HOCKEY SLIDESHOW: Rugby's 6ths and 7ths in league derby action

PICTURES BY MIKE BAKER

REWHC Men’s 2nd XI 4 Khalsa 2nd 7Rugby started poorly and unlike last week found themselves on the receiving end of going three down within ten minutes. After waking up, Rugby dominated the rest of the first half and scored through a Szymon Oszyjczyk drag flick.Szymon added another as did Alex Salter and Liam Brown to continue his fine run of goal scoring form. However Khalsa were also scoring at the other end, with two penalty flicks and a couple of breakaway counters to make the final score 7-4.

REWHC 2nd XI 5 Stone 1st XI 3Rugby started the stronger on Sunday and dominated the first half, taking the lead, however before the break Stone equalised. Youthful legs and a fantastic attitude throughout the second half saw Rugby score a further four, including a Szymon Oszyjczyk hat-trick. Super saves throughout from Connor Robson and stalwart defending from the entire team secured victory as Rugby made use of a pacey forward line to counter.Man of the match was Lee Marriott, a fine example of solidity and fine tackling throughout and stepping in at left back due to injury to Luke Naunton.

REWHC Men’s 3rd XI 1 Boots 4The game started with a high press from Boots, resulting in constant pressure against Rugby. A Russ Watling deflection would’ve seen Boots go ahead was it not deemed that the shot was going well wide in the first place. The handful of attempts on goal by Boots were turned away by Matt Westbury in goal and the rest of the defence until a Boots short corner saw a dragflick goal to put them ahead.The second half saw Rugby start quickly to try and even the scoreline. However, Boots took control of the game and scored a deflection. The sudden goal saw Rugby try harder to counter attack but after a third goal, through another drag flick began to give up. Boots kept coming however and great tackling from Matt Mortley and Dave Renard as well as a goalline save from John Lumb saw Rugby hold on. A counter attack from Toby Bower saw him find Gaz Unett on the back post with a reverse stick feed. Despite Rugby clawing one back, Boots were not deterred and capitalised as the defence parted to allow a shot straight through from top D and between Matt’s legs to make the final score 4-1.

REWHC Men’s 3rd XI 1 Belper 2nd 7Sunday’s game was closer than it sounds at times, with Rugby putting pressure on the Belper defence through good work from David Odwell, Ryan Hibberd and Ethan Mannion. A save from Stuart Morgan saw Belper awarded a flick which was saved by Matt Westbury. Somewhere in the first half Belper were able to find themselves four goals to set up a defeatist attitude for Rugby in the second half.The second half saw Rugby put up a goal of their own, finally finished by Gaz Unett after a scrappy short corner but sadly Belper kept coming and despite better defence, some good saves (mostly by Gaz but Matt was there too) and Belper’s inability to score into an open goal from five feet away, they managed to score another three.

REWHC Men’s 4th 1 Atherstone Adders 2nd 2Although Rugby dominated, some say 75% domination, the result speaks for itself… they lost. The highlights of the game included Man of the Match Owen Armstrong scoring a fine solo goal, rounding three players before scoring and came close to adding a second only to be denied by the post.

REWHC Men’s 5th 2 Daventry 1st 2The first half was fairly even with Rugby having the better of possession, but Daventry having the best chances of the half, their best a reverse shot from five yards out that somehow stayed out of the goal, leaving the game scoreless at half time.Rugby started to become dominant in the second half and eventually took the lead through Tom McCabe, who dribbled past two players before putting the ball past the charging keeper into the bottom left corner. Rugby then went down to ten men for the second time after a trademark Dave Reay stick tackle was deemed worthy of a green card, but he made amends by setting up Harry Kirkbride for the second goal to double the lead, with the 5ths looking set to cruise to their third victory in three games.However, they let Daventry back into the game after allowing them to run straight into the D from a long corner, with a powerful strike flying past Theo to halve the deficit. Despite this Rugby had a chance to regain their two-goal lead when a penalty stroke was awarded for a foot on the line from Archie’s shot, but his effort was saved by their goalkeeper. A back post tap-in allowed Daventry to draw level in the final stages of the game.

REWHC Men’s 6th 6 REWHC 7th 1The game ebbed and flowed. The 6ths created more chances, but Richard Arthurton, in goal for the 7ths, denied them several times, and some wasteful finishing from the 6ths helped keep the score at 0-0 well into the first half. There is some debate as to exactly how Richard Spraget managed to miss an open goal, however, in all other respects he was excellent, battling through a back injury to control the midfield for most of the match. Finally though, one of the chances fell to MoM Charlie Morrison who forced the ball over the line.Half time score 1-0. Most 6th team players agreed this was the hardest half of hockey they had had since Christmas. As the second half started, the 6th team began to assert some sort of superiority. Hardy Sr. picked up two goals from close range, one from a penalty corner. The 7ths, however, were not beaten. Ben Stuchbury got one back from a well-taken penalty corner strike, and several other opportunities were created. Eventually, the 6ths pulled decisively away as Charlie Morrison scored two more to complete his excellent hat-trick and Will Cooper-Harris picked up the 6th.

REWHC Ladies 1st XI 2 Boots 1st XI 1:

The game began with Boots winning and converting a short corner within two minutes. Rugby dug in, riding some hefty stick tackles and equalised with a bit of silky Nicki Siarbawa skill as she swiftly intercepted a transfer to slot home between the keeper’s legs. Further chances followed with Naylor getting to the left post but avoiding the ball and Siarbawa and Kirby being unusually generous to each other and to the Boots’ goalkeeper.However, the 1sts took the lead just before half time with Isobel Bower winning the ball on the 25, passing inside to Kelly who played a one-two with Lilla Gane, who then threaded the ball through to Siabarwa who slotted it home at the near post. The second half was tightly contested as the game ended with a Boots penalty corner at the whistle but Rugby were able to hold onto their lead.

U14s: Repton Boys 2 REWHC Boys 1:

This was a game of two halves on Sunday, with Rugby racing out of the blocks to stun Repton with a flurry of early penalty corners. George Spraget delighted the Rugby supporters by converting one of these with a well-executed drag flick. Rugby continued to pressure the Repton goal as midfield maestros Ben English and Henry Woodward took control of the game. Ben Hardy showed electric pace to trouble the Repton defence time and again and Charlie Crinigan and Augustus Wenham were rocks in defence snubbing out the Repton ball carriers.Rugby went into the break 1-0 up and looking for a famous victory. The second half saw Repton step up a gear as Rugby started to tire. Despite a fine defensive effort including a string of saves from Freddie Taylor and relentless running from Woodward, Will Tarrant and others, Rugby succumbed to the Repton pressure and conceded two goals including an unstoppable tomahawk finish.

Fixtures for Saturday, March 2

REWHC Men’s 1st v Loughborough Students 2nd awayREWHC Men’s 2nd v Old Halestonians 1st – Hart Field 1400REWHC Men’s 3rd v Warwick 2nd – Rugby School 1200REWHC Men’s 4th v Nuneaton 2nd awayREWHC Men’s 5th v Berkswell & Balsall Common 3rd – Rugby School 1200REWHC Men’s 6th v Market Harborough 3rd awayREWHC Men’s 7th v Northampton Saints 6th - Hart Field 1530

REWHC Ladies 1st v Cannock 2nd – Hart Field 1200REWHC Ladies 2nd v Sutton Coldfield 3rd awayREWHC Ladies 3rd v Warwick 3rd awayREWHC Ladies 4th v Warwick 4th away