The Weekly SCORE-pion 30-09-23

A brilliant weekend from #TheATeam, with positive results for every team, picking up 13/15 available league points, and a strong start for our mixed and junior teams too.

UMPIRES NEEDED:

Abingdon Avengers are hosting a hockey festival on Sunday 15th October. They are in need of volunteers to umpire. It should be really friendly and is a great opportunity to have a go at umpiring - only basic rules will be played and small sided games, with coaches on the sideline for support. Please contact Amy Walker or Michelle Lewis (Umpire Coordinator) if you can help for all, or even part of the day with the junior side of the club.

MEMBERSHIP:

A reminder to pay your club membership before 31^st October to make sure you take advantage of the early bird offer as paid membership is an essential part of the selection criteria for all matches. If you have any difficulty in paying your fees, please speak to your team captain, club captains, Michelle Lewis (Membership Secretary) or Ollie Morris (Treasurer).

Men’s 1s 4-1 vs Staines

Harry Hewitt-Chick

Looking to continue the form from the victory against Aylesbury in the opening weekend, the M1s travelled away to Staines.

Staines were relegated from the league above and we knew it would be a tough game to come away with 3 points. The opening minutes set the tone for the rest of the game, both teams were playing very good hockey and it appeared to be a well balanced matchup. 

Abingdon’s press limited Staines to very little chances throughout the first half, and the fantastic forward play saw Abingdon go 2-0 up at half time, after a well worked goal from Sam and a rocket drag flick from Curt!

The game slowed down in the second half and Staines began to have a little more hold of the game. A fantastic solo goal from Ray and a true forwards finish from Trigg killed their momentum! The game ended 4-1 to Abingdon!

PotM: Marnix Achterberg

Goal Scorers: Sam Chilvers, Curt Philbin, Ray Prince, Will Trigg

Assists: Tim Chilvers, Marnix Achterberg, Harry Hewitt-Chick, Curt Philbin

DoD: Marnix Achterberg

Men’s 2s 7-1 vs Oxford Uni

Will Green

A much needed win after last week's loss to Windsor, helped by Ox Uni not bringing a GK kit. Playing against 11 outfield players brought its own challenges, which took a while to get used to. 3 quick goals midway through the first half effectively killed the game. Up next Reading away.

PotM: Tom Skirrow

Goal Scorers: Tom Skirrow (2), Tom Fry (2), Paul Slater, Ollie Lovibond, Will Green

Assists: Ben Hyde (2), Mark Ellis (2), Tom Fry (2), Mike McEwan

Ladies 2s 7-0 vs Oxford Hawks

Laura Cardy & Emma Bell

After the high of last week, we were ready to keep the momentum going! Regardless of one player missing a gum shield and one player in the wrong coloured kit, we started positively scoring 3 in the first half! Positivity was bubbling in the half time chat, with help from pitchside coach James!! We then went on to score 4 more! 7 seems to be our lucky number, we’re ready for Kidlington on the 7th!!

PotM: Darcie Oliver

Goal Scorers: Amy Walker (2), Megan Scott (2), Cara Bundock, Darcie Oliver, Ava Bremner

Assists:

DOD: India Reville (we’ll let you guess if it was kit or gum shield….)

Men’s 3s 1-1 vs Thame

Matthew Deverill

A late 4pm push back away at Thame saw AHC M3's held to a tough 1-1 draw. Due to a Leighton Buzzard walkover last week this was our opening game of the campaign.

Largely dominant for the majority of the game the M3's saw chance after chance fizzle past the post with efforts Ollie Douglas, Ash Davidson and Tom Hambidge coming close, even striking the post. Ash Davidson initially scored as the umpire blew, awarding us a short corner. Disappointing not to have the advantage played, especially as nothing came from the short.

Against the run of play Thame scored the opener with their first shot towards the goal, deflecting in past Stu Cardy who could do nothing about it.

In the second half we finally turned one of our many shots into a goal with debutant Bruce Dunn smashing it in from the top of the D through several Thame players and the goal keeper. Ollie Douglas saw a good goal ruled out for alleged crossing of players and despite further chances the game ended one a piece.

Great performances all around, wonderful debuts from Harry Boumphrey and Bruce Dunn with a few players also returning into the fold such as Tom Hambidge who's been absent for a few seasons making babies, well done Tom.

Onto Aylesbury next week. Cheers chaps!

PotM: Victor Rill – flawless play at RB

Goal Scorers: Bruce Dunn

DOD: Ash Davidson

Green Card: Ash Davidson

Men’s 4s 4-3 vs Milton Keynes

Trevor Wiggins

 We had a bit of a nightmare start conceding 2 goals early on, however we didn't panic. Instead we just kept playing our usual brand of passing hockey and stated to trouble the opposition goal. The continued pressure led to the first of our 4 goals.

We kept the pressure on the opposition and worked our way back into the game and eventually the lead.

This was a mature performance in very close game against a good opposition. To record our first win in this manner was absolutely fantastic.

PotM: Iestyn Atkins

Goal Scorers: Tom Flemming (2), Lewis Singleton (2)

Assists: Dewi Atkins, Iestyn Atkins

DoD: Charlie Shelley

Mixed 3-1 vs Adastral

Trevor Wiggins

 The first game of the mixed season saw the team make a trip to Oxford Academy to take on Adastral.

The team was a nice blend of old and new faces and abilities including a very rare sighting of a M1s player. We lent 2 players to Adastral for the match to even up the sides and ensure each team could provide an umpire. We were really nice and lent them Ellie (L1) and James (M1). Still not sure why we did this ! 🤷‍♂️.

The work Tim has been doing in training was very evident as we played some nice passing hockey and moved the ball around the pitch keeping Adastral on their toes. Eventually the pressure was too much and we scored our first goal.

We kept our structure throughout the game making Adastral rely on long balls and quick counter attacks to trouble our defence. 2 more Abingdon goals followed in the 2nd half with Adastral managing to score in the last seconds of the match.

PotM: Ale Betti

Goal Scorers: Amy Walker (2), Greg Hughes

Avengers U14 Girls 6-2 vs Wallingford

Amy Walker

The U14s had a great first match to their season, winning 6-2 to Wallingford.

The defence worked so hard clearing balls from the D and taking some great defensive short corners, saving all of them!! Mimi did a fantastic job in goal saving three 1v1s.

Midfield also has a fantastic game getting up the pitch to both ends - without any subs!! They made great interceptions and passes to transition the ball.

Forwards worked hard in the D to score some amazing goals and win some short corners.

Well played girls!

Goal Scorers: Darcie, Olivia (5)

Images from Ladies 2s vs Oxford Hawks. Lyndsay Wilkinson takes a strike from a short corner (L), and Ava Bremner tackles a Hawks defender in the midfield (R).

There's plenty of action down at Tilsley Park this Saturday, 7th October. Come down and support our Men's and Ladies' 1st teams as they push back against Wallingford and Banbury respectively at 10:30am. Then, at 12pm two more matches begin, with the Ladies' 2s facing Kidlington and Men's 3s up against Aylesbury.

Good luck to all teams, home and away!

Also this Saturday, all are welcome at the Kings Head and Bell in Abingdon from 7:30pm - further details are up on Teamo, sign up if you're able to come along to the first Saturday Social of the season!