Ladies News - Season 2007 / 2008
Belper under 15’s v Cambridge under 15’s cup match.
After traveling 2 hours and 8 minutes exactly (according to the sat nav), we managed to miss the turning, but eventually we made it to the pitch where we were playing. The pitch was surrounded by HUGE houses, and when we went for a jog past them, we all decided which house we were going to live in (mine’s the biggest)! Anyway… I can’t remember who scored what, when and where, but I’ll try my best, and I’m sorry if I get it wrong. Belper opened the scoring early (Anna I think), but were quickly put under pressure by Cambridge on the break. Unfortunately for us, they managed to slip a goal past Sarah, and the score was 1-1. These were probably the tensest moments of the match, as the rest of the play was strongly dominated by Belper. We played well, and everybody supported each other, whether attacking or defending. Some good runs by Charlotte, Jess, and Nat up front, lead to some goals. Plus the fact that when Anna got the ball she skilled about five people in a row! At half time, the score was 4-1, and we were told to double our amount of goals, but not let anymore in. So we went out there determined to get some (or a lot) more goals. After a few short corners, which we put some goals in from, and lots of open play goals, the game ended at 10-2 (to Belper). The goals were scored by Charlotte, Anna (4), Jess (2), Becky (2), and Amy. Well played everyone – Surburton in the next round. Do you think fate is against us? - what’s wrong with traveling 10 minutes up the road to play Matlock? Why Cambridge and Surburton? See you guys at training – well done again! - Kathryn Belper u18's girls win 6-0 against Kingston upon Hull Scorers: Lucy Horn 11(f), 24(f); Charlotte Hobbs 15(f); Alicia Robinson 35(f), 52(f); Louisa Boddy 47(c). Team: Sabbie Heesh, Rachel Mason, Joanna Lane, Louisa Boddy, Sophie Hawkins, Ellie Green, Alice Sharp, Lucy Horn, Julia Stirrup, Alicia Robinson, Charlotte Hobbs, Amber Carnell, Katie Jones. Despite missing 3 members of the usual starting line-up - Jess Wood (injured), Rachel Sharp and Anna Boyd (with NL team) - Belper cruised to comfortable win to take the reigning cup holders into a quarter-final tie at Reading HC on April 6th. A smooth passing movement involving Louisa, Lil and Charlotte set up Lucy to neatly tuck away the first goal on 11 minutes. Louisa's long pass found Charlotte high 4 minutes later and she beat two defenders and then deceived the keeper. Lucy Horn produced a fierce strike for no.3 after precision interpassing with Charlotte and Lil. On the stroke of half-time, Alice and Charlotte combined to set up Lil from close range. After the break, a ferocious strike by Louisa at a penalty corner went in off a defender's foot and also removed the player for the rest of the game. The final goal was a piece of Ellie Green magic along the back line to find Lil well placed in front of goal. What was pleasing was that circumstances meant that Rachel Mason, Julia Stirrup, Katie Jones and Amber Carnell were all able to play a considerable part in the game and enjoy working with a number of players from the 1st team squad and thus add to their experience. Post-Christmas party continues for Belper Ladies 1XI By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 5th March, 2008 Belper Ladies continue to fly high in the Women's National North Division after bagging their fifth successive EHL victory since the Christmas break. Their latest three points, coming from a 2-0 win over basement club Bedford, allowed the Nailers to climb up to second place, only 10 points behind league leaders Cannock. A penalty corner in the 22nd minute opened the scoring at the weekend, with a well-rehearsed routine between Alice Sharp, Joanna Lane, Louisa Boddy and Jess Wood setting up Alicia Robinson, who fired home. Belper doubled their lead after 49 minutes, as Wood swept the ball home at the far post. "We were in control for most of the game but we didn't put away all the chances that we had," said coach Tom Barlow. "I think, as often is the case, playing the bottom side of the division had a psychological effect on the play. "There wasn't that extra effort that I have seen from the girls when they are playing higher teams but a 2-0 win was fine." Belper face a busy time this weekend, with three matches on the horizon. Saturday will see the Nailers welcome Rover Oxford, currently fourth from bot tom in the division, while Belper take a trip to fifth-placed Nottingham High fields on Sunday. At the same time, the Under-18 squad will also be in EHL Cup action as they visit Kingston-upon-Hull. Meanwhile, six members of the squad have been chosen to represent England at the Four Nations tournament at Easter. Wood and Lucy Horn have been selected for the Under-18 team, while Sharp, Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman will feature for the Under-16s. Seven Belper junior girls on international duty over Easter
The abilities of Belper LHC members have been further recognised as 7 of the 1st team training squad will be playing international hockey over the Easter period. In addition to last week's news that Alice Sharp, Joanna Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman had been selected for England's Under 16 squad for the 4 Nations Tournament at Mannheim HC in Germany, this week we learnt that Jess Wood and Lucy Horn would be in the England Under 18 group at the same venue against Holland and Spain, in addition to the hosts. Also Rhiannon Rogers is off to Eindhoven with Wales U16 to play against the USA, Czech Republic and Lithuania amongst others in another international youth tournament. They take with them our best wishes and no little pride in their achievements. U13 girls have a thin mouse in qualifying for next round
Having dominated and beaten all their opposition for the whole of the tournament, the Under 13 girls proceeded to make matters as difficult as possible in qualifying for the Midlands round of the National Mini-hockey competition. The qualifying system then required them to play again the team in 2nd place, who they had already beaten once, which is nearly always the recipe for disaster as the 2nd placed team then have nothing to lose and the 1st placed team everything. In their round-robin match Belper had beaten Trent College 1-0 but it was a win without any alarms. However, the final was a different kettle of fish for the above reasons. Trent scored first off the goalkeepers pads - the first time Sammy Evans had touched the ball in the whole tournament. Belper got it back to 1-1 when Kathryn Lane managed to force a rebound home in a narrow gap between the keeper and the post. Maddy Wood then struck to take Belper into the lead and they looked comfortable as the clock ran down to the last few seconds. Trent then managed to force the one and only penalty corner that the Belper team had conceded all tournament and before they could take it, the hooter sounded for full time. The script had been written and Trent scored. This meant 3 penalty strokes per team. For Belper, Jess Horn scored and Kathryn Lane hit the post. Trent scored their first two. Lowrie McIntosh had only managed a few minutes on the pitch during the tournament because of being unwell, but courageously elected to take the stroke to keep Belper alive. She scored, but it still needed Trent to fail in order to take the tie into sudden death. Sammy Evans then calmly saved the Trent effort. With the order reversed for sudden death, Trent went first. Sammy saved again which meant that Jess had to do the business once more. Wham! - straight in the bottom corner like a rocket it went, to take Belper through amidst huge relief from all concerned as justice was eventually done. Belper's other results were: vs Matlock B 7-0; vs Trent College 1-0; vs Barton 7-0; vs Burton 4-0; vs QEGS 5-0; vs Matlock A 6-0. Scorers: Jess Horn 10; Becky Hawkins 8; Maddy Wood 6; Ellie Miles 5; Olivia Rafferty & Alex Smith 2; Kathryn Lane 1.  Left - Jess Wood's terrific left wing reverse hit cross was deflected high into the net by Ellie Green at the far post for the opening goal. Belper Ladies move in to third position in league with polished display A midfield encounter for the first 50 minutes saw very few goal scoring opportunities for either side. However, it was Belper who broke the deadlock following a terrific left wing reverse hit cross from Jess Wood with Ellie Green deflecting the ball into the roof of the net. This led to Belper dominating the rest of the game with Ellie Green netting her second goal before Lucy Horn rounded two defenders on the top of the circle and cooly lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper for a third goal to finish off a strong performance by the whole team.  Left - Jess Wood, Centre - Alice Sharp, Right - on the left of picture, Sophie Hawkins and Joanna Lane Belper girls on England duty at Belle Vue Hockey Centre in Manchester Belper Ladies were very proud to have six players representing England in games against Ireland on 13th, 14th and 15th February. In the u18's Jess Wood and Lucy Horne played in three games against Ireland drawing the first two games before a resounding 7-O win on the final day. In the u16's Alice Sharp, Sophie Hawkins, Joanna Lane and Anna Toman played in the England team which won all of their three games. Congratulations girls! Ladies teach Cambridge lesson with super show
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 13th February , 2008 Belper Ladies recorded their best EHL result of the season with an away victory over Cambridge City. The Nailers ran out 4-0 winners against the strugglers, allowing them to claim all six points from their two league games this year. While delighted with the result, coach Tim Barlow was also impressed with the level of maturity his side displayed. He said: "The team were very cheerful after the game, and I felt it was a very professional performance. "The girls set about dismantling their opponents - they had patience, they worked out what worked and what didn't and it was all thoroughly organised. "They looked incredibly classy and the maturity that has been five or six weeks in coming finally arrived. "They were confident about their ability on the ball and it was nice to see all our team talks coming to fruition." Anna Boyd sent Belper on their way, opening the scoring in the third minute. She guided the ball into the net after a reserve-stick centre from Alicia Robinson. Belper doubled their lead after 20 minutes, when Alice Sharp's shot was turned into the net by Ellie Green. A well-rehearsed move from a penalty corner in the second half saw Joanna Lane, Louisa Boddy and Jess Wood set up Robinson, who fired home to make it 3-0. Boddy then rounded off the victory by hitting high into the net from Belper's sixth penalty corner. "As a coach, it was satisfying to watch," said Barlow. "We've not been good on the road this season and this was only our second away win. "They put their goals away at regular intervals and that is the way to do it. "Younger players often want to go straight at goal but we have 70 minutes to play and you only need to win by two or three goals. "Taking five or six minutes to set up a goal is often effective and the girls are learning to unpick their opponents' defence.". Belper U15 girls crush Cannock 15-1 in cup
Scorers: 6 Anna Toman; 3 Tash Webb, Lowri McIntosh; 2 Georgia Horn; 1 Jessica Horn. Team: Sarah English, Natalie Tipper, Rachel Griffiths, Kathryn Lane, Tash Webb, Louise Hobbs, Georgina Horn, Lowrie McIntosh, Anna Toman, Jessica Horn, Beth Connolly, Charlotte Middleton, Becky Hawkins, Amy Davies. Belper Under 15s put on an impressive display in their 3rd round cup match vs Cannock HC. As early as the 4th minute they were ahead through Jessica Horn whose centre across the goal was deflected by a defender past the keeper. Goals came at regular intervals during the game and Belper were able to substitute frequently so that all players had plenty of pitch time. Captain Anna Toman was outstanding as she not only scored 6 goals but masterminded the play from central midfield. Tash Webb was the key defender and managed 3 goals when she stepped up into midfield in the second half. Lowrie McIntosh took her 3 goals with calm assurance and Georgina Horn had her best game so far for the Under 15s. In the next round Belper have been drawn away to Cambridge on March 9th. Belper U18 girls win cup game against Highfields 7-0
Scorers: Alice Sharp 2(f), 30(f), 59(c); Anna Boyd 26(c), 33(f); Louisa Boddy 6(c), Alicia Robinson 44(f). Team: Sabbie Heesh; Joanna Lane, Rachel Sharp, Louisa Boddy, Sophie Hawkins; Ellie Green, Lucy Horn, Jess Wood, Anna Boyd; Alice Sharp, Alicia Robinson. subs - Harriet Fell, Charlotte Hobbs, Rachel Mason, Judy Wrigley, Sophie Passant. As early as the 2nd minute Belper made their intentions clear when Anna Boyd's reverse stick centre was deflected in at the near post by Alice Sharp to be followed 4 minutes later when Louisa Boddy's strike at the first penalty corner thumped against the backboard. On a cold and blustery day Belper kept ringing the changes as the substitutes came on and off to keep all the squad involved. The last nine minutes of the first half (26,30 & 33 minutes) saw a flurry of goals as Anna Boyd deflected in a corner at the far post, Alicia Robinson set up Alice Sharp with a classy dribble and Ellie Green came along the back line to find Anna Boyd at the far post which left Belper 5-0 to the good at the break. In the second half Sophie Passant, Rachel Mason and Judy Wrigley played a full part in the game gaining valuable experience as two further goals were added. Early on Charlotte Hobbs held the ball up well inside the circle until Alicia Robinson arrived and slipped it past the keeper and 11 minutes from the end Alice Sharp completed her hat-trick when she picked up a rebound at a corner off a fumbled clearance to squeeze the ball in by the post. It was a confident and impressive display by what is the virtually the National League first team and their experience and ability when measured against a competitive and competent Highfields peer group, showed the mastery of the title holders. This weekend the outdoor season recommences in earnest...
For Belper Ladies first team squad, the outdoor season recommences in earnest this weekend. On Saturday the 1st team entertain Sheffield Hallam at The Meadows (1.30pm) as the National League restarts after the winter break. When the first half of the league finished in November, Belper were in 6th place and with the re-signing of former Belper star Gill Boddy from Loughborough Students, the Nailers are determined to work their way into a top 3 spot by the end of the programme. On Sunday both Belper's Under 18 and Under 15 teams are at home in the 3rd round of their England Hockey Cup Competitions in which both teams are the current national champions. The Under 18s are playing Nottingham Highfields HC at 11.30am and the Under 15s take on Cannock HC at 3.00pm.  Photos by Hockeyweb - official photographer to EnglandHockey. www.hockeyweb.co.uk Belper Ladies U16 team retain national indoor title By Tim Barlow In front of 4,000 spectators at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham and on Sky Sports TV, Belper Hockey Club under 16 Girls' indoor hockey squad retained their national title with a 3-0 win over Ipswich School on Sunday. Including their five qualification matches over the previous two days, Belper scored a total of 37 goals and conceded only 3 in a clear demonstration of their superior skills and tactics. Captain and England under 16 international Alice Sharp was Belper's leading scorer with 13 goals, followed by Ellie Green with 8. Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman both scored 4, Charlotte Hobbs 3, Tash Webb 2 with Rhiannon Rogers, Joanna Lane and Jess Horn 1 each. Belper's other under 16 international on the pitch was goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh whose speed, agility and bravery around the scoring circle dominated all the opposition forwards. When she was rested, her understudy, 13 year old Sarah English - a national champion with Belper's Under 13 mini hockey team - was calm and confident. In their first pool match Belper struggled to beat Wakefield Girls' High School. Wakefield were athletic and determined but Belper made it hard for themselves by failing to convert so many scoring chances. The number of times the ball struck the keeper in the centre of the goal or passed just outside the post was well into double figures and it was only an Alice Sharp goal in the last minute that secured the 3 points in a 2-1 win. In their second match the Nailers really got motoring with a convincing 9-1 victory over Ipswich School. Ellie Green notching 3 and a brace apiece for Alice Sharp, Sophie Hawkins and Charlotte Hobbs. Belper's control of the game allowed them to get all the squad on the pitch in rotation to give them crucial experience in the hot-house atmosphere of a national finals competition. On Day 2 the first game was against West qualifiers Isca Dragons HC from Exeter and Belper gave a cool and controlled performance to record a 6-0 success with the goals coming at regular intervals - 3 for Alice Sharp, 2 for Anna Toman and 1 for Ellie Green. The final pool match on day 2 was a 10-0 defeat of James Allen's Girls' School from Dulwich in London who were one of the South's two representatives. This was a convincing demonstration of Belper's power and precision and permitted the younger players in the squad to have plenty of pitch time in the second half, the highlight of which was 12 year old Jess Horn's individual goal when she dribbled through three opponents and flicked the ball over the on-rushing 'keeper. Also the younger players' ability to control the game meant that all the senior players could rest in preparation for the semi-final later that afternoon. The remaining goal tally was a couple each from Alice Sharp, Ellie Green and Tash Webb; one each for Anna Toman, Rhiannon Rogers and Charlotte Hobbs. Belper qualified top of Pool A and then played the runners-up in Pool B, Trojans HC from Southampton in their semi-final. This was Belper's best game of the whole tournament where the discipline and tactics were exemplary. Trojans could find no way through Belper's half-pitch defence and had no answer to the speed and precision of Belper's counter-attacking where Alice Sharp (4 goals), Ellie Green and Anna Toman were outstanding. A final score of 7-1 led to a standing ovation from the massed spectators. Ellie Green, Sophie Hawkins and Joanna Lane were the other scorers. Ipswich School qualified for the final by beating Chelmsford HC in their semi-final - a turnaround from the East final - so Belper now had to play a team they had already beaten in the group stages. However, it was always going to be a different game. Ipswich had improved over the tournament, the pitch at the NIA was smaller than that used in the group stages at Worcester and the psychological effect of the crowd, TV lights and cameras, music, cheerleaders and the whole razzmatazz combined to make nerves play a big part. In addition, the weight on the collective Belper shoulders of the expectation that they should win, not only from the club itself but from the hockey public in general, was immense.  Belper played a tight, unspectacular game in the knowledge that any mistake could be crucial. At Belper's first corner on 4 minutes, Ellie Green's shot was illegally stopped by an Ipswich foot on the line but Joanna Lane fired the subsequent penalty stroke wide. Shortly after, however, the Nailers went into the lead when Alice Sharp's quick free hit on the edge of Belper's circle allowed Ellie Green a quick break. She eliminated one opponent and as the keeper came out, slipped the ball square to Anna Toman who slotted home form two metres. In overtime at the end of the first half Alice Sharp converted the fourth of Belper's corners to stretch the lead to 2-0. Five minutes after the break Belper increased the lead to 3-0, when Sophie Hawkins completed a slick corner routine involving Ellie Green, Alice Sharp and Anna Toman which been the result of many hours practice. Belper then proceeded to close the game down and deny Ipswich any opportunity to score. That only 3 goals were conceded in 6 games and in 3 hours of indoor national finals hockey when facing the best teams in the country says everything about Belper's defending skills. Sabbie Heesh and Sarah English in goal were hugely impressive and the main defenders - Joanna Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Tash Webb - were outstanding, not only in their individual tackling, marking, intercepting and ball possession skills but also with their quality of passing that allowed the midfield and front players so many opportunities.  Six Belper Girls successful in selection for England Squads! Champagne corks were popping at Belper HC this week when the news came through that all six Belper players who had been involved in trials for the England Under 18 and 16 squads for 2008 had been successful in their selection. In the Under 18 group are Jess Wood and Lucy Horn both of whom are already Under 16 internationals, Jess two years ago and Lucy last year. In the Under 16 group are Alice Sharp, for her second year, Joanna Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman. Anna makes the squad a year young - an excellent achievement. Their first matches will be in February when they have a two match test series vs Ireland at the Belle Vue Hockey Centre in Manchester, venue for last year's European Championships. National Indoor Hockey Championships : Sun 27th January - National Indoor Arena, Birmingham
Sunday 27 January 2008 sees the National Indoor Hockey Championships return to The National Indoor Arena in the heart of Birmingham for the third year running. Featuring the top four men's and women's teams from the England Hockey Indoor League, (and hopefully Belper u16 girls!!) the action is guaranteed to be fast, furious and exciting. With the champions winning the coveted European spot in 2009, Kids for a Quid! Under 18s can see a day full of action packed indoor hockey with 10 games for just £1! General Sales: 0870 909 4144 or http://www.necgroup.co.uk/visitor/whatson/DisplayWhatsOn.asp?i=6103&k=hockey&p=1 European Indoor Tickets On Sale Now!
England will be hosting the EuroHockey Indoor Nations Challenge Fri 18th,Sat 19th and Sun 20th of January at Sheffield's Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. The event will mark England's international indoor comeback and is sure to be full of fast and furious action. Tickets for this event went on sale today and you can get hold of yours by ringing 0114 256 5656 or http://www.sheffieldarena.co.uk Tickets are reasonably priced and start from just £2 for Students and U18s 4 for Adults. Men: Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, England. Women: Denmark, Turkey, England, Sweden. The Mens tournament is a six team round robin, the Womens is a one pool event with a 3rd/4th play-off and final. Amber Valley Sport and Leisure Workshops
Amber Valley Sport and Leisure Development Group are planning a series of Workshops - the programme is as follows: Tues 22 January, Equity in Your Coaching - £15 Tuesday 5 February, A Club for All - £10 Wedsday 13 February, Basic First Aid - £5 Tuesday 1 April, Safeguarding & Protecting Children - £15 Tuesday 15 April, Coaching Disabled Performers - £15 More information is available from Sarah Bingham 01773 841421 or sarah.bingham@ambervalley.gov.uk Funding maybe available for the above courses. it is important that we keep up-to-date with our qualifications especially those of us who are involved with the juniors. At present we are going through the process of renewing our Clubmark accreditation and it would be advisable for us to refresh ourselves by attending some of the above. All the courses are to be held at the Charles Hill Sports Complex, Flamstead Avenue, Loscoe DE75 7RN 6.00pm - 9.00pm Race Night (Preliminary Announcement) Saturday 15th March
There will be a Race Night in aid of club fund raising held at the Clubhouse on Saturday 15th March 2008 with the first race being run at 8PM.Races are available for individuals/businesses to sponsor at £25 each and individual horses can be sponsored for a minimum of £2 each. All sponsors names will be printed in the Race Programme. This will be a great family event and all are welcome. Further details to follow. Unwanted Christmas Gifts
If club members have any unwanted Christmas gifts please pass them onto any committee member as we can build up a supply of raffle prizes for forthcoming fund raising events. Belper players bid to make international squads
There is no New Year's rest for a number of Belper's 1st team players. Lucy Horn and Jess Wood have jetted off to sunny Gibraltar for a few days warm-weather training with the England Under 18 group to try to secure their places for the forthcoming international season, which could entail a tournament in Germany against Holland and Spain at Easter, together with a Home Nations Tournament in July. Less fortunate in climatic terms are Alice Sharp, Joanna Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman, who have to journey to Oxford University this weekend to train with the England Under 16 group as part of their selection trials. If successful, they also could be in Germany at Easter and in Holland in July for the European Championships. Rhiannon Rogers will be at Wrexham later in the month as part of the selection process for the Wales Under 16 Squad for 2008, which will include a tour to Holland at Easter and the Celtic Cup vs France, Scotland and Ireland in July. Belper's 1st team will resume their National League programme on February 3rd when they entertain Sheffield Hallam. They will be back in full training next week with warm up games planned against Birmingham University and Doncaster. In the meantime the Under 16 indoor team are training hard to retain their national title at the championships at the end of the month with the final at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham and on Sky Sports. Belper Ladies fail to qualify for national indoor league
Squad: Kathryn Bradbury, Louisa Boddy, Rachel Sharp, Emma Sharp, Tash Webb, Alicia Robinson, Anna Boyd, Gill Boddy, Ellie Green. Results: vs Kettering 2-1; vs Stourport 1-2; vs Leek 3-0; vs Edgbaston 3-1; vs Cannock 0-5. With 7 players away at an England training camp, it was always going to be difficult for Belper to manage to succeed in the Midlands Indoor Tournament with the added prize of qualification for the National Indoor League for the winners. In the round robin tournament Belper's first opponents were Kettering, whose team included a number of experienced players and made the Nailers made hard work of their victory. With 5 minutes to go Belper were still 1-0 down but the substitution of the keeper for an outfield player caused the hoped-for problems for the opposition defence and two goals were scored in two minutes, with the result that keeper Kathryn Bradbury, was able to re-enter the pitch to keep the game safe for the last minute. Fortunately the failure to convert a penalty stroke did not affect the result. A disappointing performance followed against Stourport, with Belper going two goals down. However, the substitution of the keeper for an outfield player could this time only elicit one goal. The miss of another penalty stoke was crucial. The games vs Leek and Edgbaston were solid wins and they gave the hope of an improved performance against the unbeaten Cannock side but they included yet a third failure to convert a penalty stroke. However, Cannock were too strong in all departments and Belper went down 5-0. With no recognised midfield player in the Belper squad, the duties had to be shared between Anna Boyd, Emma Sharp and Louisa Boddy. Valiantly though they tried, their unfamiliarity in this crucial area of the pitch meant that it was difficult to establish any rhythm to the play. The strikers did not manage to consistently trouble the opposition defences but 15 year old Ellie Green caused the opposition the most problems with her dribbling ability. In defence 14 year old Tash Webb played outstandingly well, her experience with the victorious under 16 team the week before being a big advantage. When entering the tournament Belper had high hopes of qualification but the loss of the England 7 was too much for Belper's resources to cope with. It did however give valuable experience for the players for next year's attempt and kept the players playing hockey in preparation for the re-start of the outdoor league. Belper Under 16s retain Midlands Indoor Championship for 4th successive year
 Squad: Sabbie Heesh, Sarah English, Joanna Lane, Sophie Hawkins, Tash Webb, Jessica Horn, Alice Sharp, Anna Toman, Ellie Green, Charlotte Hobbs, Rhiannon Rogers.In an outstanding display of indoor skills and tactics, Belper's Under 16 indoor squad convincingly dismissed all their opponents to take their fourth consecutive Midlands title at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton on Saturday to qualify for the National Indoor Championships on January 25-27. A total of 29 goals for and 2 against underlined their supremacy. Leading goalscorers were Alice Sharp and Anna Toman with 7 each. Next up was Charlotte Hobbs with 5, then Ellie Green with 4 and Jo Lane and Rhiannon Rogers both bagged 3. The defence unit was terrific with their composure, technique and reading of the game. Sabbie Heesh and Sarah English shared the goalkeeping duties and Tash Webb, Sophie Hawkins and Jo Lane rotated as the two defenders with 12 year old Jess Horn able to have some pitch time in her indoor debut. In midfield, Alice Sharp and Anna Toman kept the seamless passing fluidity and patterns going with Ellie Green, Rhiannon Rogers, Charlotte Hobbs and Anna Toman taking turns as the striking partnership. The only aspect that was less than dazzling was the conversion rate of attacking penalty corners. This will have to be addressed before the finals if Belper are to retain their national title. Results: vs Dame Alice Harpur School. 11-1. vs Nottingham Girls' High School. 9-0. vs Bromsgrove School. 5-1. vs King's High School, Warwick. 4-0. Belper Under 18s indoors fail to qualify
Squad: Ashley Theobald, Louisa Boddy, Rachel Sharp, Lucy Horn, Jessica Wood, Anna Boyd, Sophie Passant. Belper's Under 18 indoor squad failed to qualify for the Midland Finals from their Zone Round. In a competition that was outstanding for the quality of three of the teams taking part at this level, only two being able to progress to the Finals. Belper won their opening game 6-0 vs Beeston HC but then lost 2-0 to Repton School and drew 1-1 with Nottingham Highfields HC. Thus the latter two teams took the top two places. Belper were actually within 2 minutes of qualifying, leading Highfields 1-0 but failed to defend a penalty corner. The lesson from the competition would be that against teams of the quality and experience of Repton and Highfields, it is essential to have at least one practice session beforehand as Belper's opponents had done. Also crucial was the absence of Belper's National League top scorer Alicia Robinson, on holiday in the USA. Midland Indoor Championships
Belper have entered the Midlands Senior Indoor competition for the first time and the winners will qualify for the National Indoor League starting on January 5th. This will be held at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton on Saturday December 8th. Belper's opponents will be Kettering (at 11.00am), Stourport, Leek, Edgbaston and Cannock. The tournament starts at 10.00am. Belper entered the competition on the basis that all their outstanding Under 16 and Under 18 indoor players would be available, this opportunity giving them valuable indoor experience in order to progress in their age group competitions. Alas, England Hockey have decided to hold an information weekend on lifestyle management for their Under 16 and 18 training squads and so 7 Belper players are now unavailable - Sabbie Heesh, Jess Wood, Lucy Horn, Alice Sharp, Jo Lane, Sophie Hawkins, Anna Toman. However, this will give opportunities to other players in the squads to improve their indoor skills and tactical awareness. Ladies 1XI notch sixth draw as Barlow forced into changes
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 28th November, 2007 Belper Ladies racked up their sixth draw this season in the Slazenger National North Division by holding Bedford in a goalless encounter. With five players missing and an early injury to Sophie Hawkins, coach Tim Barlow had to reorganise the formation and was happy with the point in the final game before the mid-season break. "Looking back a few weeks ago, we thought that the Bedford game was one where we could get three points," said Barlow. "But with all the players we had out and then Sophie injuring her hamstring after only 15 minutes, it meant we had to change the formation and that unsettled us a bit." Belper's problems adjusting to the change in formation and trying to cope with the difficult sand-dressed pitch meant flowing hockey was difficult. When the Nailers did venture forward, the resolute Bedford defence made it hard for them to find a way through with all four of their penalty corners being dealt with effectively. "A draw was probably a fair result," said Barlow. "As well as having to cope with six players out, we also had to deal with their firm, bouncy pitch. And it was so cold! "But I think that we can look forward to the mid-season break and go into the second half full of confidence, knowing that we have one of the best defensive records in the division. "We'll be welcoming back Gill Boddy from Loughborough Students and she can help inject more pace and power in the front line. Then, hopefully, we can gradually start climbing the table."  Left - Anna Boyd takes on the Cannock defence. Right - Captain Jess Wood looks to play the ball around the Belper defence. U18 girls win 4-0 against local Midland rivals Cannock in England Hockey cup By Tim Barlow Scorers: Louisa Boddy 25(c), 37(c); Rhiannon Rogers 33(f); Lucy Horn 68(f). Team: Sabbie Heesh; Joanna Lane, Rachel Sharp, Louisa Boddy, Lucy Horn; Ellie Green, Alice Sharp, Jess Wood, Harriet Fell; Anna Boyd, Rhiannon Rogers. subs - Judy Wrigley, Sophie Passant, Rachel Mason. Even with 3 players missing - top scorer Alicia Robinson (USA); Charlotte Hobbs (ill); Sophie Hawkins (injured) - Belper registered an emphatic win over their National League rivals, to take their place in round 3 of the competition that they are the title holders. Belper looked in control of the game from start to finish, especially in the second half when the England Under 16 trio of Jess Wood, Lucy Horn and Alice Sharp were reunited, after Lucy Horn's 1st half at left defence. With the absences, it took a little while for Belper to settle into their fluid passing rhythms but once Louisa Boddy had whacked in a corner on 25 minutes, any uncertainty evaporated. Two minutes before half time, 14 year old Rhiannon Rogers got on the end of a swift passing movement at the near post, to emphasise her excellent debut at this level. To add symmetry, two minutes after the break Louisa Boddy was again on target at a corner, this time with a flick. Finally Lucy Horn, to the delight of the statisticians, whipped in a delightful reverse stick shot 2 minutes from time to set the seal on a satisfying win. Belper's dominance can be emphasised by the fact that keeper, Sabbie Heesh, never touched the ball. Judy Wrigley came on after half time to allow Lucy Horn to move into midfield and gave a confident performance in her first game at this level. When Jess Wood had to come off with a foot injury, Sophie Passant came on at right midfield and kept the flow going as Belper attacked regularly. U15 girls squeeze through to next round of England Hockey cup
By Tim Barlow Scorer: Lowri McIntosh 13(f). Team: Sarah English; Kathryn Lane, Tash Webb, Jess Horn, Louise Hobbs; Rachel Griffiths, Georgia Horn, Anna Toman, Charlotte Bright; Natalie Tipper, Lowri McIntosh. subs - Becky Hawkins, Olivia Rafferty, Amy Davies, Ellie Miles. The Under 15's defence of their national title began with a nail-biting affair at Woodlands. With the score tied at 1-1, five penalty strokes per side were next on the agenda to separate the teams. Leicester won the toss and went first. 1st set - Leicester score; Anna Toman's shot saved. 1-0 to Leicester. 2nd set - Sarah English saves; Tash Webb scores powerfully to gk's left. 1-1. 3rd set - Leicester score; Jess Horn's shot saved. 2-1 to Leicester. 4th set - Sarah English saves; Lowri McIntosh scores through gk's legs. 2-2. 5th set - Sarah English saves; Kathryn Lane calmly scores low to gk's left. 3-2 to Belper. Phew! The game itself was a close affair with both teams evenly matched. Initially Belper were producing the more co-ordinated play and deserved to go 1-0 up in the 13th minute when Lowri McIntosh produced a 1st time slap to beat the keeper at the end of a neat 4 pass move. Belper continued to have the better of the exchanges but could not turn their chances into goals. Anna Toman and Georgia Horn were in control of the midfield whilst Tash Webb and Jess Horn were dealing competently with the Leicester attacks. Therefore it was somewhat of a surprise when Leicester equalised with a soft goal just before half time when the Belper defence seemed to freeze, no-one took control to deal with the situation and Leicester were able to roll the ball into the goal. After the break it looked as if a reinvigorated Leicester were going to score again, as Belper fended off a series of 5 penalty corners with Rachel Griffiths quickly getting out to block on a couple of occasions. After that the game swung again in Belper's favour. Nat Tipper produced an excellent deflection the hit the keeper; Anna Toman's corners were saved or just missed; the post was hit in the last minute and the ball rolled agonisingly along the line before it was cleared. The full-time whistle went and it was then that Belper's nerves and technique saved the day. Birthday girl Charlotte the star as she grabs the winner
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 21st November, 2007 Charlotte Hobbs, one day after her 15th birthday, gave herself and Belper Ladies a present to remember by scoring the winning goal at Sheffield Hallam. Hobbs, who was also making her National League debut for the Nailers, netted four minutes from time to lift Belper to fifth in the National North table after a 2-1 victory. Coach Tim Barlow was delighted with his side, who were missing six first-team regulars through international commitments. "You really couldn't have written the script better," he said. "It was a really satisfying win considering the circumstances and the fact that we've had to bring in players from the second team. "Charlotte was just about to come off as she'd run herself into the ground and was feeling ill. "But before I knew it, she'd scored the winner. "She was exhausted at the end and it took her around half-an-hour to recover. "It was a solid effort at that level from everyone." With Sabbie Heesh on England duty, Monica Knowles- Jones came out of semi-retirement to start in goal, while 40-year-old Sue Waterall made her National League debut. Second team defender Sophie Appleby came in for her first National League game, while there were three positional changes to accommodate the alterations. With all this to deal with, it was no wonder Belper took a while to adjust and they found themselves a goal down after 18 minutes. The Nailers were level after 59 minutes when Rachel Sharp, standing in for the absent Jess Wood, worked a penalty corner into the area where Alicia Robinson produced one of her best deflections of the season to see the ball fly high into the net. And with four minutes to go, Belper got a deserved winner. Sally Walton whacked in a piledriver after the Nailers were awarded a free hit outside the area and Hobbs managed the sweetest of touches to deflect the ball into the back of the net. "It shows what a great club ethos we have that players from the second team will play for the first team knowing that the following week, they will have to return to playing for the second team," added Barlow. Belper travel to Bedford this weekend for their final EHL game before the mid-season break. They will be without Harriet Fell and Ellie Green, who are playing for their school, while leading goalscorer Robinson is going to visit her brother in the States. Robinson's absence for Belper should mean that Hobbs retains her place in the side to compete against a side who have so far conceded 40 goals this season. Mixed emotions for nailers as Whitley are held at bay
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 14th November, 2007 Coach Tim Barlow was left with mixed feelings after seeing his side hold a powerful and experienced Whitley Bay to a draw. "It was very disappointing but heartening at the same time," he said after the 1-1 draw. "That's the second week running, after the Nottingham Highfields game, where we've faced teams at the top end of the table and been frustrated." Anna Boyd was on target as Belper, who gave 16-year-old goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh her National League debut, stunned the league leaders. They dominated the game against the old heads of Whitley Bay and forced two corners in the opening eight minutes. The Tynesiders weathered the storm and showed their experience by turning the game round and putting the Nailers under pressure. Belper then turned defence into attack and scored the opening goal after 16 minutes. Boyd, on the counter-attack, rounded the keeper and whipped a strong reverse-stick shot into the net. However, her joy was short- lived as, a couple of minutes later, she was substituted with a hamstring injury. Alice Sharp, Lucy Horn, Ellie Green, Sally Walton and Harriet Fell then all had chances to extend the lead before the league's top scorer, Kate Smith, dealt a hammer blow with an equaliser midway through the second half from close range. The Nailers continued to battle away and forced seven penalty corners before the whistle blew for full-time. "It was a spectacular goal from Anna," added Barlow. "I took her off as a precaution because we really need her this weekend for the game against Sheffield Hallam. "Anna has been out for a long time with injury and is just starting to get back to where she was before the lay-off. "She's starting to cause opposition defences problems again." Belper will be down to the bare bones on Saturday, when seven members of the first-team squad will be training with England. So, for the trip to Sheffield Hallam, in come second team players Sophie Appleby, Sue Waterall and Charlotte Hobbs, who is 15 on Friday. Sponsorship secured with The Lion Hotel to help National League Hockey
Belper Ladies Hockey Club are delighted to announce a sponsorship deal with The Lion Hotel, Belper which will help offset the considerable costs of running a national league hockey team. The Lion Hotel is situated in the centre of one of Derbyshire’s most historic towns – Belper. The hotel frontage dates from 1776 and having now been extensively refurbished, the hotel provides an extremely high level of comfort and service. The Lion Hotel has 22 comfortable & tastefully decorated bedrooms with all modern facilities to ensure your stay is enjoyable. Experience 'Twenty Four' Belpers first Gastro Pub which offers a light bites menu alongside it's main gastro menu and has something for everyone's tastes as well as catering for special diets. There is also 25% discount off the total bill when you present The Lion Hotel advertisement found in the Belper Hockey Club official match programme. For more information on The Lion Hotel click here... Bumper day of hockey at the Meadows on Sunday 25th November
Sunday 25th November will be a busy day at Belper HC. The U18 Boys, U18 Girls, U15 Boys and U15 Girls have all been drawn at home in round two of the EH Cup. The U15 girls host Leicester HC whilst the boys will play South Nottingham. The U18 boys have drawn Leek as reward for their 4-1 defeat of Barton in round one - all the other Belper teams had a bye - whilst their female counterparts will play against Cannock. As if all this hockey isn't enough there will also be a Men's National League game versus Bath University to sandwich between the cup fixtures. Times will be added to this website as soon as they are confirmed and your support for some or all of the matches would be greatly appreciated.  Ladies hockey club fundraising event.Shoe party Tuesday 27th November in the clubhouse. Following last year's success the Ladies Hockey Club are holding another shoe party in the clubhouse on Tuesday 27th November 2007 at 7.30pm. A large selection of shoes, boots, handbags and jewellery will be available for purchase on the night. Cash and guaranteed cheques are the only accepted methods of payment for goods. Tickets are £3 each which includes a glass of wine or soft drink and are available in advance from Ruth Lane or Mandy Rafferty. Alternatively you can pay on the door. Please support this fundraising event. Belper girls selected for England assessment camps
From their performances at the Regional Tournament at Millfield, seven Belper players have been invited to the first England age group assessment camps in November. Under 16 internationals Jess Wood and Lucy Horn are selected in the Under 18 age group, plus Sabbie Heesh, last year's England Under 16 keeper, who was not selected for the tournament. In the Under 16 assessment group are Alice Sharp (England Under 16 last year) plus Jo Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Anna Toman. We send them our congratulations on getting to the first hurdle and wish them every success when the time comes.  Belper girls instrumental in Midlands victories Belper HC did the Midlands proud at last weekend's Regional Championships at Millfield School in Somerset. A total of 13 players were representing their region at Under 15 and Under 17 level and both teams secured gold medals with 100% records, winning all four of their matches.  The Under 15s continued the Midlands dominance at this level by winning their 5th title in a row. Their results were: vs East 5-0; vs West 4-1; vs North 4-2; vs South 2-0. The opening goal against the East came from Ellie Green as she finished off a six pass move and Alice Sharp put the icing on the cake with no.5 in the last minute with a firm shot from a cross from the right. Alice Sharp was again on target with a brace against the North - the first, a stunning reverse stick effort at full pace and the second, a deft lift over a horizontal keeper at a pc rebound.At the back, Jo Lane, Sophie Hawkins and Tash Webb were never substituted and when Anna Toman was playing at right defence it was an all Belper back line. This may help to explain only 3 goals conceded - the next best team was the South with 8. Vice-captain Alice Sharp was the star of the midfield unit along with Anna Toman and Ellie Green. Up front Charlotte Hobbs put in plenty of leg work and was nearly on the scoresheet on several occasions. The Under 17s won back the title after a gap of 5 years. The presence of Louisa Boddy and Rachel Sharp in the back four was crucial, especially in the tight 2-1 win against the South and set the standard for those alongside them. A strong Belper midfield unit containing Jess Wood, Lucy Horn and Anna Boyd was the heartbeat of the team and when Alicia Robinson was on up front, the team had an extra dimension and fluidity. Alicia whipped in the first goal in the opening game against the East which ended up 4-2. Lucy Horn slotted the final goal in the 5-1 win over the North and Louisa Boddy was on target at a penalty corner for the first goal in the final 4-2 victory over the West. Many congratulations must go to Tim Barlow who after 15 years as Midlands u15 head coach retired at the end of yet another successful tournament. Presentations of a number of gifts were made by Sue Williams and Jeanne Freeman of the Midlands Schoolgirls Association to show their gratitude for his tremendous contribution to Midlands hockey. Well done Tim! Belper youngsters at Regional Championships this weekend
An unprecedented thirteen Belper players will be representing the Midlands at England Hockey's Regional Championships at Millfield School on 20-22 October. England Under 16 Internationals Louisa Boddy, Jess Wood, Lucy Horn and Alicia Robinson plus Anna Boyd and Rachel Sharp will be spearheading the Under 17's efforts to improve on last year's silver medal and Belper's other England star, Alice Sharp, will be leading six more of her fellow club members in their attempt to win the fifth Under 15 gold medal in a row for the Midlands. Accompanying her will be Joanna Lane, Charlotte Hobbs, Sophie Hawkins, Ellie Green, Anna Toman and Tash Webb - a remarkable achievement. Ladies complete second-half fightback from trip to Tyneside
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 17th October, 2007 Belper's Ladies team also produced a gallant fightback to take an EHL Women's National North Division point from their trip to Whitley Bay at the weekend. After 25 minutes, the Nailers were 3-0 down against the Tynesiders and all thoughts of a point seemed out of the question. However, a tactical switch by coach Tim Barlow and a goal from Anna Boyd just before half-time put them on their way to a 3-3 draw. Alicia Robinson made it 3-2 after 47 minutes with a quick shot on the turn and, four minutes later, Harriet Fell scored her first National League goal for Belper's equaliser. Fell thought she had scored an unlikely winner with two minutes to go as she volleyed in a high rebound off the keeper but the umpire ruled Fell had raised her stick above her shoulder and disallowed it. Belper took on league newcomers Cambridge City the following day without key players Jess Wood (knee) and Rachel Sharp (business trip). Despite dominating the game, they came away with only one point from a goalless draw. Barlow, while disappointed that his side only took two points from a possible six, is pleased that the Nailers know the areas in which they need to improve."At the moment, it's just down to inexperience," said Barlow. "We're not scoring from the chances that we're creating, despite putting the opposition under pressure. "But that's to be expected when the players are between the ages of 15 and 16. "What I am pleased with, however, is that they are identifying the areas where there are problems and where we need to improve, and working on putting them right." Ladies battle back to equalise three times against Liverpool Sefton
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 10th October, 2007 Belper Ladies came back to equalise three times to earn a point - but were left feeling they could have had all three after a pulsating match. Coach Tim Barlow felt all three Liverpool goals were preventable - especially as two were the result of slack marking at set plays. But he was also pleased with his young side's resilience on an unfamiliar surface and against an experienced side. Indeed, Belper could have folded after they went 1-0 down after 15 minutes and then lost England under-16 international Jess Wood with a knee injury. A fractured kneecap was at first feared but a visit to hospital revealed severe soft tissue damage. An Alice Sharp dribble led to Lucy Horn's reverse-stick shot to equalise before half-time. Barlow rang the changes at the break but, before they could find their rhythm Belper were behind again. This time, Sharp's reverse-stick shot brought a second equaliser after 52 minutes. The Nailers shot themselves in the foot with a misplaced pass out of defence, allowing the home side to take the lead again. But back came Belper again, with Anna Boyd prominent, and Ellie Green forced the ball in after 61 minutes. Louisa Boddy twice had shots cleared off the line as Belper chased a late winner. Tesco Sport Vouchers - help fundraising for our club
By Mandy Rafferty - mjr@bliss21.fsnet.co.uk Belper Hockey Club is able to benefit from collecting the Tesco Sport Vouchers which are currently being given out at Tesco stores. One voucher is given out per £10 spent at stores or 1 voucher per £5 spent at Tesco Extra outlets. Please collect vouchers whilst shopping and pass them to your team captains or direct to a committee member. We have until January to collect as many vouchers as possible to reap the benefits of purchasing some sports equipment e.g. Balls, bibs etc.  Dogged display earns Ladies 1XI an away point The Ladies 1XI travelled to Merseyside on Saturday 6 October to play second placed Liverpool Sefton HC. Despite going behind on three separate occasions the Belper team showed dogged determination fighting their way back each time to earn a 3-3 draw. Unfortunately, ace midfielder Jess Wood suffered a bad injury as a wayward opposition stick struck her kneecap and a immediate trip to hospital - it is hoped she makes a quick recovery. Next weekend sees the Ladies 1XI play away at Whitley Bay on Saturday, followed by a home game on Sunday against Cambridge City - 1.30pm start at Belper Meadows. Click here for details... Green for go as Ellie's first league strike earns Belper a point
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 27th September, 2007 A Ellie Green's first goal in Women's National North Division salvaged a point for Belper Ladies at Aldridge. The 15-year-old deflected home in the 52nd minute after a well-worked move by Alice Sharp, Louisa Boddy and Jess Wood in a 1-1 draw. Coach Tim Barlow said: "It's a useful point for us to have as it was very difficult at Aldridge. They have a sand-based pitch, which is very slippery and a number of my players fell over on it, so it made them a bit tentative. "We were also a bit apprehensive and conceded a number of early penalty corners but our defence dealt well with it." Aldridge took a 19th-minute lead when a well-struck shot from a rebound by Melanie Keating found the net. However, a switch in formation at half-time enabled Belper to control the midfield more effectively Barlow said: "They scored their goal and it woke us up. We managed to shake off the early apprehension and the change at half-time, where we added another player to midfield, enabled us to push up. "We scored our goal and it disrupted them and we could have had two or three more in the end." Barlow says he has been surprised by how well his young side have coped with National League hockey, following the departure of eight key players over the summer months. "I never fail to be surprised by how mature and cool they are," said Barlow. "When you get to National League, there is more verbal abuse but the girls just seem to take it all in their stride and seem very calm about it. "As each week passes, they'll get better and start to realise that they are a good side." Tim Barlow is encouraged despite defeat for his young side
By Kerry Slack (courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph) 20th September, 2007 A
scrambled goal late in the second half denied Belper Ladies a point from their opening EHL National North game against Cannock. But coach Tim Barlow was delighted with his young side's performance in the 2-1 defeat against strong opposition. "It was an excellent base for us to start from," he said. "There was a lot of baggage around the Cannock match, what with the departure of our players Hollie Webb and Jane Reid to them over the summer, and I thought we coped well. "The younger players who were all making their debuts, got on with the game like it was just another fixture and coped well."With six players making their debut, the Nailers, who included four 15-year-olds in their starting line-up, made a positive start. Cannock worked their way back into the game and, after a sequence of corners, opened the scoring with a deflection at the far post. Belper's persistence paid off just before half-time when Alice Sharp ran past two Cannock defenders before passing to Alicia Robinson, who neatly deflected the ball past the keeper. But the visitors found a way through after 59 minutes following a penalty corner. Kathryn Bradbury saved the initial shot but in the melee that followed, Cannock forced the ball over the line for what proved to be the winning goal. This weekend Belper travel to Staffordshire to play Aldridge, who beat the Nailers by one point to make the play-offs last season. "We've got probably the two hardest fixtures that we could have been given to start the season off with," added Barlow. "But you just have to get on with it. "The average age of the Aldridge squad is about 30 or 32 years old and while they may be experienced, they get slower each year." Click here to view: Belper Ladies 1XI Match Reports U13 girls joint winners at Formarke School hockey tournament
On a glorious late summer Saturday afternoon Belper U13 girls played at Foremarke School's invitational hockey tournament. In their first group game against Foremake School 'B' team, Belper girls had the majority of possession but were unable to put the ball in the net during the 10 minute game and had to settle for a  0-0 draw. The second game, against Witham Hall School, was when the Belper girls finally found their form with goals from captain Jess Horn and Maddie Wood. Results from the other matches meant Belper's third and final group match against Bromsgrove School required them to win to progress to the semi-finals. Despite playing an opposition who were physically much bigger and stronger, Belper girls superior skills and team play proved to be the deciding factor and won 1-0 with a goal from Jess Horn. This result meant Belper were now group winners and played Beeston HC in the semi-final. This game was quite tight with both defences playing well, but close to the end of the game Belper were unlucky not to take the lead when a Becky Hawkins shot hit the post. 0-0 at full time meant a further 5 minutes of 'Golden Goal' extra time. Belper made the breakthrough when Kathryn Lane dribbled down the right wing crossing for Becky Hawkins to slap the ball home at the far post. The final was against Foremarke 'A' team which included Belper HC's Lowri McIntosh playing for her school team. Again this was a close game with the Belper team keeping a close eye on Lowri - however on two occasions she was able to slip past the Belper midfield only to be thwarted by excellent defending by Olivia Rafferty and brave goalkeeping by Claire Gething-Lewis. At the other end of the pitch Becky Hawkins went very close to breaking the deadlock near the end of the game but her shot flashed by the far post. Again this meant a further 5 minutes of 'Golden Goal' extra time but on this occasion the deadlock could not be broken and therefore the winning tropy was shared rather than playing out the dreaded, nail biting penalty flicks. Therefore a very encouraging start to the new season for the U13 girls. Thank you to Nick Clarke and Foremarke School for a well organised tournament and thank you to all parents and supporters for their encouragement. Squad: Jess Horn (capt), Claire Gething-Lewis, Olivia Rafferty, Ellie Miles, Kathryn Lane, Maddie Wood, Becky Hawkins, Naomi Cotterill.  Left -Ellie Green wins a short corner against Birmingham University. Right - Sophie Hawkins shows her close control . Ladies 1XI complete their pre-season games Encouraging performances at the two pre-season home games during the weekend completed the Ladies 1XI pre-season matches. Next Saturday is the start of Belper Ladies 1XI Slazenger England Hockey League Women's National North Division campaign with their first game against Cannock HC - start 1pm at Belper Meadows. Click here to view: Belper Ladies 1XI Match Reports 1XI squad are back in training for the new season
It may be mid-summer but training for the 2007-8 season is in full flow for the ladies 1XI. Monday evenings is fitness training on the hills at Allestree Park and Wednesday evenings on the pitch at Belper Meadows looking at agility. The squad from last season has lost several girls who are off to university which will mean their places being filled by players stepping up from the 2XI. The 1XI squad are also very interested in any players looking to play national league hockey, please contact Jackie Sharp on 01332 840325 or email: jackie@southlea.plus.com England U16 girls win Home Nations Tournament
By Tim Barlow Belper HC's Louisa Boddy, Lucy Horn and Alice Sharp all played key roles in enabling England Under 16 to win the Home Nations Tournament in Cardiff last week. In their opening game vs Ireland, Alice scored on her international debut to help England to a 4-1 win. The next match saw England rampant with an 8-0 victory over Scotland to be followed the next day with a 6-0 triumph over Wales. Louisa scored twice with direct shots from penalty corners in the first half and Lucy nipped in at the far post to add the final goal just before the end. The play-off for 1st/2nd place against Ireland saw a much more determined Irish team, determined not to succumb without a fight in the rematch. They were actually leading 2-0 just after the break but by full time England had pulled the score back to 2-2. In the ensuing penalty stroke competition to decide the winner, England scored all 5 of their strokes, no.4 being calmly dispatched by Lucy, sending the keeper the wrong way. Ireland had one of their efforts saved and their 5th attempt was not required as England had already won. Louisa was rarely off the pitch at central defence and was the lynch-pin of the back 4; Lucy played mainly at left defence with occasional periods at centre midfield with some near misses with her accurate reverse stick shots. Alice was usually to be found at right midfield and was the most incisive of all the midfield players with her varied passing and elimination skills. What was especially pleasing was the considerable number of Belper members, both players and parents, who made the journey to support the girls. Magnificient seven for Belper HC
A total of seven Belper HC players have been selected for the Midlands Under 17 Squad for the National Championships to be held in October at Millfield School. Hollie Webb, Jess Wood, Rachel Sharp and Alicia Robinson all represented the Midlands at Under 17 level last year and gained the silver medal and so this time will be back determined to go one better. Louisa Boddy, Lucy Horn and Anna Boyd were in the championship winning Under 15 team last year and have made the step up to Under 17 level in one year.  European Gold Medals in Edinburgh Laura Bridge and Hollie Webb did Belper HC proud with winning gold medals in the Under 18 European Championships in Edinburgh. England started slowly with draws against Spain and Germany in their pool but a win against hosts Scotland took them to the top of their group. A 2-1 win over the previous champions The Netherlands, gave them real hope of the title and the a 2-0 win over Ireland sealed the tournament victory. This week (wc 23 July), Louisa Boddy, Lucy Horn and Alice Sharp will hope to do the same in the Under 16 Home Countries Internationals in Cardiff against Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Summer 'turn-up and practise' coaching sessions
If you are in need of some extra hockey coaching during the summer months Tim Barlow is kindly running seven Tuesday ‘just turn-up and practise’ sessions where Tim will help and advise you on any part of your game you need to improve on - so come along with your wish list! Open to all ladies, junior girls and and junior boys 11-18yrs. Dates: Tuesday June 19th, June 26th, July17th, July24th, July 31st, August 7th and August 14th. All sessions are 19.00 - 20.30 and £2 per session. Plus, there is a goalkeepers coaching session on the same evenings 20.00 - 21.00. This is a great opportunity for you to enhance your hockey skills.  Lichfield U12 tournamentBelper girls entered the first Lichfield U12 tournament on 1st July held at King Edwards School. Six teams entered and the competition was a round robin league of 15 minute games. Belper fielded a very young team with all but two players being members of the U11 squad. However the players blended together well and won their first game 4-0 against Burton. The next game was a close fought match against a physically stronger but less skillful Cannock side. Although Belper had more of the attacking play Cannock had a couple of dangerous breaks and ‘keeper Clare had to be alert. The game ended as a 0-0 draw and as the competition progressed it appeared goal difference would settle the tournament as Belper and Cannock appeared to be winning their games. So it continued with 4-0 victories for Belper against Worcester and Lichfield District and two more victories for Cannock. In the final games if Cannock beat Burton and Belper beat Lichfield City, goal difference would be the deciding factor but Belper had a 7 goal advantage over Cannock. After 10 mins all was going to plan, Belper lead 2-0 and Cannock were losing 1-0 to Burton. Then Lichfield scored 2 quick goals (the only ones Belper conceded and Cannock equalized. However no more goals were scored leaving Belper victorious on goal difference. Congratulations to the winning team of Clare Gething-Lewis, Alex Smith, Becky Hawkins, Olivia Rafferty, Beth Boothroyd, Naomi Cotterill, Ellen Horner, Ellie Miles, Maddie Wood Keep your fitness going by playing in Derbyshire Ladies Summer League
Below are the dates for the Derbyshire Ladies Hockey Summer League which is held at Macworth College, Derby. The teams are being organised by Caz Galbraith, please contact Caz if you would like to play telephone: 0773 668 5501.
Belper Ladies officers for season 2007-8
Following the AGM the new committee working for you and the club for the next 12 months is: President - Mrs I Bestwick Chairman - Joan Passant Vice chairman - Wendy Morris Secretary - Liz English Treasurer - Sue Waterall Club Captain - Ruth Lane Fixture secretary - Julie Carter Ladies Management Committee Rep and Grounds Rep - Christine Hallsworth House and Bar Rep - Dawn Kerry Junior co-ordinator - Jackie Sharp Mini Hockey rep - Joanne Rogers/ Judy Hooker Fund Raising/Sponsorship - Mandy Rafferty co-opted Plus the Teams captains / vice captains Unfortunately, the Ladies Club operated at a loss last year, increased pitch costs have meant that committees proposal to increase subscriptions, match and training fees was agreed at the AGM. For this coming season Subscriptions will be; £85 adults £10 levy if not paid before October 31st £60 juniors £10 levy if not paid before October 31st. Prompt payment by the 30th of September will also ensure that you are entered into a prize draw. Match Fees: £7 adults, £5 juniors. Training Fees: £3.50 Adults £2.50 juniors. This is the first increase for several years and are comparable to other large clubs in the area, we are fortunate to enjoy the best facilities in the area.  Belper U18 girls go one better at The National Championships at Birmingham University By Tim Barlow Hugely disappointed with their runners-up medal last year although all but one of the squad was a year young, Belper Under 18s were absolutely determined that this year they would not fail to deliver. The biggest headache was how to keep the squad fit and motivated, given the excessive break of 8 weeks between the end of the National League programme on March 24th and the tournament, 9 weeks from the quarter-final plus their exams and revision. Judicious balancing of time, appropriate practice matches at key times in the preparation process and the development of new skills and techniques in training, kept the players fresh and eager.  The opening match vs Harleston Magpies was a solid performance. Well aware that in these sorts of tournaments, although it is not possible to win the title in game one, it is quite easy to lose it, the Belper approach was steady and responsible as the players adjusted to the pitch, the pressure of a proper match after 8 weeks, and developing their patterns of play. Five penalty corners for and two against was a fair reflection of Belper’s control of the game. Once Hollie Webb had put away the penalty stroke on 20 minutes, the confidence flowed but it was disappointing that none of the chances that were subsequently created were taken – the lack of regular training and match practice probably responsible.Day 2 saw the second match vs Trojans start at 9.00am which meant a 6.15am wake up to prepare properly. Hollie Webb gave the Nailers the best possible start with a beautifully struck corner on 2 minutes. Again Belper were able to control the game but, once more, the chances to make the game safe were not taken. Trojans levelled the score with 9 minutes to go with an excellent individual run. Almost immediately Alicia Robinson received a yellow card and suspension for a stick tackle. It was here that Belper’s character and experience came to the fore. They upped the pace with the 10 players remaining and after a swift passing move, Harriet Fell’s initial shot was parried by the keeper but a wonderfully improvised reverse stick shot by her from an acute angle off a bouncing ball, saw Belper retake the lead. Two minutes later Harriet was badly fouled in front of goal and Hollie Webb again made no mistake from the penalty spot to ease Belper into a 3-1 lead with only a few minutes to go. Belper’s last opponents, Chelmsford, had also won both their games, so the match was to be the title decider. Again Belper scored an early goal in the 6th minute to settle the game down as they had done in so many NL matches this season. A change in the corner routine saw Louisa Boddy put a strong shot on target; the rebound off the keeper fell straight to sister Gill and she slapped the ball firmly over the line. Belper were not fazed by Chelmsford’s half-pitch press as they had encountered similar tactics on a number of occasions in the National League as teams tried to prevent the Nailers scoring. The back four of Emma and Rachel Sharp, Louisa Boddy and Sophie Appleby calmly passed the ball around the pitch whilst searching for the openings. Hollie Webb and Lucy Horn in midfield were resolute, thoughtful and exemplary in their decision making and the strikers made clever lead runs to open up the channels. The use of a high player to disrupt the Belper back four had no effect as they switched their marking pattern to deal with the threat. Three minutes from the end, another surging Laura Bridge run created the opening for Jess Wood and to the unrestrained delight of the whole Belper contingent, she fired high into the net to complete her comeback and seal the match and the title for Belper. Squad: GKs – Sabbie Heesh, Ashleigh Theobald; Outfield – Emma Sharp (capt), Louisa Boddy, Rachel Sharp, Sophie Appleby, Laura Bridge, Lucy Horn, Hollie Webb, Jess Wood, Alicia Robinson, Gill Boddy, Harriet Fell, Georgina Grostate, Sophie Passant.
Saturday May 19th, 2007. Chelmsford 1 - Trojans 0, Harleston Magpies 0 - Belper 1. Sunday May 20th, 2007. Chelmsford 0 - Belper 2, Trojans 0 - Harleston Magpies 2, Harleston Magpies 0 - Chelmsford 1, Belper 3 - Trojans 1.  Belper U15 girls win National Title for fourth successive year - wow! By Jackie Sharp The U15’s were in no doubt as to the enormity of the challenge of winning the National cup for an unprecedented fourth time and approached the whole weekend with their usual professionalism and maturity. Saturday morning saw an early start from all corners of Derbyshire to travel to Birmingham in good time for the first match of the tournament which was to be against Teddington. Belper made a good start putting pressure on the Teddington defence but some excellent goal keeping by the Teddington goalkeeper kept the ball out of the net until the 20th minute when Ellie Green opened her account with a typical Greenie tap in from the right post. The second half continued in much the same fashion with Belper having all the pressure but unable to score. However with eight minutes to go Jo Lane converted a penalty corner to make the game safe and put three points on the board. The girls then had a four and a half hour gap until their next match which they spent quietly (well most of them!) and out of the rain! We knew the second match was going to be tough as we were up against Chelmsford who had been runners up last year. The first five minutes saw Belper look nervous and Ellie McCance in goal pulled off two good saves then Belper composed themselves and it wasn’t too long before Charlotte Hobbs picked up a rebound from the keeper and this seemed to settle the nerves. A few minutes later Alice Sharp made a run from the midfield to score a fine individual goal and Charlotte added to the score line to make it 3-0 at half time. The score remained the same for the second half but Belper kept the pressure on with good runs from Rhiannon Rogers and Sophie Hawkins on the left and Anna Toman on the right. The two youngest members of the squad Jess Horn and Natalie Tipper played in the second half and demonstrated skills beyond their years. On Sunday the match between Teddington and Chelmsford ended in a draw that meant we had won the title before we played our last game. However the girls were determined to get a further three points on the board and keep a clean sheet. Obviously safe in the knowledge that the title was theirs the girls played some outstanding hockey and put three goals past Bournemouth in the first ten minutes. To their credit Bournemouth didn’t take their foot off the pedal but the Belper defence – Jo Lane, Tash Webb, Rachel Mason and Katie Jones dealt calmly with everything that came their way. In the second half some legs were rested and Judy Wrigley and Charlotte Bright added an important dimension to the team and helped the defence keep a clean sheet. For the last fifteen minutes the responsibility of goalkeeping was handed over to Sarah English who looked very at ease in between the posts. When the final whistle went there were some very elated but very tired players who can be very proud of what they have achieved. Squad: Ellie McCance, Sarah English, Jo Lane, Tash Webb, Rachel Mason, Katie Jones, Charlotte Bright, Judy Wrigley, Anna Toman, Alice Sharp (capt), Sophie Hawkins, Ellie Green, Charlotte Hobbs, Rhiannon Rogers, Natalie Tipper, Jess Horn, Camilla Hall. A special mention to Camilla who sustained a nasty knee injury before the tournament so only managed a short period of time on the pitch but had made valuable contributions in the previous matches.
Saturday May 19th Teddington 0 - Belper 2, Chelmsford 2 - Bournemouth 0, Teddington 1- Bournemouth 1, Belper 3 Chelmsford 0. Sunday May 20th Chelmsford 0 - Teddington 0, Belper 3 - Bournemouth 0 Ladies miss out on promotion play off spot by one point
By Kerry Slack, courtesy of the Derby Evening Telegragh. 28th March, 2007. Coach Tim Barlow praised the work rate of his side after their draw with Women's National North champions University of Durham. A win for the ladies would have seen them clinch a place in the end of season play-offs, with closest rivals Aldridge drawing 1-1 with Preston. But it was Aldridge who sneaked through, finishing a point ahead of the Nailers. Barlow was delighted with his side, who took a 16th-minute lead through Alicia Robinson, but could not hide his disappointment. "Our incentive was to try and be the first team to beat the champions at home and try to finish in that second play-off place," said Barlow. "We didn't hold out any hopes but I thought, having taken the lead, that we were almost there until Durham scored a late equaliser. "It's a blow missing out but we have to look at the positives, of which there are plenty. "Durham were the last side to beat us, on October 28, and since then, we've gone on this magnificent unbeaten run which is an achievement in itself. "It's a huge improvement on last season. "The Nailers will lose three key players over the summer but Barlow is confident that the next generation will be able to cope with playing national league hockey next season. "We lose Emma Sharp, Gill Boddy and Laura Bridge, who will all be off to university over the summer," said Barlow. "But we have a talented group of 15-year-olds. "And while they may take a while to settle, having trained with the first team will have given them a taste of what to expect." |