Repton Hockey Club appreciate the support of all our sponsors.

Weekend Club Programme - 15th and 16th Dec 2018

If you would like to receive these programmes directly to your email inbox please click here:

The Weekend’s Club Update:

Welcome to our final weekend programme of 2018.

The Club has had an exciting first half of 2018-19 season. There have been many highlights and fine team and individual performances. Last weekend was a perfect case in point; both the Men’s and the Ladies’ Super 6s teams won their Midlands Regional Qualifiers to progress to the Division 2 North round on 5-6 January 2019. Neither team had it all their own way and both showed real character to progress. Further details are below. If we can produce a strong performance on the opening weekend in 2019 there is the chance to progress to Division 2 on 19-20 January, and then a possible chance of winning promotion to Division 1. This is a headily ambitious goal but one we will strive to achieve. Also in action last weekend were two of the ladies’ teams. The 2s played Buxton and managed to win 4-2 despite having only ten players and the Ladies’ XI progressed to the next round of the Tier 2 Cup after a tense game against Burton who are in the league above. Earlier in the week the men had achieved the same result against the same opposition.

With the outdoor finished for 2018, this weekend sees the Club turn its attention to the U16 and U18 indoor Super 6s Midlands competitions at Aldersley in Wolverhampton. The U16 boys and girls play on Saturday and the U18 boys and girls on Sunday. Everyone has been training hard and we wish all the teams the best of luck and hope they enjoy the experience.

On Sunday the U14 girls travel to Belper to play a triangular against Beeston and Belper. The final hockey action for 2019 will see the U14 boys and girls travel to the CopperBox Arena on 29th December to play in an indoor competition.

The Super 6s indoor schedule:

The U16 girls, U18 boys and U16 girls all play off in one league with the top two teams qualifying for Nationals. The U16 boys are in one of two pools and will need to win the semi-finals in order to qualify in one of the two top spots for Nationals in January.

Saturday 15th December

U16 Super 6s Regionals, Aldersley Stadium, Wolverhampton

• 09:50 U16 Boys vs Belper
• 10:40 U16 Girls vs North Staffs
• 11:20 U16 Girls vs Belper
• 11:50 U16 Boys vs Stourport
• 12:00 U16 Girls vs Telford
• 13:20 U16 Girls vs Beeston
• 13:30 U16 Boys vs Barford Tigers
• 14:40 U16 Girls vs Stourport
• 15:10 U16 Boys Semis
• 16:00 U16 Boys Finals

Sunday 16th December

U18 Super 6s Regionals, Aldersley Stadium, Wolverhampton

• 09:40 U18 Girls vs Stone
• 10:10 U18 Boys vs Lichfield
• 11:40 U18 Boys vs North Staffs
• 11:45 U18 Girls vs Beeston
• 12:40 U18 Boys vs Old Halesonians
• 13:20 U18 Boys vs Beeston
• 14:00 U18 Boys vs Telford

U14 Girls’ Tournament away at Belper

• 11am U14 Girls vs Belper
• 11:40am U14 Girls vs Beeston

Men’s Cup Round-up:

The Bulls Head Men’s XI hosted Burton on Thursday in their opening Tier 2 National Cup match. Burton are mid-table in the league above Repton, but Repton’s performance was typified by excellent team work, control of the midfield and superb discipline. Repton started strongly and were 3-0 up after 10 minutes. The eventual score was 11-2 with Aaron Hibell scoring six.

This was a strong performance from an improving team and a commanding result against a local team from the league above. The game was won in the midfield, secured from the back and finished with some pin-point accuracy in the D, especially from penalty corners. This wrapped up a successful first half of the outdoor season with 96 goals scored in 11 wins from 11 matches and just 12 goals conceded. The squad have managed to rotate 26 players and one of the key strengths has been that threats come from all areas of the pitch, with 15 different players having registered goals.

Ladies’ League and Cup Round-up:

Ladies’ 2s:

On Saturday, the Stratstone BMW Ladies’ 2s travelled to Buxton to play a rearranged Derbyshire Ladies’ Division 1 match. The Peak District weather was not kind, and varied from drizzle to torrential rain throughout the game. Buxton took full advantage of some early disorganisation to take a 1-0 lead. As the game developed, Repton settled and started to dominate the midfield but could not find the elusive equaliser. After some very fine attempts and some over complication, Ann Johnson slotted home the equaliser just before half-time.

The second half continued with Repton having the edge both athletically and technically but Buxton were resolute. Some half-time reorganisation of the nine Repton outfield players resulted in more chances being created and Ellie Barlow scored after ten minutes of the half, only for Buxton to equalise shortly afterwards on a break. Repton stuck well to their task and Non Ewart-White added to her season tally in the twenty fifth minute. Buxton pushed for an equaliser but Repton held firm and won a PC as the final whistle blew; Johnson converted her second for a final score of 4-2. The Repton team did well with only ten players and were superbly captained and led by 15 year-old, Izzy Mansfield, who was a rock in central defence, foiling many a long ball and dribbling opposition player. Mansfield tested the Buxton defence as did Hermione Wright, Barlow and Johnson with their speed in attack. This was a solid performance from a developing group of players.

This result leaves Repton 2s top of the Derbyshire Ladies’ Division 1 going into the Christmas break.

Ladies’ Cup game:

On Sunday, the Stratstone BMW Ladies’ XI travelled to Burton to play their first round of the Tier 2 England Hockey Championship Cup. With Burton second in the league above Repton this match was always going to be an interesting contest, especially as the senior players had played in the Midlands indoor qualifier the previous day. Repton started well, with Emma Thornbury, the Ireland international, linking well with England U16 Claudia Swain, for Thornbury to score the first goal in the sixth minute. Burton were constantly threatening with Izzy Mansfield leading the defensive unit well to keep Burton off the score sheet. Miranda Jackson scored the second for Repton after twenty minutes before Emilia Kaczmarczyk added the third three minutes later to put Repton 3-0 up. Burton regrouped and managed to pull two goals back before half time. Some Repton indiscipline led to unnecessary cards which added to the pressure on Repton. Burton struck first in the second half to level the score at 3-3, but Bea Bridge secured the winner in the 47th minute. The game was tense right to the end, as a cup match should be.

Mixed Update:

The Mixed XI are through to Round 2 of the Tier 1 competition and will host Crewe Vagrants in Round 2, whilst the Mixed Vikings’ team move into the Tier 2 competition and will host Stafford HC; both matches are scheduled for Sunday 20th January 2019.

Indoor Update:

Repton follow up their Perfect Ten:

We would like to thank Modern Plant Hire for sponsoring the team on the day. This support helped enormously and if anyone is interested in sponsoring the successful indoor teams please contact Martin Jones or John Tarrant.

Following the conclusion of the first half of their outdoor season, where they have recorded ten victories from ten fixtures, the Repton Bulls Head Men’s XI made remarkable progress in the indoor format of the game last week as they won the regional qualifying event for the National League.

The fast and furious six-a-side version of the game is exciting to watch and is a true test of technical and tactical skills. Playing against teams from leagues higher than themselves in the outdoor game was a test that Repton looked forward to.

Wolverhampton - Repton’s only opponent not four leagues higher than them in the outdoor Saturday league - were comfortably swept aside in the opening fixture, with Simon Claris quickly finding his rhythm from penalty corners. Stourport, well-known for their indoor expertise, were beaten 10-3 in group game two before the first real test against Barford Tigers.

Barford‘s Polish indoor international had been prolific to this point but was nullified in this tie that decided semi-final seedings and saw Repton 5-1 winners. It was Claris again who punished Repton’s opponents, flicking almost every penalty corner high into the Barford net. Joe Sharp and Ben Clague, both with plenty of National League experience, were calming influences and instigated much of Repton’s quality play with Matthew Bellin, Dominic Bennett and Aaron Hibell the forwards who led the line well and converted several passages of good build-up play.

Khalsa were beaten by 6-0 in the semi-final which set up a re-match with Barford Tigers in the final. Barford‘s improved structure and defensive work made life difficult for Repton and had the game in the balance at 3-3, with just minutes to go. Martin Jones’ goal-bound effort was adjudged to have been saved with the GK making an infringement and protestations over the awarded penalty corner saw the young Barford GK serve a temporary suspension. Without a GK, Barford had no chance against Repton’s prolific penalty corner machine and a 5-3 victory saw Repton qualify for the National League in January at their very first attempt.

The ladies accomplished a similar feat although there were fewer teams in their competition. The ladies faced two opponents, Olton & WW Hockey Club and Loughborough University, both well-established clubs in the adult game. The opener against Loughborough was a close affair, and two missed Repton penalties were ultimately costly meaning that a victory against Olton was required to reach the final, where the team could face Loughborough again for a place in the National League. Penalty corner goals from Emilia Kaczmarczyk and Imogen Hatton earned a 5-1 victory to set up the re-match. Great Britain international, Jo Leigh, and USA indoor international, Ally Fuller, slotted in to the young Repton side well and added some experience to the talented group.

The difference, and major factor in turning around the result in the final, was the performance in both Ds. Kat Carr, and her defensive penalty corner team, were outstanding and the penalty corner execution at the other end was first-rate. Emilia Kaczmarczyk scored three penalty corners from three attempts as she had the Loughborough GK unsure where the ball was going to come next. From such a young team, this was an outstanding achievement and allows the girls to test themselves against some of the best players in the country in the National League.

Junior Update:

Sunday morning training resumes on 6 Jan 2019 for the U8s, U10s and U12s

Finally I would like to sincerely thank all members of the committee for their tireless work and all our coaches and volunteers, especially the team managers. We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2019.

Men's 1st XI

Ladies 1s

Ladies 2s

This week we profile our U18 Captain - Emilia Kaczmarczyk (Kazzy)