It was Holcombe that claimed the bragging rights with both men and women beating their Canterbury counterparts on Saturday.
22/10/16 4pm
Investec Women’s National Premier League
Canterbury HC 0-1 Holcombe HC
Scorers: Canterbury HC:
Holcombe HC: Emily Maguire.
Polo Farm, Canterbury.
After losing at home to an in-form East Grinstead side last week, Holcombe travelled to local rivals Canterbury in the first of a blockbuster double-header with the Men’s 1’s.
With Trunks still injured, Holcombe called up teenager Aspen Cumming into the back line ahead of the much anticipated Kent Derby.
Perennial title-challengers Canterbury have endured a mixed start to the season, sitting 3 points behind their guests on Saturday evening in a tight top half of the table. With a number of new faces and a rebuilding phase well underway, Canterbury manager Gill Prince was excited for the match-up, saying; “We’re looking forward to getting a big crowd down for these matches, hopefully they can be the extra player for us”.
As the crowds rolled into Polo Farm, the game started at a frenetic pace.
Holcombe began the stronger of the two sides, dominating the early exchanges in both possession and territory. Some probing runs from Sarah Jones and Steph Elliott down the left channel caused a number of problems for the Canterbury defence.
As the half wore on, clear-cut chances were hard to come by and the resilient defence for the hosts, led by the experienced Mel Clewlow, held strong to provide a platform on which to build. Looking increasingly threatening on counter-attacks, Canterbury grew into the game and wrestled back momentum just before half time with a flurry of chances, leaving Holcombe to rue a series of missed opportunities pressure.
In the second half, the crowd continued to grow as it became clear that such a tight derby would be decided by the smallest of margins. Aurora Mears continued her fine form in goal for the visitors with a number of interventions before Emily Maguire stepped up to convert a penalty corner to give Holcombe the lead.
With time running out for the hosts, Canterbury began to push forward, leading to an open and entertaining final period. Some resilient defence from Holcombe kept chances to a minimum with Ellie Watton and Lucy Wood in particular continuing to threaten on the break.
The win sees Holcombe leap back into second place in the Premier League, just a point behind reigning champions East Grinstead.
Having assisted from the side for the second week running, injured full-back Emma Trunks said of the game; “It was at times a very frustrating encounter. Canterbury have always been a good side and this has always been a difficult place to come and play expansive hockey. We definitely had the better chances and deserved the win; we just have to be more clinical in front of goal in future to put these kinds of games to bed early.”
With a break in the league next weekend to accommodate England Hockey’s Single System programme, Holcombe can look back on a positive start to their Premier League campaign.
22/10/16 6pm
NOW:Pensions Men’s National Premier League
Canterbury HC 3-5 Holcombe HC
Scorers; Canterbury HC: Cale Cramer (x2), James Oates.
Holcombe HC: Barry Middleton (x2), Sam Ward, Harry Trusler, Gareth Andrew.
Polo Farm, Canterbury.
Exactly one week after beating the, then, league leaders at Holcombe Park, Holcombe Men travelled down the M2 to local rivals Canterbury to conclude a passionate double-header event with the Women’s 1’s.
With their focus solely back on domestic competition, Holcombe named a slightly changed 15 from the side that were victorious against Hampstead last weekend with Jonty Robinson, currently stuck in South Africa amending VISA issues, being replaced by Tom O’Keefe.
The hosts have endured a troubled start to the season. After losing their talismanic player-coach Kwan Browne in the off-season, the East-Kent side are one of three teams yet to pick up a point in the current campaign and went into Saturday’s clash with an increasing sense of desperation.
With the sun setting at Polo Farm, the second encounter of the Kent Derby got off to a blistering start.
Holcombe flew out of the blocks and went 2-0 up in the early exchanges through a Sam Ward penalty corner and a Harry Trusler finish from close range.
The hosts fought back however with Cale Cramer converting with an improvised finish from a penalty corner breakdown before doubling his tally for the evening with a sharp deflection shortly after.
George Pinner in the Holcombe goal took a powerful strike on the inside of his knee, causing a major delay in the game and the prospect of the visitors playing the remaining 50 minutes without a goalkeeper. Some treatment and choice words from the crowd were enough to fire up the Great Britain number one as he continued through the pain to make a couple of sharp saves as the half wore on.
Shortly before half time, a trademark counter attack from Holcombe saw them make to passes from their own end of the field to allow Barry Middleton to cut inside and finish into the bottom left corner of the goal.
An entertaining first half was followed by an equally eventful second.
With umpires struggling to control what was becoming an increasingly fervent atmosphere at Polo Farm, the hosts had a penalty corner saved before another fast break from Holcombe saw Middleton find space in the Canterbury circle to beat Diccon Stubbings in the Canterbury goal to fire home his second of the night.
Canterbury again produced a response, earning another penalty corner. A penalty stroke was awarded after the ball struck Ali Bray on the Holcombe line, despite the protests from Pinner that the initial shot was covered. Clearly disapproving, Pinner stepped up to save the stroke low to his right to preserve the visitors’ lead.
Shortly afterward, Holcombe sealed the points after a mesmeric run from Harry Trusler saw him eliminate 5 defenders before Gareth Andrew pounced from close range to double his tally for the season.
A late James Oates goal from close range proved mere consolation for the hosts as both Holcombe sides’ claimed maximum points away from home in the Kent Derby.
The wins sees Holcombe move to within a point of the league leaders with a game in hand but, speaking after the game, Holcombe Manager Keith Martin stressed that the Holcombe Park side weren’t resting on their laurels; “Derby matches usually bring out the good and the bad in terms of team and individual performances. Holcombe can be pleased that three more points were secured but will be reflecting on a game littered with errors in what turned out to be a largely disappointing game of hockey.”
After their European exploits a week ago, Holcombe play their game-in-hand away at struggling Loughborough Students next Saturday, before returning to Holcombe Park on the Sunday to play Hampstead and Westminster in the tie of the HA Cup 2nd Round.
Men’s picture supplied by Ady Kerry.