U12 Boys win both matches in home tournament!
HC Knole Park’s U12 Boys won both of their matches against Old Georgians and Brighton in their final warm-up matches before the U12 Kent Cup Championships on the 8th March. 1-0 and 10-1 wins respectively were enough to win the tournament and were the perfect preparation for next week’s big tournament!
In an excellent first match against Old Georgians the team knew they would be tested and so it proved. In a match that could have gone either way it was the quality of Louis Wislang in goal, William Galloni in defence and Moritz Hippe in attack that proved the difference. The winning goal came in the second half as Moritz scored a slightly fortuitous goal as his amazing run was turned past the Old Georgians by his own player. Prior to this goal however the Old Georgian’s goalkeeper had looked unbeatable as he made some excellent saves from Moritz, Maxim Ongley-Dellar, Ediz Karsak, Ignacio Muñoz and from several attempts by Isaac Dale. Throughout the match the boys produced some sublime hockey! The match finished 1-0 as Player of the Match William Galloni tackled and cleared a dead time penalty corner.
In the second match of the tournament Old Georgians beat Brighton 7-0.
In the third match of the tournament HC Knole Park’s U12 Boys took on Brighton. In a very one sided match the team won 10-1. Moritz scored the first of his five goals with an awesome backhand finish. Isaac then scored a lovely individual goal before Mortiz completed a first half hat-trick after some lovely combination play from William, Isaac and Ediz Karsak. Ediz then scored himself after another mazy run by William. 5-0 at half-time.
The second half was very similar as goals from Ediz, Isaac, Ignacio and two from Moritz saw the boys run out 10-1 winners. Player of the Match, Isaac Dale, was at the centre of all positive things for Knole Park picking up two goals and four assists for the match. Brighton did score a late consolation which was lovely to see for their efforts.
Men’s 1st Team score big in West London!
HC Knole Park’s Men’s 1st team travelled into London to play their final west London fixture of the season against Richmond HC. An emphatic performance saw the team register nine unanswered goals and maintain their spot at the top of the league. Five goals from Adam Ward and four from Duncan Parnis means a draw on Saturday against Barnes will see the Men’s 1st team promoted to London League Division Five!
The game started very well for Adam Ward. Fresh from the physio table at Springbank Clinic he was warmed up and ready to play! Flying out of the blocks he scored a 10 minute hat-trick! His first was from a penalty corner move as he smashed the ball home; his second was a sweeping team move where Adam finished from almost the baseline! Adam’s third was from a long aerial. The Richmond centre back mistimed his receive and Adam rounded the goalkeeper to score into an empty net. The way Adam had started it didn’t look like he would miss all afternoon! Billy Hughes making his debut in goals was superb as he helped keep the team’s second clean sheet of the season too.
Two further goals from Duncan Parnis from penalty corners took the score line to 5-0 at half-time.
In the second half, HC Knole Park continued to dominate. Lars Hansen, Charlie Harrison & Indy Morris all played their best match of the season so far and Rob Harrison was excellent at full-back. The team also welcomed Steve Innes and Maarten de Widt for their club debuts!
And so to the goals: Duncan scored from a well worked free-hit outside the D move firing the ball into the bottom corner, before finishing off another excellent team move for his fourth of the match. Not to be outdone, Player of the Match Adam Ward also scored two more goals. Another from another acute angle and his fifth from a Duncan assist as Adam fired the ball into the roof of the net!
Based on how well Adam played it’s needless to say the team will all be booking into the Springbank Clinic next Saturday morning ahead of the club’s rematch with Barnes HC! Barnes are the only team to have beaten Knole Park so far this season and victory will not only exact revenge on that defeat but more importantly they will seal a top two spot in the league and promotion to Division Five. There will certainly be extra motivation in the squad on Saturday!
U14A Girls win again at Surbiton HC!
On Sunday the HC Knole Park U14 A team travelled to play Surbiton with a bare 11 players due to half term unavailability and injury. The squad included a mix of regular A-team players, B-team stars and three U12 girls who were all making their debut for the A team. Four goals from Josefina Hippe and two from Lottie Bingham saw the girls run out 6-2 winners!
After a rather tentative start by the team Josefina Hippe eventually broke the deadlock with a well taken goal, but Surbiton soon equalised after a mix up in defence. Ines Gascoyne Day, Lettie Hughes and Betsy Burden, from the U12A team, all performed well in this new environment and grew in confidence throughout the match.
As the match progressed, Knole Park asserted their authority on the game and Lottie Bingham gave them the lead after another good attacking run by Phoebe Gough Cooper. Lottie then had a shot saved which Josefina pounced on to add to her tally. Just before half-time, Josefina then scored an outstanding individual goal. Running from just inside the Knole Park half joint Player of the Match, Josefina rounded several defenders before slotting the ball expertly past the goalkeeper.
In the second half Knole park created numerous scoring opportunities but were denied by the goalpost and some resolute Surbiton defending. Lottie Bingham scored an incredible backhand goal into the top corner, before Surbiton replied with their second goal. To finish the scoring Lottie then assisted Josefina Hippe, to score a well-deserved 4th goal and make the final score 6-2 to Knole Park.
The other Player of the Match was Camille Poracchia who was dominant in defence and provided excellent support and encouragement for the young players around her. Anna Faulstich was also very good in midfield. To see the progression of the U12 Girls adapting and excelling in an U14A match was a joy to behold and is exactly the type of progression we are looking to foster at Knole Park.
U14B Girls win 3-0 in local derby with Tunbridge Wells!
HC Knole Park’s U14B girls got back to winning ways after a long break from matches. In a superb performance goals two goals from Bella Muñoz and one from Summer Knight-Thompson were enough to beat Tunbridge Wells U14A team in the local derby!
After two postponed games the U14B team were chomping at the bit to play some more competitive hockey and were looking forward to the visit of Tunbridge Wells on Sunday. Having suffered a narrow 1-0 loss in the fixture just before Christmas, the girls were eager to avenge defeat and started very positively with a converted penalty corner in the opening two minutes by Summer Knight-Thompson. In the early phases of the match HC Knole Park dominated possession and had numerous attempts at goal saved by the Tunbridge Wells goal keeper who was able to keep the score at 1-0 until half time.
In the second half, the Knole Park girls became frustrated at not being able to add to their lead and break through the Tunbridge Wells defence for the second goal and ended up trying to carrying the ball through the congested midfield and then defence. Despite numerous eliminations of the opposition, by the time they got through to the defence there was no space for a shot! That being said the individual class of Isabella Muñoz was able to break through and score two individual goals to take the score to 3-0. More attacks and penalty corners followed however the score line remained 3-0 at the final whistle taking the U14B team to the top of the league knowing that a win against East Grinstead in their final game will secure them the league title and a place in the Home Counties Junior League knockout stages!
U14 Boys lose out against Wimbledon in an even match!
In the team’s performance of the season, HC Knole Park U14 Boys just lost out 3-1 to Wimbledon in a fantastic match!
Fresh from the slopes and sun loungers the U14 Boys headed to south-west London to play Wimbledon HC. In a very even first half, chances game and went for both teams, however the score remained goalless at the break. Both teams knew that this could come back to bite them later in the match, but some great goalkeeping from James Humphries kept the Knole Park goal being breached.
In a mad ten minutes at the start of the second half, the team unfortunately conceded three unanswered goals. Whilst trying to play and doing the right things, some mistakes are bound to occur, and these were seized upon by the Wimbledon attack leaving Captain George Glen and Jago Ongley-Dellar over-run at the back. Despite this set-back, the team rallied and a sublime individual goal from Charlie Harrison got the team back into the game. Player of the Match Charlie then ran the length of the pitch before rolling the ball to his team mate on the post for a tap-in however the chance was missed. And with that the game ended. Well done and thanks to Wimbledon. The boys now just have one match left against top of the table Surbiton at the end of March.