From the Pitches
Hockey v St Andrew’s
1st VII Lost 2-7
It wasn’t quite the end to the season for which I hoped but they gave their all. It was quite obvious from the warm-up that the St Andrew’s boys were going to be a tough opposition; they were obviously talented and well-drilled. It became even more apparent after thirty seconds of the game, as their centre midfielder weaved his way through our defence and slipped the ball skilfully into our goal. Despite a first half that saw the hosts score five unanswered goals, the boys worked hard and created numerous shootings chances, but couldn’t quite hit the target or beat the keeper.
Going into half time, I could sense the boys were slightly brow beaten, so trying to get the belief back was the purpose of the half time talk. We discussed the need to defend tighter and with more control and to at least hit the target.
The second half was a huge improvement and the boys moved the ball and themselves around the field with great determination and precision. Chances came and went, but eventually we grabbed a goal back and then another. Despite the final score line and the quality of the opposition, the boys should feel proud of drawing the second half 2-2.
On a final note I would like to wish the St Andrew’s team the best of luck, as they have qualified for the IAPS U13 National Finals at Millfield later in the term. It would be great to have a team from the South-East (and my former school!) bring home the trophy.
Tom Gregory
2nd Lost 1-8
Sport can be so cruel at times. The boys played very well in the first half, defending as a unit, passing well, finding space and attacking the D with wonderful movement. We took the lead through a well-worked move down the right, Seth G-W scoring after his initial shot had been saved. St Andrew’s got a goal back a short while later to make it 1-1 at the break. The second half was a completely different story. We just could not keep the ball for any period of time and, with the opposition finding space behind our defenders, they were able to score 7 unanswered goals.
Matt McKinnon
3rd Drew 1-1
In their last hockey match of the season the 3rd team played well in an evenly-contested game. With both teams having chances, Daniel N opened the scoring for Vinehall to make the score 1-0 at half time. The second half mirrored the first, only that St Andrew’s scored a deserved equaliser. Well done to all the boys who have played for the 3rd team throughout a very good hockey season.
Jon Newman
4th Drew 2-2
The 4th team played very well in their last match of the hockey season against St Andrew’s. Ludo G opened the scoring for Vinehall only for St Andrew’s to equalise midway through the first half. In the second half both teams had chances, but it was St Andrew’s who struck first to go into a 2-1 lead; this looked like the final score only for Nathan L to equalise in the final minute of the match. Well done to all the boys who have played for the 4th team throughout a very good hockey season.
Jon Newman
Colts A Lost 1-4
The star of the team in our final match was goalkeeper William G. If it had not been for his brilliant saves we would have been sunk by half time. As it was, we stayed competitive throughout the match and our team play improved significantly the longer the match went on. Our only goal was scored once again by Bertie T after one of his trademark mazy runs. I was also encouraged by the good performances in defence from Faris A and George S, who both showed how much progress they have made this season.
Well done everyone. We didn’t win, but we played our part in a well-contested game.
Nigel Butler
Colts B Lost 2-3
The opening few minutes of the game were some of the best hockey I have seen the boys play. They passed the ball around the pitch with confidence and defended well when needed. Monty G, playing goalie for the first time, did a fantastic job. They deservedly scored two goals through Reus B and Cesar CRM, with 2-0 the half time score. The second half proved to be an entirely different game. The passing dried up, which led to less possession. The opponents capitalised on this and scored 3 unanswered second half goals.
Matt McKinnon
From the Courts
Netball v Buckswood
1st Won 20-3 POM: Melisa A
A strong first quarter from the girls saw them take a 10-0 lead, with exceptional shooting from Connie S and Isabella F. No balls got through the defence of Melisa A and Freda H. Mia G worked tirelessly as C and both Miranda R and Lucy B were solid in their roles as wings supporting play. It was very clear that it was going to be a one-sided game. Therefore, it was only right to move players around each remaining quarter to make it a balanced match. The girls thoroughly enjoyed playing in different positions and it was a fun afternoon. After the match the 3rd team had their match and whilst the girls were waiting, both 1st and 2nd mixed with Buckswood to play a mixed school match on the other court which was enjoyed by all.
Laura Percy-White
2nd Won 19-4 POM: Betty M
After establishing an eleven goal lead in the first quarter, the whole team played out of position for the rest of the match in an attempt to give the opposition the opportunity to gain some advantage, and also for our team to experience playing in different positions to appreciate greater versatility.
After the first round of matches Laura Percy White had a great idea to mix the teams who had just played to create mixed school teams to have an informal match whilst waiting for the 3rd teams to finish their game. This was a lovely way to balance team strengths and resulted in a spirited and enthusiastic match in which everyone gained a feel-good factor and an enjoyable experience.
Dalene Viljoen
3rd Won 16-6 POM: Mary KB
Vinehall got off to a good start against Buckswood, with some accurate shooting from Rosa A-K and Sofia R, taking a 5-2 lead. Players were moved around and out of position to learn the importance of versatility. This enabled me to see other shooting combinations and players to gain new experiences. Mary KB, Isabel T and Isabel DL all show potential to be good shooters. Azilis DLT is growing into a confident player and making many intercepts. Both Jenny D and Helen T are improving each week. Buckswood pushed our girls throughout the match and had they converted some of the goals the score would have been closer and the 3rd quarter was a draw. However, Vinehall always had the edge to win the match.
Laura Percy-White
Netball v The Mead
U11/U10A Lost 8-9 POM: Efe O and Imogen W
As always, the sun shone down on our Wednesday fixtures and we mixed things up a bit by playing a couple of our Year 5 girls with the U11s. The game was tightly-fought to the last minute, with some superb shots by Imogen W and some fantastic passes down the middle between Chaya L and Honor F. Honor G worked tirelessly in defence with Efe O and, after a lot of hard work and determination, The Mead just beat us to the post with one goal in it.
A challenging game on many levels – well done, girls!
Claire Bridges
U11B Won 7-1 POM: Ottoline G
The U11Bs played a strong game. Goals were scored by Sophie P (3), Sofia E (2) and Olivia H (2). Ottoline G deserved her player of the match. The girls played consistently throughout, with three goals being scored in the first quarter, one in the second, one in the 3rd and two in the 4th. Willow A and Seren W both played very well in both GK and GD positions.
Hannah Buckley
U10B Won 6 – 0 POM: Kenisha N
This was actually a much closer match than the score suggests; the Mead had lots of possession but were unlucky with their shooting in the very blustery conditions.
Kenisha N deserved her POM. Clara F and Polly S worked well together and scored four and two goals respectively. Grace W was the lynchpin at centre, aided by strong play from Elizabeth G, Eloise L-H, Molly P and Tilly R. An excellent performance from Vinehall – well done!
Aileen Cheevers
