Record result for Knole Park’s Women’s 1s!
HC Knole Park’s Women’s 1st Team recorded their biggest result so far this season on Saturday. Facing up against undefeated Bexleyheath and Belvedere 2s the young Knole Park side didn’t know what to expect. However six goals from Lottie Bingham, four from Bea Jones, hat-tricks from Summer Knight-Thompson, Phoebe Gough-Cooper & Ruth Bingham, a brace from Betrys Galloni & singles from Grace Reeve, Elen Nicholls, Elloise Paler & Cordy Jones meant Knole Park had 10 different scorers in an amazing 25-0 win!
In game five of the season Knole Park came flying out of the blocks! Resting nine girls who had England U16 trial over half-term meant that the team was largely changed from the first four matches so far this season. Two goals in the first minute were a very pleasant and unexpected surprise, but a sign of the depth and quality at Knole Park at the moment. As well as showing how much the squad is improving through all the training and coaching.
1st Team debutant Summer Knight-Thompson set up the first goal for Phoebe Gough-Cooper, before taking the ball on herself and slotting the ball home to make it a quick fire 2-0 lead. Grace Reeve, also making her season debut, scored the third and within five minutes, Knole Park were 4-0 up as Lottie Bingham scored her first of six from a long corner. Some super play from Elloise Paler provided her fellow half back Bea Jones with a simple tap-in for the team’s fifth goal. The Jones sisters were clearly keen to score, as Cordy scored soon after and Bea completed a first half hat-trick including an excellent backhand strike!
Lottie Bingham was on imperious form as she glided past the Bexleyheath defence to score three more goals in the first half. Her individual skills proving too fast and silky for the defence. Captain Ruth was also on great form in front of goal scoring two well taken goals - one set up by Phoebe and the other from Bea. Summer completed the first half scoring after excellent work from Elen Nicholls and Phoebe through midfield. 15-0.
The second half started in the same way. A turn and burn from Phoebe made good ground before Elloise latched onto the through ball. Her precision pass to Ruth, gave Knole Park the perfect start and Ruth had her hat-trick. Some of the hockey played throughout the half was sublime: two touch, quick passing hockey, intertwined with some superb skills and eliminations left the Bexleyheath defence with few options but to try and defend. Lottie completed her double hat-trick with an excellent team goal after another run from Elloise dropped to Bea and her excellent pull back was smashed home by Lottie. A trademark solo dribble gave her six for the day! Elen Nicholls scored her first goal from Knole Park with a superb drag-flick from a penalty corner. Further set pieces from Betrys Galloni (2) and Elloise continued the scoring. Goal #22 was the pick of the bunch! A beautiful sweeping play from defence, passing through most of the team, gave Bea her fourth goal of the game. Summer wrapped up the scoring with a goal from close range in the final minute. 25-0.
Bexleyheath were very gracious in defeat. A tough afternoon for a lovely team. We wish them all the best for the rest of the season.
Next week Knole Park travel to Ashford who have had a mixed bag of results so far this season. With a full team to select from after a week of England U16 & U18 trials it should make for a great game!
HC Knole Park Women’s 2s are definitely ready for the start of the season now!
HC Knole Park’s Women’s 2nd team played their second fixture of the season on Saturday in another friendly. The newly formed Women’s 2nd team has entered Kent Division 6, and the squad was looking forward to their first league game against Gore Court 3s on Saturday. However sadly Gore Court dropped out, unable to field a team. This gave Knole Park Women’s 2s a 4-0 win, but no match. Fortunately, Burnt Ash 5s stepped in at the last moment to provide a friendly fixture! Goals from Sarah Eversfield (2), Lucie “LJ” Jones, Carlotta Kern & Grace Ellis meant Knole Park won 5-0 in a good natured and enjoyable match for all.
The game started with Knole Park dominating possession. Some moments of fluid passing were punctuated with a few errors, but the majority of play led into the D, where Knole Park began to test the goalkeeper. Talya Harvey and Grace Ellis made some lovely runs down the right, eliminating players with some great skills. One excellent run by Talya resulted in a cross and a shot from Sarah Eversfield, but despite beating the keeper it was saved off the line by a Burnt Ash defender.
A run of long corners and a packed D led to some desperate defending and a number of penalty corners and a busy afternoon for the excellent Burnt Ash goalkeeper. A lovely move between Sarah and Talya finally broke the deadlock however! 1-0.
Some feedback from coach Ruth Bingham on passing earlier and the forwards being more disciplined about their positioning in the mini D gave the team a focus for the second half and the team was determined to put in a better performance. Carlotta Kern and Grace put this into practice immediately in midfield, eliminating players and providing the forwards with a number of opportunities. Charlotte Smith and Katie Eedes made some excellent runs through from half back.
The second goal came from a long corner run from Carlotta linking up with Katie Eedes who calmly passed to LJ who fired an excellent forehand strike into the right hand corner. This seemed to break the Burnt Ash defence for the second half, as moment later Grace made an excellent run into the circle from midfield and cut in on the baseline to cross it to Sarah who converted with a quick slap from the penalty spot. The fourth goal came from a penalty corner; Carlotta calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. Grace Ellis completed the scoring with a superb penalty corner strike leaving the final score 5-0 to Knole Park.
The Burnt Ash team were very complimentary and sporting in defeat and both teams enjoyed the quality of the hockey. A special mention should go to both umpires, who were excellent, clearly explaining decisions to the young players.
HC Knole Park’s men get back to winning ways!
In an entertaining match, Knole Park’s men registered their third win of the season with a 6-2 victory at Marden Russets. Five goals from Duncan Parnis, a single strike from Adam Ward, a yellow card for goalkeeper David Gough-Cooper and a penalty stroke save from Duncan summed up an eventful match!
After two defeats in as many weeks, Knole Park’s Men’s 1s knew that this game was crucial to get their season back on track. The first half couldn’t have gone much better. Everyone played well, everyone passed well and everyone defended superbly. The difference was the penalty corner prowess of Captain Duncan Parnis as he slotted home a first half hat-trick of drag-flicks. 3-0.
The second half started well again, but Marden were more threatening on the counter. David Gough-Cooper was however back to his best in goal as he repelled everything that Marden threw at him. Unfortunately it was a freak shot that snuck passed him off the stick of Duncan that gave them the breakthrough and an opening into the game. 3-1. Within moments, Knole Park won another penalty corner and Duncan made amends for his error with another penalty corner strike. Passing the ball well through youngsters Indy Morris, Riley Webster, Charlie Harrison and Louis vd Rijse, Knole Park have never looked so threatening. Further penalty corners were won and converted by Duncan for his fifth of the game and Adam Ward for his first of the season.
And to a crazy final 10 minutes! A Marden counter-attack was launched and despite the excellent defending for Jago Ongley-Dellar and Rob Harrison the attacker broke through. David came rushing out and wiped out the striker! A penalty stroke and a yellow card! Without a spare goalkeeper on the bench, Duncan put on the gloves and a face mask and faced the Marden flicker! An incredible save kept the ball out and to the disbelief and the on looking teams Knole Park maintained their lead. The pressure from Marden eventually told and they scored in the final moment of the yellow card period. This would be the final action of the match. A 6-2 win for Knole Park in the performance of the season so far. More of the same next week against Burnt Ash will be just what the team needs to restart their season!