Derby (A) 25th March
Belper (H) 1st April
Burton (H) 8th April
N.Notts (A) 15th April
Derby (H) 29th April
The day started with us meeting at 12:15 for a 13:00 start. We decided to have a game of footy to warm us up; we then went on a lap and Nick took the stretching exercises. He then proceeded in doing another warm up activity to get us doing short sharp passes. As i was greeting Steve from Belper he told me off the troubles they had finding the pitch. We had a good strong side but didn’t have the usual brute force of Chris Markus, Ben Northedge and the new arrival of Nick Bates, who is yet to make an appearance for my side due to unavailability. We had a very good and experienced umpire in Keith Marriot and a unexperienced nervous umpire in Ashley.
The tradition of motivating our team round the spot got louder and sounded more like we were wanting to win this game. We set up with a fairly good line up but would have been made stronger with the absentees involved. We started on the back foot and mainly stayed on the back foot. Nick Drew penetrated their back line and he and Jonno found themselves one-on-one in their “D” with the keeper but failed to convert their chances. Belper then scored a brilliant goal which woke us up for 2 minutes and we scored when Kidger put the ball into the backof the net. We fell asleep again and in the second half they scored a very lucky goal as the left post was left empty. We woke up and Jonno belted the ball into the top corner making it 2-2.They then pressed and scored their third goal.
Thanks to Andy, Ashley and Keith, all the spectators but mainly all 25 players for making it a fun flowing game where we had lots of time to practice our defensive skills.
The day started off in a worrying for us when we noticed how strong the Derwent team looked.Their team prepared well for the game doing a warm up and an activity. Our team stood around chatting and not doing a warm up as Callum was trying to contact Mac (Tom didn't tell me he hadnt got his kit). This, plus the no show of Dan Molloy, left the team wanting to go home but we eventually realised we could make something of the game. We defended well through the match and although we didn't play much in attack, we had a short corner and Callum slapped the ball wide. We had 2 chances in the whole game. Derwent were physically and mentally stronger than us but good performances from our defence managed to keep the scoring down. They managed to score 6 which proves how well we defended. We will look forward to taking a stronger team to their place in january.
MoM - Moorwood - and Ash played well. Ash controlled the game and was the leader at the back and Moorwood again impressed with his passion to win the ball.
The game started in a strange way after a debate on which ball to use. Buxton's manager won this debate and we played with a white ball (which was supposedly used in the Olympics). The game started off poorly from Chesterfield's point of view as Buxton's centre midfielder controlled the game and throughout caused us problems. However, we were lucky to break and Nick Drew flicked the ball into the bottom corner from the top of the D to put us 1 up.
He was then unlucky not to get a 2nd as he reverse hit it and we all watched it ricochet of the post (nobody attempted to follow it up as we all though it was goal bound). After this, Buxton struggled to get it into our D but when I was released by Nick Drew, the keeper came rushing out and I pushed the ball past him. He unfortunately clattered into his own team mate as I was able to 'walk' the ball into the net.
In the second half it became a comedy. We rarely played hockey and the two umpires seemed at times to be playing by different rules. Buxton's umpire repeatedly made them push the ball up 10 yards for our players (apparently) being rude. They then scored two quick goals and could have scored a 3rd as all our players were in their half, leaving four of their players in our half. Fortunately Tom Walters made an excellent save to make sure we didn't go 3-2 down. We played the ball to Kidger who was unlucky not to reach it but his stick slipped out of his hand. Their umpire stopped the match and told him off but as Kidger turned around to tell me something, the umpire stopped the clock again and sent him off (we later asked the umpire and he said it was for giving him a hand gesture which I know was mistaken). With 1minute left their umpire gave them a penalty flick which Neil couldn't believe, let alone us. As the umpires were trying to sort it out, our players got frustrated and Marc Boardman kicked the ball at our keeper hitting him in the chest. Then Harry hit the ball agaist the fence and it went through it and the 'Olympic' ball was lost. Neil did not manage to get the decision overturned and that left Tom Walters under a lot of pressure and our team were repeatedly told not to talk as they were shouting. Their player took the flick and Tom dived to his right saving the flick. We were delighted and the Buxton player shook his hand and congratulated him for his save.
At the end, Neil spoke to the other umpire and got into an animated discussion. We were getting on with and talking with their players before we were asked to leave the pitch. We got our things together and went to talk to them again when their umpire said '....we won't be playing you again...' and that '....it's what he expected from Chesterfield...' He then called us 'rude'. As we left the pitch, we clapped their players and they clapped us. Thanks for umpiring, NEIL, and for putting up with such inexplicable decisions from the other umpire - and well played Buxton.
Man of the match- Chris Moorwood as it was his first game and he played his position very well.
T.Walters, C.Taylor, M.Boardman, T.Weaver, C.Markus, J.Hodgson, L.Kidger, H.Swift, A.Styles, J.Briggs, D.Fairweather, N.Drew, C.Moorward, M.Fearn, O.White.
(Note from the Webmaster - these views are entirely those of Callum. If any of you would like to put an alternative view forward, I will be happy to append this)
We’ve been together, most of us, for 4-5 years except that is, for the people that have joined in the past year or two. We have really started to gel - we have a mix of characters in the team but are all up for a good laugh - and all enjoy playing are hockey.
We owe great thanks to Les Hawketts, Mac McCran, John Nash and Ken Forbes - and now to Neil Briggs.
Les Hawketts and Mac took us for our first years’ of hockey and helped us with our basic skills. Then Ken Forbes took us over for a year. As he was a South African import, he has really helped us all improve and taught us some advanced skills. Over the past two seasons, Nashy has used all his hockey knowledge to teach us and help us become, potentially, the future 1st team. Les was also to be thanked for giving us our chance to play against adults in a Badgers game at the end of the 04/05 season. Most of us took this chance and are all now playing for the adult teams.
This season, Neil Briggs has stepped in to coach our squad as
Nashy has moved on to use his coaching skills on the U-13s group
Over the years we have lost only one key player - that was Tom Clarke - who
captained us in the under 13s but sometimes now makes a guest appearance at
training.
We are really dedicated to our hockey as we all turn up to training
regularly; I for one I have only missed six sessions in five years.
As I was saying, we have all gelled and even the people that have come into
the team in the past two years have easily fitted in. We hardly argue and
never fight as we all get on so well together.
This is our team:
(Gk)Tom Walters. Nickname: Ginner
About him: He is our youngest player but has been playing with us for ages – in fact he has been with us for 5/4 years now. He is only 12 and plays for both the under 13s and under 11s. He is a future 5th teamer but unfortunately at present we have enough keepers.
(Sw) Nick Drew. Nickname: Froddo
About him: He has been in our team for 2 years and is a special player as he can play sweeper extremely well, but he also enjoys playing left wing. From this position, what he does really well is to put the ball in the back of the net (which for Nick is usually the top corner). He is easy to get on with and always up both for playing hockey and watching it as well.
(Rb) Harry Swift. Nickname: he doesn’t really have one (yet!)
About him: Well ,in all honesty, he can, at times, be a bit of a “winger” in the team and one of few smiles. But he always performs - and well. He is good to talk to and puts effort in at training. He dislikes playing at the back so he has moved into his preferred attacking position this season.
(Cb/cf) Callum Taylor. (Profile by Ben
Northedge)
Nickname: potential hogger (how about big ‘ed …. Editor?)
About him: When Callum was writing the profile about Harry and the occasional moans he has I think, just think, Callum might have forgot about one person, himself. I don’t know what it is about him, but on the pitch he seems to annoy at least one person every game. The last time I played with him, I turned my back on him for a second and the next minute he has the biggest man on the opposing team about 5 inches away from his face, but to show how he has matured, he casually picked up his stick and walked away. He also has a big devotion to the up and coming youngsters, he is an assistant manager of the u-11's and the u'13s and likes to play a big part in the u-16 team too. Should there be a youngsters' game happening over the weekend, no matter what time it is he'll be up and helping out in every possible way he can through out the day. He is a nice lad as soon as you get to know him and is also a good listener.
(Lb) Marc Boardman. Nickname: Ray Parlour - this was given to him by Phillips for his long hair .
About him: He is our 'international' player as he is 51% French and 49% English. He is a laugh and is very loving. He is very laid back but plays hockey like a superstar. He has tremendous skill and quote ‘what’s he on about I can play any where’ - something he said when somebody claimed he could only play defence.
(Rm) Thomas Weaver. Nickname: Weaver
About him: He is my best mate and I got him playing hockey. I think he should be in the 3rds as he has tremendous skill and can stop any player from going past him. He has great fitness after coming 2nd in cross country. He is blonde and he pulls in ladies , so no doubt the 'old men' in the 1sts will want him soon.
(Cm) Chris Markus. Nickname: none
About him: He is our longest serving player as he has been here longer than anyone and links up extremely well with me as we our good mates in the club and we have a good understanding. We have an excellent short corner routine which hardly ever fails and he scores a good amount of goals.
(Lm) Jonathan Hodgson. Nickname : Jonno
About him : A potential bad boy of the club after being pushed over at Belper. But generally speaking, a sound player. He is a good teller of tales as he made me believe he lived in a mansion but he does actually have a plane unless that was a tale too !!!!
(Rf) Liam Kidger. Nickname: Kidger
About him: He can be extremely lazy at times and often needs a kick up the a*** but can move down the wing with great pace. He attends training often.
(Cf) Ashley Higginbotham. Nickname: Higgy
About him: He didn’t used to put that much effort in but now puts a lot of effort in as he got a break with the 3rds and has kept his place in there. He plays hockey when not at college and that’s basically all he does. He is useless at chatting girls up as I have to do it for him. One of his famous chatup lines is ‘do you have any pets’ - great stuff Ash shame they walked off and later stood him up . We love you really.
(Lw) David Fairweather. Nickname: Daffyd
About him: He is a new member. He flashes the cash a lot after he bought a stick reportedly costing £lots. He is a good laugh and is loved just for his 'excentricity' as he once came training with his bike stating he’s going to bike it home. This isn’t such a big deal except that he lives in Eckington.
(Training Player) Joshua Briggs
About him: Enthusiastic player and part of our training squad, now slightly over-age for U-16 and in any case not able to join us on Sundays due to other commitments.
(Training player) Ben Northedge. Nickname: Northedge (C'mon lads, lets have something more original ...Ed)
About him: A new recruit who is a good trainer and who tries hard. He uses his mouth a lot just like me ! He has bright blonde hair and dashing blue eyes. Unfortunatly he can't play on Sundays as he has a drama group.
Chris Moorwood:
A legend of a kid, trains with us most Wednesdays and fails to miss many, he has also made a few appearances at adult training. According to Nick Drew, “He is one of Saint Mary's top scorers and has made an impact on the team”. This is Chris' first year at Chesterfield and has managed to get regular games with the under-16 squad. Other than hockey he enjoys snow boarding and other extreme sports under this category, as well as watching the sport he is also a good snowboarder (ish). He is one of the tallest in the junior hockey squad and you can't miss him with the long hair.
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