play was down Ryde end of the field with a few near misses at their goal. The last ten minutes or so of the game our kids were a bit worn out as we had no substitutes & several playing that were not well or carrying injuries. The kids should be proud of their second half performance. Great defence Brooke, Kirsten, Ash & great attacking Angus, Riley, Blake. Ice award this week went to Brooke.
Round 2 - defeated Manly 2-0
What a great improvement from last weeks match. The team were playing well right from the first whistle, with all the play at Manly's end of the field. There was good defence & attack & while the team won 2 - nil, there were many near misses. The team moved the ball around the field better with really good passes & team work happening.In order to say who played well this week I would need to list the entire team, well done everybody. Angus & Scott B scored a goal each & Kirsten received the Ice Cup Award. Keep up the good work everyone.
Round 3 - defeated Briars 4-1
Well, it was a hot & steamy morning which may have had an impact on our team. We were expecting to have an easy win against Briars but our team had to fight the whole match, with only 2 goals scored in each half of the match. The team were not hungry for the ball & did not do what they practised in training which was disappointing. The team had plenty of opportunities to get a goal but tended to hit the ball directly at the Briars keeper who did a great job at saving our goals (unfortunately). Our goalie Ash took to the field this week in the second half & Scott C did the job for us, thanks Scott. Good to see Kegan on the field this week after being on crutches for 6 weeks. 1 goal by Scott B & 3 by Blake from good passes from the team. Have a good rest team & come back fighting fit for the rest of the season. Ice Cup Award went to Scott C.
Round 4 - defeated Sydney Uni 3-2
A very strong and impressive first half had the team playing well and a comfortable 2-0 lead, with Scott B and Blake combining nicely to set each other up for the goals. The second goal was a full length effort starting from a 16 with Kirsten passing to Brooke at right half then to Scott B on the wing, who ran down to the circle passed across for Blake to put the ball passed the advancing keeper. Disappointingly some poor marking in the circle allowed Syd Uni to score right on half time from a free hit and deflection. Sydney Uni came out much stronger in the second half and put a lot of pressure on our defence. We still managed to put together some good moves down the right side of the field, with Scott B scoring his second goal to make it 3-1. Sydney Uni scored from a penalty corner to make it 3-2 and with some other close chances made for a nervous last 10 minutes. Ice Cup went to Scott B for his work rate and an outstanding game.
Round 5 - defeated GNS 2-0
What a great game team. The first half of the match was a tussle with both sides working hard to score a goal. A lot of the play was down our end of the field during the first half so there was great defensive play by our team to prevent GNS from scoring. The second half of the match was much better with more control & was very exciting to watch. The team passed the ball around & had several shots at goal, three hitting the goal posts. GNS never gave up so our team had to work hard in defence & in attack. Our teams determination & persistence payed off with both Jackson & Blake scoring goals in the end with good passing from other team members. There was several goals saved by Ash, & Alex was brilliant getting in behind Ash at one point & pushing the ball out of the area several times which prevented GNS scoring. Well done team, keep up the great work, Ice Cup award to Tobi. Thank you, parent helpers in the canteen.
Round 6 - lost to Ryde 0-2
Firstly welcome to Andrew who joined our team this week. Well another exciting match tonight team, in fact it was a nail biter for the first half with both team working hard in attack & defence with the score being nil all at half time. The second half Ryde came out hard & scored a goal. Our team didn't give up, Tobi, Angus, Kegan, Kirsten, Blake & the rest of the team were working really hard in attack to try & level the score. Jackson, Alex & the rest of the team were working hard in defence but again Ryde scored when our guard was a little down. The team work is improving each week which is good to see, with this continued improvement we might even win against Ryde next time. We have the ball skills and with greater determination will achieve success. Good effort by all the team. Ice Cup award went to Angus.
Round 7 - defeated Manly 5-0
Another really great game team. We had 4 players away this week so the team had to work hard in attack & defence & some of the kids tried different positions for us. For the first half of the match our team was in the attack with Scott B scoring 2 goals & Blake scoring 1. The entire team was trying really hard with great passes around the field. Second half our team were tiring & Manly never gave up. Angus & Blake both scored in the second half making the score 5 nil in the end. Each & every team member played one of their best games this week but special mention goes to Sam who was on fire, particularly in the second half, & was the person to receive our Ice Cup Award for this week. We were fortunate to have Adam & Mitchell to help us out this week as reserves, they both did a great job for us in the back, thanks boys. Finally, thanks to Larry who helped us out by being Coach this week.
Round 8 - defeated Baulkham Hills 6-0
Although the team won 6 nil, this was not one of our better games. Continuing to play up the middle of the field will compromise our chances of success against stronger teams. The first half of the game we did not have our usual rhythm which resulted in a low scoring first half. In the second half the kids lifted the pace a bit which gave us our end result. Blake scored 2 goals & Angus scored 4, one of which was when he was relegated to the back after scoring his third goal, he was like a hot knife through butter. Angus & Scott marked some of their key players well, shutting down play but Ash still had to save a couple of goal attempts from Baulko. We had a lot of kids sick during the week & we had several kids star in their school athletics carnival today so I'm sure that next time the kids play, they will put in a more consistent performance & get the results they deserve. It was good to see Lauren up & about this week, although she was not well enough to play, it was great to see her, hope your better soon Lauren. Ice Cup Award went to Andrew (AJ).
Round 9 - defeated Sydney Uni 5-0
What a great game all the team had this week. From the start to the end of the game the team were passing the ball well to each other & following Rohan's instructions by going wide rather than up the centre of the field. Jackson was happy as he was on the wing rather than a back this week & scored 2 goals. Kegan is really making a good come back from a major injury earlier this year & his efforts were rewarded with his first goal for the season. Blake, AJ, Riley, Tobi & Brooke were working well in the forwards, with Scott C doing some great tackles, Kirsten & Ash doing a great job defending our goals. Our quite achiever Sam played well as usual . Scott B scored a goal & Angus was successful in a penalty stroke. Well done to the entire team, a convincing win, your all getting stronger as a team, keep it up.
Round 10 - lost to GNS 1-2
Well, not one of our better games I must say. GNS scored in the first 5 minutes of play which made our team switch on a bit but not enough in the first half as GNS scored a second goal close to half time. Our team had opportunities but could not convert & once again some of the players held onto the ball for too long when another of our players was wide open. We also went back to playing down the middle rather than "go wide" which Rohan yells to the kids week in & week out. The second half was a little better but we have to learn to pass better as a lot went to the opposition. Sam scored a goal for us mid way through second half which bolstered the kids spirits although some of the umpiring was a little frustrating for our team, management & spectators alike. Lets play like we did last week, turning up with energy to burn, fighting for the ball at every opportunity, working as a team & going wide & I'm sure that the results will come & everyone will enjoy the game. Ice Cup award went to Riley, last week we had 2 Ice Cup Awards & they went to Blake & Jackson.
Round 11 - defeated Ryde 2-1
Wow, great win & huge effort from everyone. The team were carrying a couple of injuries but that wasn't going to stop this determined bunch of kids. Right from the start the team were switched on and ready to go. An even first half with the ball was down Ryde's end of the field most of the time we couldn't convert & get a goal. Unfortunately 2 minutes from half time our team were feeling the effects of working hard & Ryde scored on a quick steal by Tom & he ran from the 25 to put Ryde 1-0 up at the break. The second half was much the same with an even contest. Everyone was trying very hard and this attitude paid off when Blake scored after a great run along the baseline & pass to the spot by Tobi. We were so excited a draw would be good but a win even better. Ryde kept the pressure on us & we kept the pressure on them, in the end we were rewarded with a second goal, this time scored by Tobi. We couldn't have asked more from the kids both in our defence & attack. It was a great team effort from everybody and the team work was fantastic. A difficult decision this week for the Ice Cup award because everyone played so well, it went to Ash for his great saves in goal in the second half.
Round 12 - defeated Manly 7-0
What a great match after our holiday break. The first half we started off a bit slow with only 2 goals scored in the first half. In the second half , the kids came out firing & were passing the ball around really well. Brooke tried very hard to score her first goal of the season but those goal posts kept getting in the way. Tobi was working hard to get another goal & Kegan was on that post to deflect the ball to get a goal, unfortunately he coped one in the ankle towards the end of the game. Kegan scored 2 goals, Angus 3 & Jackson 2. Thanks Blake for coming to support us, we hope your leg heals quickly so that your back for the finals.
Ice cup award went to Alex & to a couple of Manly kids as Manly were a player short & were using some U11's.
Round 13 - defeated Baulkham Hills 8-0
The team started off well & Baulkham Hills were short of players, we scored 2 goals in the first 15 minutes but then reinforcements arrived with a lot of players from U11 1's for Baulko arriving to strengthen their defence. The new players made a bit of an impact & we only scored 1 other goal in the first half. In the second half the team moved the ball around the field & played well as a team resulting in 5 more goals being scored in the second half. The team work is an important part of our game that needs to be practised, sending the ball wide & passing it around worked well for the team tonight resulting in this decisive & well deserved win. Goals were scored by: AJ 1, Tobi 2, Kegan 2, Jackson 2 & Angus 1. The listing of the person scoring the goal does not recognise the hard work done to defend & get the ball to those who took the final honours, well done the entire team. Ice cup went to Kegan.
Round 14 - defeated Sydney Uni 4-2
It was a very hot morning, our team are not used to playing in the day time or in heat. We played Sydney Uni this week, they always try hard to win from the start to the end of each game. Our goalie was sick this morning so an emergency call was placed & we were fortunate to have Adam from U11Gold team race over & be goalie for us today, thanks Adam you did a great job. Our team passed the ball around but didn't seem to have their usual momentum but still managed to a win. There was good attempts at goal by Riley & Brooke, great defence by Scott C & Alex. Good work team. It was great to see Blake & Lauren visiting the team, both are out with injuries. Goals were scored by AJ, Jackson & 2 by Kegan. Ice Cup Awards went to Adam, Jackson & Blake.
Round 15 - defeated Gordon 2-1
An important game to decide 2nd place on the table and a double chance with the Major Semi, the team was set for a win after losing the last time we played. ND came out strong and dominated field position for the first 15 minutes, but only converted this into a 1 goal lead scored by Riley, somehow Gordon keep our other chances out. Somewhat against the run of play GNS fought back and scored to level the score at halftime 1-1. ND again took the lead shortly into the second half through an interesting penalty corner variation converted by Angus. The defence was strong; particularly Kirsten and everyone ran hard all night. Thanks to Adam from 13Blue for helping out and Ice Cup award to Angus.
Round 16 - defeated Baulkham Hills 4-1
It looked like our kids were a bit tired after last night's tough game at Kuringai & with 3 players backing up from helping U15 Metro in the game before ours. The play was a bit scrappy in the first half but they got it together for the second half and overall it was the result that was important and we played some good patches of passing and creating chances. We had Mitchell & Adam from the 13Blue team help us out for this game & we really appreciated it. Goals were scored by Scott B, Tobi, AJ & Angus. Well done team, see you in the semi's on Friday, Ice Cup Awards went to Adam, Mitchell & Brooke.
Major Semi - drew with Ryde 2-2 (after Extra Time)
Second on the table, Major Semi Final what a good effort to get this far team. It was a cold & wet night, and late, an 8pm start against Ryde. We started out a little nervous so the first quarter of the match we were scrambling rather than settling & playing our usual game of hockey. Ryde scored first from a penalty corner & that was all our team needed to dig in & fight back with Riley scoring a goal. In the second quarter of the game we had settled & the kids were playing well. The second half we were again the better side & AJ had scored our second goal. The tension was high, everyone's voices were sore from yelling encouragement, the team were all working well but minutes before final time, Ryde were given a penalty stoke & unfortunately it was successful. Full time saw us 2 all so now we had to play extra time, 10 minutes each way.
The ball was going near the goal posts for both sides but nobody scored. We had AJ, Angus, Kegan, Scott, Tobi, Riley all attacking well, Brooke, Jackson, Sam defending well & passing the ball up the line, Kirsten, Alex & Scott & Ash defending, what a great effort, it was such a great game but such a shame to come away with a draw. Ryde is top of the table so they go through to the Grand Final while we have to play again next week to see Ryde again in the Grand Final. Be proud of your efforts today kids, you all played the most fantastic & exciting game of hockey I've seen all year. Good luck for next match.
Preliminary Final - defeated Gordon 1-0
This week was a must win game in order to play Ryde in the Grand Final. We were up against Gordon North Shore who we had beaten twice but had beaten us once, and we were all nervous. GNS always play every game to win so that the match could go either way. GNS started out hard & our team were nervous so the first fifteen minutes it looked as if GNS were going to score. Thankfully our team settled & started passing the ball around & the play started to go more our way but at half time it was nil all. The team know they play better in the second half & Rohan had some strategies to help the kids get the ball from GNS. The game started to turn, we had five or six shots at goal, one hitting the post but GNS's goalie was the U13 girls PSSA state player & she stopped everything we threw at her. It was getting nerve wracking, it looked as if we were going to have to go to extra time like last week, but then, Jackson hit a ball across the goal & Riley was there with a deflection into the goal, we scored. The pressure was on then to keep GNS out of our half so they couldn't score, & they didn't. The final whistle went, we had won the game & are in the Grand Final next week against Ryde. All the kids played well & many were sick this week so they did a fantastic job, a well deserved win. Good luck in the Grand Final team, you can do it.
Grand Final - lost to Ryde 1-3
A wet cold miserable day to have a grand final on. There was sooo much water on the field we thought it might have been called off but not to be, the goal area was squeegeed off from time to time. The team started well, they had control of their nerves & control of the ball with a lot of the play at Ryde end of the field. Everyone was working hard in these terrible conditions & Ryde had a couple of shots for goal which Ash saved. We took it up the Ryde and time & again but were unable to score, but then, there was a hit across goal & water went into Kegan's face, he couldn't see but hit out & what do you know Kegan got a goal, the roar from the crowd was loud & clear & our team were excited. Ryde fought back but we held them out with the siren going for half time 1 nil to us. The kids were confident but very tired as they had to really wack that ball to make it move. Ryde scored against us and that made it 1 all. Again the team dug down into their energy reserves & fought to get another goal and came so close when somehow the ball wouldn't cross the line through the water and the Ryde defence scrabbled it away for a long corner. This would be a turning point in the game as unfortunately Ryde scored another 2 goals fairly quickly one after the other half way through second half & we were unable to come back. A fantastic effort to be runners up in the U13 A North Area Competition. It has been a great season with all the kids improving their hockey skills with the great coaching of Rohan. Well done to each & every team member, hope to see you all next year.
U13Blue
Round 1 - lost to GNS 2-4
A great game to start the season on a very warm day. Simon got off to a great start with two goals and excellent support from India, Bethany and Joseph. The defence did well but GNS displayed some very good plays, controlling the ball into the circle, especially in the second half. Well done to Mitchell for saving several goals, and to the defence for their teamwork. Ice cup awards went to India for a wonderful first game and to Simon for great overall play and his goals. Well done!
Round 2 - defeated Sydney Uni 4-0
With ND U13 Blues game against Sydney Uni at Ryde, they quickly took charge of the game and scored the first goal of the match. Unlike the previous week, they continued to dominate and scored again just before half time. With some excellent passing and some well-placed skilled posties, they won 4-0. Ice Cup Award to Bethany.
Round 3 - defeated Ryde 2-1
With 6 players unable to play and one running late, we were lucky and thankful to have 4 players from other ND teams fill in for us. The game was a very close contest, with ND winning most of the game, until Ryde scored in the second half. With their last bits of energy, we managed to score again, winning the game. Ice Cup Awards - Matthew and Adam.
Round 4 - lost to ND White 2-3
A fabulous game with some excellent running and tackling from Adam and Katherine. Congratulations to Joseph on his defence and also backing up other players. Well done to Mitchell in goals playing one of his best games and also welcome back to Emma who had a great first game. We seemed to lose our way midway through the second half but 2 goals to Bethany playing very well in the forwards (and in position!) bought the score a little closer. It was an evenly fought game. If only the game had gone another few minutes…. Ice Cup Awards – Mitchell, Katherine and Joseph
Round 5 - lost to Briars 1-10
We were defeated 10 -1 by this highly underrated and under graded team and we had to step up. The defence was kept extremely busy with 10 goals being scored against us. Congratulations to Adam, Zali and Mitchell who played consistently well in the circle and also some fabulous defence from Raman who had a great first game. On the bright side well done to Bethany with an excellent pass to Cassie to score our only goal. We need a little more training in some basic skills and this should all come together. To Daniella, Matthew, India, Katherine, Lucy, Simon and Emma, we all played well only to be outclassed and outplayed. Ice Cup Award - Zali - for some great defending and backing up.
Round 6 - defeated Baulkham Hills 3-0
This week we had a great win 3 nil against Baulkham Hills. This was our best game yet. Congratulations to the whole team – the teamwork was fabulous, with some excellent passing between Daniella, Katherine and Bethany into the circle and also India and Lucy. Goals were scored by Adam, who played numerous positions and 2 goals to Bethany. Cassie was on fire with her passing and almost scored. Baulkham Hills had several attempts at goal but were unable to score with our defence. Congratulations also goes to the Baulkham Hills goalie with some brilliant saves. Ice Cup Award – Cassie.
Round 7 - lost to GNS Blue 1-4
We went down this week to GNS 4-1. There was some great plays from all our team with our new found teamwork again being displayed. Congratulations to Katherine on a great game and to Adam who scored our only goal. We had several attempts at goal but were unable to score against GNS’ defence. Our defence and goalie were once again kept busy, but some brilliant plays from GNS saw them score with some fabulous hitting and passing and backing up in the circle. Ice Cup Award – Katherine.
Round 8 drew with GNS White 2-2
We started this week a little lethargic making our coach a little excited. We woke up in the second half scoring both goals towards the end of the game. It was a 2-2 draw with some great defence from our newly discovered back, Lucy and also to India, Daniella, Adam and Katherine who all played consistently well. The goals were scored by Adam and Simon with Mitchell winning the Ice cup award for some great defending and talking in the circle.
Round 9 - Bye
Round 10 - lost to Ryde 0-1
Round 11 - defeated ND White 4-3
What a game! A month off and a win! A chilly night and we started on fire with three goals in the first half, 2 to Matt and 1 to Bethany and some fantastic defending and positional play from Zali and Katherine. In the second half although leading 3 nil we fell asleep with the whites scoring 2 goals. We finally scored again thanks to Raman and then the whites scored another goal. It was nail biting but evenly matched. Thank you to Tyler and Adam who were unlucky not to score. The whole team played confidently with Simon and Cassie creating major plays to the forwards and Mitchell being kept busy in goals with some exciting saves. It was a team effort and a great game for all. Ice cup went to Cassie for persistence and great skill PS - Matt, wear those socks again - don't let mum wash them.
Round 12 - defeated Baulkham Hills 2-1
Two wins in a row - we're on a roll and the team played well, exciting the coach once again!! Congratulations to Matt and Simon on scoring a goal each. A few players were a little tired after last night but we came through once again with Bethany, Daniella, India and Katherine playing some exciting hockey. Well done to Emma, Lucy and Raman with some excellent passing. Let's see if we can make it three wins! Ice cup - Matt.
Round 13 - Bye
Round 14 - lost to GNS Blue 2-3
It was a beautiful morning at Kuringai. We were playing well and winning with two goals (one each to Adam and Matt). Mitchell saved two penalty strokes and numerous other attempts at goal by the other team and then they scored. (They also scored twice after official full time but that's another story!) Bethany, India, Raman, Daniela and Joseph attacked really well, with some excellent defence by Adam and Simon. This was sadly our last game coming 5th in the competition this year. A big thank you to all our players for their efforts in playing and training and also to their parents. Ice cup - Mitchell. THANK YOU!
U13White
Round 1 - lost to Ryde 1-2
This years season kicked off with a game against Ryde at PHills on Saturday 29th March. Our enthusiastic team took up their positions on the field and while Caitlin was kept busy keeping balls from entering our goal, our defense, Saskia and Holley, helped keep the score goalless till the half time whistle. Rhys, Jackson and Carl played an impressive 'first game' of hockey and Olivia, Kathryn, Isabella, Elizabeth, Sarandeep and Kevin did a sterling job. Uddhau scored in the second half and played in position expertly on the wing – this earning him the ice cup award. Caitlin earned the "player of the match award". Although the final score was a loss of 1 -2 this game was a great start to the season. Go Team!
Round 2 - drew with Baulkham Hills 1-1
Saturday's hot and sweaty game started just after 10am and our team was ready for action. Elizabeth was goalkeeper and wow, did she do a great job. Olivia, Kathryn, Holly and Isabella were kept busy in defence and the Halves had a cracker of a game. Amanda played well as centre half and Kevin scored a fabulous goal just before the half time whistle. Despite a good effort by Districts, Baulkham Hills came back in the second half and the final score was a draw, 1 goal each. The ice cup award went to Elizabeth. Well done team!
Round 3 - Bye
Round 4 - defeated ND Blue 3-2
Back from the school holidays our team was keen to play again. Holley was our goalie and did a great job. Despite 3 players away everyone was fit and ready to play two full halves. Amanda dribbled through the centre at a blistering pace for much of the first half, helped ably by Jackson on the wing. Caitlin, Isabella and Kathryn were working well in defence as well as in the forwards. Before long Uddav tapped in goal no.1 as he maneuvered through the players in the goal mouth. Just after half time he was on fire again with another great strike. Sonny, Kevin and Saskia were working hard at the back but were caught off guard by the ND Blues who sneaked in their first goal. Rhys persisted in the forwards and pushed up to the circle to score a super third goal and almost a fourth. Just before the full-time whistle the ND Blues scored again and the final score was 3 – 2 for a very happy White team. Rhys achieved the Ice Cup Award and Amanda was named Player of the Match. A super game!
Round 5 - lost to GNS Blue 0-8
The U13Whites played a fantastic game on Saturday, even though they were short on players. Saskia and Elizabeth playing in midfield proving to be a very strong defense but also assisting with some attacks. Uddhav and Carl often got a run away ball into the oppositions circle with some great shots on goal. The backs Olivia and Holley played a very tough game often getting the ball out of the circle past many of the oppositions players. The goalie Rhys did a fantastic job with some amazing diving saves; he also received comments from the opposition's parents. Even though they lost 8 - nil it was a very well played game. Olivia was awarded the Ice Cup and Rhys was named "Player of the match". Well done team.
Round 6 - defeated GNS White 4-0
This was our teams first Friday night game and playing at home we were feeling comfortable in our surroundings. Saskia was in goals and did a great job, notably the dynamic save in the dying seconds of the first half. Well done! Isabella had a great game on the wing, as did Sonny. In the midfield Rhys, Caitlin, Elizabeth, Kevin and Kathryn kept passing the ball well and Uddhav and Jackson capitalized on the complimentary team work by each scoring twice as they positioned themselves carefully in the goal mouth. Holley was an excellent defense and help push our opponents well out of our half at critical times. Thank you to Adam who substituted absent players, you were a great help. This week’s Ice Cup award goes to Jackson. Carl was awarded “Player of the Match” Keep up the good hockey!
Round 7 - Bye
Round 8 - lost to Ryde Tigers 0–2
This game everyone started in first gear a bit and lethargically knocked the ball to each other. Neither side scored in the first half despite some sparks of enthusiasm through the midfield from Rhys and Uddhav. Kevin kicked out two great saves and Holley helped defend well in the goal mouth. A short corner early in the second half left us one down and while Kathryn, Lizzie, Caitlin and Isabella got into fifth gear, the team still failed to convert when they got the chance. Amanda, Carl and Jackson played well on the wing and Sarandeep and Olivia kept focused. Just before the final whistle Ryde scored a second goal. The game was not to be ours. Isabella was awarded the “Ice cup” and Kathryn was named “Player of the Match” Time for the team to refuel over the long weekend.
Round 9 defeated Baulkham Hills 3-0
Everyone was keen to play a good game today and went out with a positive attitude. Uddhav took a hard knock in the chest early in the game and Sarandeep replaced him just before the end of the first half. Passing the ball well between players, Caitlin scored the first goal and minutes into the second half the team went up 2 – 0. Amanda, Rhys, Elizabeth and Caitlin played really well in midfield and Saskia did a sterling job taking quick hits from penalties. This got the ball deep into the field on a number of occasions providing good opportunity to score. Olivia and Holley were again very solid backs who prevented the opposition from getting too near our goalie Isabella. Jackson scored a final goal and the team finished victorious 3 – 0. Kevin was awarded the “Ice Cup” and Saskia was named “Player of the Match” Go Team!
Round 10 lost to Briars 2-7
Round 11 - lost to ND Blue 3-4
After a long break from hockey because of the July school holidays, our team was feeling a bit 'rusty' as they took to the field at 8:45pm on Friday night. The 4 girls who had just returned from their three day Canberra excursion played really well and Isabella was on fire as she scored the first goal early in the second half. Holly and Olivia did a great job in defence and Kathryn held her own. Kevin, Uddhav and Jackson passed well between each other and Rhys' determination scored the team another 2 goals. Carl tried everything he could to keep the Blues from scoring , but in the end they proved too good and ended the game one up. The "Ice Cup" was awarded to Sarandeep and the "Player of the Match" went to Isabella.
Round 12 - lost to GNS White 1-5
Playing the team at the top of the ladder after a late night game last night (Round 11) proved too much for our team today. Try as we might, we just could not convert when we were in the goal circle. There were a number of opportunities to just tap it in, but we just never managed to improve our score past the goal converted by Isabella in the first half. GNS White were lethal and their centre half was irrepressible as he caught our defence off guard on a number of occasions. The "Ice Cup" was awarded to Caitlin and the whole team were acknowledged as "Players of the Match". GO TEAM!
Round 13 - lost to GNS Blue 2-4
Gordon was a tough team to which we rose to the challenge. Although we started the game with only 10 players Olivia did a fantastic job in goals with the help of Carl, Caitlin and Holly as defence. Our wings Jackson and Uddhav did a fantastic job of getting the ball down the field and scoring two goals. The halves Saskia, Kevin and Amanda did their best in keeping the ball out of our half but some fast players managed to get past and score. Our forwards Rhys, Elizabeth and Catiline did some great stick work to get past the opposition to have a shot at goal. Although we lost the team worked very well together and managed to poses the ball for a majority of the game. Well done guys.
Round 14 - lost to Briars 0-6
U15Metro
Round 1 - defeated St George 3-0
For the first game of the season St George traveled to Pennant Hills on a Friday night. After only a few weeks of training to get used to playing with each other under a new coach in Hawko, the team started slowly still waking from the off-season. St George started stronger & looked more likely to score early on in the game, but eventually ND awoke & started to push forward and were rewarded with the lead through Matthew P. In the second half St George still caused problems for the defence and only through some fine keeping from Andrew & strong defence from Tom & Simon we retained the 1-0 lead. Mid way through the half Matthew P again scored with a cracking shot from the top right of the circle giving the St George keeper no chance, 2-0 making the game safe. A final goal from Mitchell from a penalty corner after full time completed a solid first up win 3-0. Strong games from Madi, Poddy & Matthew P, with Ice Cups awarded to the whole team.
Round 2 - defeated Baulkham Hills 4-2
Baulkham Hills came to Pennant Hills for the local derby and some bragging rights up for grabs. Mid way through the first half Antoni scored a neat goal after he finished of a movement down the right side to make it 1-0 & that is how is ended the first half. During the second half ND again created more chances and eventually the pressure told with a second goal scored by Mark & a third to Matthew P. With the game seemingly under ND control Baulko stayed in touch with a goal for 3-1. Mitchell restored the 3 goal advantage with an excellent rebound from a penalty corner & with a late second goal from Baulko the game ended at a 4-2 win to District. Shannon had a great game as well as Antoni. Great start to the season 2 wins from 2 starts
Round 3 - lost to Sutherland Blue 0-19
The reality of the strength of the U15 Metro came to Pennant Hills on Friday night in the form of Sutherland Blue. With no less than 12 rep players, this was an opposition team packed with talent. Despite the scoreline the team never dropped their heads & kept trying & competing till the end. Bradley & Mark had their best games of the season, with Sari, Mitchell & Andrew working hard all game to steam the tide. Ice Cup award to Mark.
Round 4 - defeated Sydney Uni 2-1
After suffering the side's first loss of the season the previous week it was important the side bounced back in this game as Sydney Uni arrived at Pennant Hills for the round 4 game. Early on ND gained the ascendancy with a sustained period of attack and Ruan come close on a couple of occasions hitting the post & putting one into the side of the goal. Eventually the pressure told and mid way through the half Marius scored from a deflection. Sydney Uni response was quick and a few minutes later they equalised from a penalty corner. At half-time the score was 1-1. The second half went end to end with both sides creating chances to score, but Sydney Uni looked the most likely to score as the game wore on. During a 5 minute period of sustained pressure they hit the post and put one just wide with the ND defence also making a stand. Andrew in goals made some excellent saves, supported by Mitchell, Nicholas and Poddy making timely tackles. After surviving this period ND again started to push forward with Angus making some strong runs and on one of these he weaved through the defence to sneak in a back stick shot to give ND the lead. Both sides kept pushing till the end and the last 5 minutes was tense for the crowd of families supporting both sides. As the full time whistle went ND happily took the points in a very entertaining and even game of hockey. Ice Cup award went to Bradley.
Round 5 - lost to Sutherland Black 1-4
The teams slow start to this game stopped the team any real chance at victory, with Sutherland taking an early 2-0 lead. During the second part of the first half ND made all the play and spent long periods camped in the Sutherland half and around the circle without ever really putting any goal pressure on them. Early in the second half Sutho were reduced to 10 players for the rest of the game after one received a red card. Despite the numerical advantage ND couldn’t make much inroad into Sutho’s defence. Sutho then caught ND on the break twice to extend the lead to 4-0 and ND completed the game score at 4-1 with a conciliation goal with 15 seconds to go by Poddy after Mitchell’s run and shot was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Round 6 - lost to Ryde 0-8
Friday night at Ryde against one of the top teams in the competition was always going to be a tough game. ND produced a strong first half to restrict Ryde to 2 goals with some good defence from Brad, Mark, Shannon and Andrew and also created our own chances to score. A slow start after half time allowed Ryde to increase their lead but, the team continued to play a style that created scoring opportunities and at times were unlucky not the score a couple of goals with Matthew, Ruan and Poddy having the best chances. Despite a good team effort, Ryde’s experience and skill proved the difference between the 2 teams.
Round 7 - lost to South West Strikers 0-5
The game against South West Strikers was an early road trip to Bankstown. It appeared the team were still getting used to the early start and were quickly behind 2-0. The game was then even for the remained of the half and into the 2nd. ND competed well for most of the game and created enough scoring opportunities to have finished with a closer score line. But, in the end it was a 5-10 minute period in each half of that was the difference and allowed SWS to score the goals.
Round 8 lost to Moorebank 0-8
ND had a solid first half with Andrew making some fine saves to keep the score to 0-3 at half time. The team also created some chances to score in the first half but failed to capitalise. The second half the team didn't play with as good a structure and left to much space through the middle of the pitch for the Moorebank mid-field. This allowed Moorebank to dominate field position and score another 5 goals. ND tried hard to compete but were outclassed by a stronger team. Good efforts from Andrew, Mitchell, Mark, Tom and Sari. Sadly the game had a serious injury during the first half to one of the Moorebank players; the ND hockey club & U15 Metro team wishes James a speedy and full recovery.
Round 9 drew with St George 3-3
ND started off quickly and nearly scored within the first couple of minutes after a run down the right by Matthew & his cross flashed across the circle without the waiting forwards being able to get a stick on it. ND did take the lead shortly after this through Ruan on the left post scoring the goal to go 1-0 up. Despite chances to both teams there was no more scoring for the half & with a 1-0 the team could be quite happy heading to the halftime chat. St George came out stronger in the second half and quickly responded to take the lead through 2 penalty corners. ND forced a penalty corner and Mitchell levelled the score with a flick over the keeper after getting the rebound from the initial shot to make it 2-2. ND continued to turn over possession cheaply through poor decisions by players & not passing the ball to other team mates in better positions which allowed St George to create pressure on the defence & they came close to scoring on a number of opportunities. St George did eventually take advantage of this to take the lead 3-2 with another penalty corner goal. With time running out it appeared that ND would go down, but Poddy was on the spot to drive in the equalising goal with a great shot. In the end a very entertaining game on a number of levels finished with an exciting 3 all draw between two well matched teams, but non the less an opportunity missed to win this match.
Round 10 - lost to Baulkham Hills 2-3
The team played poorly from start to finish, with Baulkham Hills showing more urgency, better passing & tackling than ND & deserved the win. The first half was particularly disappointing due to the lack of effort from the team & considering we play only 1 game a week it is expected that everyone turns up ready to play & puts in their best efforts. The second half the effort was better, but again the real urgency didn't show until the last few minutes. Mark scored both goals & Sari played well at wing half. The holiday break will hopefully get everyone more enthusiastic for the remaining games of the season to show what they are capable of when everyone applies themselves.
Round 11 - lost to Sutherland Blue 0-5
Round 12 - lost to Sydney Uni 1-3
Round 13 - lost to GNS 1-2
Round 14 - lost to Sutherland Black 1-2
This was a very even game and in the end we were unfortunate to lose. ND created more chances and narrowly missed equalising in the late part of the game through a combination of near misses and fine saves by the Sutherland keeper. A much improved performance on the last few weeks shows what can be achieved if the team plays a simple team game and style and retain possession by passing to each other rather than simply turning the ball over to the opposition. Strong games through the mid-field this week of Madi, Poddy & Mitchell, with Shannon cutting out several dangerous opposition attacks.
Round 15 - lost to Ryde 2-3
ND continued their recent good form with a strong performance against the competitions 2nd placed side. After a good period of play and pressure on the Ryde defence, ND opened the scoring from a rebound by Madi from a penalty corner to lead 1-0. The score remained the same until just after half time when Ryde equalised. Ryde then started to build some momentum but our defence held out and Ash in goals made some fine saves & clearances. Ryde's next goal was a deflection of a free hit into a crowded circle & shortly afterwards they made it 3-1 when a wide shot was turned in at the left post. ND pushed forward during the last 10 minutes & came close to scoring when Poddy deflected a cross just wide. The team did get reward for their efforts right on full-time when a foul on Poddy by the keeper resulted in a penalty stroke, which Mitchell converted to finish the game at 2-3. Mark was a constant worker up front putting pressure on the Ryde fullbacks & Tom had his best game of the season making some timely tackles as the last line in defence. Well done to Sean and the trio of U13's Ash, AJ & Jackson for filling in this week, with all playing strongly.
Round 16 - lost to South West Strikers 1-4
Another solid performance from the team and in the end the only difference between the two sides was the ability to make the most of goal scoring opportunities. A good first half was rewarded with a half-time lead 1-0 through a goal by Madi from a penalty corner. The second half was even and through some defensive lapses saw Sth West Strikers equalise & then take the lead. ND had some clear shots on goal which went just wide & another saved on the line but couldn't bridge the gap and SWS finished the game slightly the stronger to record the win. Thanks to the U13's playing again this week -AJ, Angus & Jackson.
Round 17 - lost to Moorebank 1-13
A cold Saturday morning trip to Moorebank to play one of the top 3 sides in the competition and with several players absent or unwell with the flu it was always going to be tough game. Moorebank quickly exerted their superiority and got away to an early lead, but it wasn't all one way traffic as we created some chances of our own to score. To the teams created they worked hard through-out the match and never gave up and this persistence being rewarded with a goal to Mark in the second half.
Round 18 - defeated Gordon 2-0
After a long season the side finished on a good note with a well deserved 2-0 victory at Pennant Hills against Gordon. Well done for everyone in the team for trying all year & the second half of the season showed good team improvement. Good luck to Andrew, Madi, Shannon, Antoni, Ruan & Brad who move out of juniors onto U17’s & U18’s. For the first year 15’s Tom, Poddy, Sari, Mitchell, Matthew, Mark & Nicholas we look forward to next year with the 13’s coming through.
U15Blue
Round 1 - lost to Ryde 1-6
Was a bright warm Sat morning when Northern Districts U/15 Blue gathered for their 1st game of the season, a combination of experienced bodies returning and an influx of new faces making up the team. The game was to be against old foes Ryde. From first whistle, ND controlled the ball with accurate passing and a committed defense seeing ND making good ground. Ryde found themselves under sustained pressure and a number of short corners were awarded of which ND were able to convert one for a nice goal mid way through 1st half. This seemed to spur Ryde on who with a new sense of urgency stepped up a gear and placed the ND team under a surge of attack that was defended grimly by all. Many excellent saves, one even off his helmet by goalkeeper Bushie kept us in front. We left the field at half time leading 1-0, a fine effort for a new team with some members playing their first ever game of hockey!
Second half started with high hopes but ND found Ryde regularly intercepting and driving home these opportunities placing ND under continued attack. Ryde were rewarded with 2 goals in quick succession. This seemed to give Ryde the momentum they needed yielding Ryde a few more goals throughout the 2nd half. ND fought bravely against the energised Ryde and never gave up with a few late short corner opportunities, but weren't able to convert these with the Final result Ryde's way 6-1. This game saw ND prove to ourselves we are able to match it with what should prove to be one of the stronger teams in the comp. However we will need to sustain the level of play, intensity and commitment demonstrated during our first 20 minutes for a full 2 halves for us to open our account with a win. Ice Cup award went to Marius for his tireless work in attack and defense continually leading by example throughout the game.
Round 2 - defeated GNS 2-0
U/15 Blue traveled to Kuringai hoping to open our account for the season against GNS. Position, Possession and Persistence were identified as three areas for improvement from last week. A closely fought and evenly matched first half saw ND demonstrating excellent teamwork and passing to create a number of scoring opportunities. GNS too showed solid trap, pass and shooting skills, which dished up to ND’s halves and backs a busy time. Lachlan also was called on to maintain his form from last week with a number of goaline saves required to keep scores evenly poised 0-0 at half time.
ND still in the match and eager to snare a win committed to a lift in intensity for the second half. This was delivered with enthusiastic marking and an excellent passing game rewarded early in the second; a super cross from Angus finished by Jake with a deft deflection high into the net gave ND their first. Similar play had ND continue to attack with a stroke awarded and a number of close misses until a short corner saw a solid Simon drive to the left post deflected in by Angus for NDs second. GNS never gave up and had their opportunities however determined ND defence throughout the closing 10 minutes secured NDs first win of the season 2-0!
A close match, the win was a fine effort with all players contributing to the result. In particular there were strong defensive games from Simon, Jack, Sean and Ashlee with Jake, Erin and Brigitte demonstrating attacking flair. Special thanks to Angus and Scott for helping the team out, their contributions were invaluable. Ice cup to Lachlan, his many saves and confident clearances in goal kept us in the game with a clean sheet. Keep it up team!
Round 3 - lost to Manly 1-8
Following the promise of our 1st win of the season last week, ND blue faced a classy Manly outfit this weekend. From the opening whistle Manly controlled the game with a combination of skill, speed and goal scoring ability across the park. ND found themselves under sustained attack through the middle and up the wings. Despite Simon, Jack, Marius and Ashlee defending determinedly and with many Lachlan goaline saves, Manly were nevertheless able to break through for 4 goals in the first half. ND did have their opportunities late in the 1st showing improved composure and passing enabling ND to gain momentum and reward. Anupesh just missed his first ever goal with a deflection hitting foot, ND were also awarded many short corners in the final 10 minutes. Unfortunately we were unable to convert these and bridge the scoreline to what could have been a much smaller gap at the end of the 1st half. The second half was a carbon copy of the 1st with Manly consistently attacking and converting their opportunities. ND attempted to match it with the Manly outfit but were stifled by solid Manly defence each time. Positively ND did score goal from a super cross and deft Mark deflection in the last minute proving we can score against a quality side with the match ending 1-8 down. ND will need to work on improving basics of passing, trapping, tackling, then reduce turnovers and improve our fitness in order to match it with these guys at our next encounter. Ice Cup Award to Erin who ran all day at inner and showed excellent marking, tackling and positional play during what was a difficult match. Thanks also to Matthew and Mark for helping us out and to Jake for coming along and supporting us despite a bung foot – hopefully Jake will be back for our next game early May.
Round 4 - Bye
Round 5 - lost to Briars 2-3
Backing up for a second game Saturday morning proved a challenge in a match where ND could and should have won or at least shared the points with an evenly matched Briars team. At times ND demonstrated improved composure and skill in attack with excellent transition and spread of the ball from backs to halves and up the wings but appeared flat in defence. Briars were able to break through for a goal early in the first, with ND hitting back mid way through after an excellent short corner strike from Simon that rocketed into the backboard. Unfortunately from this point, ND seemed to loose our way and were not able to show the same defensive and positional discipline from the previous evening and Briars were able to apply continual pressure. Lachlan was having another superb game in goals and kept us in the game with countless spectacular saves however Briars were still able to extract a goal mid way though the second half. This seemed to jolt ND back into gear with Ashleigh, Sean and Jaimee working hard at half and Erin, Brigitte and Jake starting to combine well in attack. This forced a nicely constructed length of the field equalizer finished superbly by Marius to see the score 2-2 with 3 minutes to go. At this point a draw seemed a fair result for a finely balanced match, unfortunately this was not to be. With weary legs backing up from Friday night not able to keep Briars away from our circle Briars managed to slot a goal in the dying 30 seconds leaving ND to walk away with a frustrating 3-2 loss. Ice Cup Award to Rachel who showed positional versatility and excellent skills of trapping, passing and tackling throughout the game.
Round 6 - lost to Ryde 0-3
Friday night saw the team regroup after a long month off to once again face Ryde on a cool evening. The game was entertaining to watch with both teams demonstrating effective skills moving the ball end to end. After working on fitness and hockey fundamentals at recent training sessions, the ND team showed an improved ability to construct good hockey and threaten Ryde’s goal line regularly throughout the match. Unfortunately goals weren’t to come. Ryde on the other hand were able to convert a number of their opportunities despite excellent and committed defensive efforts across the pitch. Final score was 3-0 to Ryde. Despite the score, ND’s team should be proud of their efforts particularly in the committed marking, back tackling and defensive work shown by the whole team. Ashleigh, Sean, Jack and Lachlan were stand outs. Will ran hard all night whilst Anupesh is showing continual improvement in hockey basics complimenting a developing Jake-Marius attacking combination. This ensured the game was closely fought where we were more competitive than our first round encounter. Had we taken our scoring opportunities the result could have gone either way. Ice Cup Award to Simon for his commitment at fullback with many goal saving tackles and vocal organization and encouragement of the defence.
Round 7 - defeated GNS 5-3
Another Friday night and ND Blue arrived keen to take home some much needed points from their encounter with GNS. With William zooming down the M2 to arrive just in time for his first game keeping, ND seemed to bring their hockey brains along with their hockey skills tonight. From the opening whistle the team showed their capability to play excellent hockey across the pitch for two full halves. ND opened their account with textbook positional play and slick passing enabling us to progress the ball into GNS circle early and convert for a nice opening goal. Whilst GNS were able to hit back with some sweet short corner strikes, fortunately NDs attacking tempo was maintained throughout the game with Marius, Jake and Simon all snaring goals along with Brigitte who slotted her first for the season which came with an accompanying celebration dance! These goals were well supported by the whole team who applied the hockey fundamentals of trapping, passing, marking and backtackling that we’ve been working hard on at training. Positively fitness appears on the improve too. William did an excellent job with some quality first saves of his keeping career and thanks again to Angus for plugging the team gaps and putting in a fine performance. ICE cup to Ashleigh for her brick wall defence along with dynamic play igniting team momentum in attack. A solid win, we must take our game up another notch when facing top of table Manly this Fri night.
Round 8 - lost to Manly 3-5
Expecting a tough match against top of the table Manly, ND were hopeful of pulling off an upset win on Friday night. The opening half was one of changing fortunes, ND started off slowly surrendering possession and failing to mark as required. Manly slotted 2 early goals in quick succession due to soft defence across the field and despite some excellent saves from Will. Fortunately this gave us an early wake up call with ND rising to the challenge. Improved ball control, committed marking and enterprising attack enabled ND to square up and then take the lead with nicely constructed plays ably finished by Angus for 3 goals, Amazingly ND were in the lead 3-2 at half time. Now believing they could win the match, ND started the second half as they finished the first. Continuing their excellent play, ND camped down in Manly’s quarter with possession galore and a number of short corners for a good 15 minutes. Frustratingly ND could not convert this into goals and the finely balanced game shifted yet again. ND now started to cough up more mid field possession and Manly took advantage of these opportunities to score 3 late goals in the final 10 minutes. Despite the loss this was a game ND should and could have won. ND are showing greater confidence in defence, attack and are developing self belief they can mix it with the top guns in the comp. We just need to maintain our best hockey, consistently, for a full 60 minutes to start winning these games. Ice cup to Sean who worked tirelessly at CH showing lovely ball distribution, solid defence and stopping many short corner shots at 1st runner.
Round 9 - Bye
Round 10 - lost to Briars 1-6
After a break of 3 weeks, ND U/15B were looking to avenge their previous super close match against Briars with a win this time around. Unfortunately this proved to be a much more difficult task than expected. Lack of match practice in recent weeks and an apparent absence of motivation from the opening whistle saw the team outplayed across the park. Briars benefited from a huge advantage in possession handed to them by wayward passing and poor ball control. This coupled with a defensive effort lacking commitment, particularly when players were off the ball made life difficult for ourselves. Briars were able capitalise on these opportunities and convert consistently throughout for a scoreline of 6-1. We must regroup from this effort and improve all facets of our game in order to be competitive - as we have been in many of our matches prior to this one. On a brighter note, Anupesh positioned himself nicely and picked up a rebound opportunity to score his first ever goal to earn ICE cup for this week
Round 11 - lost to Ryde 0-4
Round 12 - defeated GNS 2-1
ND U15/B arrived for the game against closely matched rivals - GNS expecting a tough, tightly fought affair. GNS started out controlling possession and testing our defence for much of the first half. Meanwhile ND struggled to find their teamwork after a lengthy break over the school holidays, this enabled GNS to convert one of their attacks up the centre for a goal. With Lachlan keeping us in the game with some excellent saves, ND started to show promise through improved teamwork and we gradually gained more possession with the team going into half time break still in the game but 1-0 down. The team devised a simple plan of improving their possession, passing and communication to take into the 2nd half. Putting this plan into practice early in the 2nd saw good lead up play and Jake converting with a deflection from an excellent cross to square up at 1-1. Soon after Angus, Ashlee, and Sean combined nicely to get a pass through to Marius, who, unmarked in the circle slotted home a sweetly directed shot to put us into the lead. From here ND hung on with determined marking for a closely fought 2-1 win. ICE cup was a split decision with Erin showing great skills in defence and attack however the award went to Jack for his watertight marking and a number of goal saving tackles throughout the game.
Round 13 - drew with Manly 1-1
After dealing us a hockey lesson in our previous 2 encounters ND were looking to close the gap against Manly this time around. We also planned to test out some different attacking and defensive strategies that we've been working hard at during training. ND started enthusiastically showing much improved defence in our own half which enabled us to pick up quite a few turnovers evening up possession. In a close 1st half, Manly converted at the 15 min mark after which excellent marking by all players and some top goaline saves by Lachlan, complimented by backup goalie - now playing on the field - Will twice diving full stretch across the line combining to deny Manly any additional goals. At the other end ND had many shots at goal only to be saved by Manlys keeper. NDs persistence paid off however with ND finally breaking through after excellent teamwork by Asheligh, Sean and Angus set up Marius to convert a rebound after it seemed like the ball had crossed Manly's goaline 5 times already. The second half was a copy of the first with Manly heaping on pressure but NDs defence determined and holding firm against their attacks. ND got their attack into gear and showed lovely skills in distribution with skillful passing moving the ball from the backs through halves and the fwd line to create a number of opportunities again testing the Manly goalkeepers defence. In a tight goal-less 2nd half, ND managed to hold on and showed their coaches, fans, Manly and most importantly themselves the teamwork and excellent hockey they are capable with a well earned 1-1 draw. Easily the teams best performance, a draw with Manly shows we can mix it with the top teams in the comp and will give us a much needed confidence boost moving into the final round. Whilst the whole team played out of their skins today, Ice cup went to Jake who created many headaches for the Manly defence with his attacking runs with special mentions to Erin, Simon, Rachel S who all had fine games as well.
Round 14 - Bye
Round 15 - lost to Briars 3-5
Minor Semi - lost to Briars 0-5
Coming off a close match the week before against the same team - Briars, ND hoped to turn the tables this week and post a victory in this crucial semi final. Unfortunately this was not to be. The first half saw Briars take control of possession with ND turning the ball over too easily mid field enabling Briars to use their flashy attacking skills to score 4 unanswered goals. ND did have their chances this half but each of these went begging with failure to convert these opportunities leaving ND down 4-0 at half time. The second half saw a much improved defensive performance with ND playing with greater commitment and improved marking to place much needed pressure on the Briars attack. With some good turnarounds, again, ND had a number of opportunities to slot home some goals but were unable to convert these with some near misses past the post. Nevertheless, ND showed in this half that the match could have been a much closer one if we had turned in a similar defensive performance in the 1st half and converted some of our scoring opportunities. So ends a mixed but immensely enjoyable season for U/15 ND Blue team, congratulations on making the semi finals and the final Ice cup award went to Angus whose tenacity in defence and attacking flair provided some exciting moments during the game.