The ladies 1's took on Henley at Acton this weekend. Chiswick started well, with some consistent possession.

The first goal came from a penalty stroke, after some great lead up play from Rhianna Buchanan resulted in her being taken out at the top of the circle. Rebecca Smith stepped up to convert. The second came from a penalty corner left lay off (just how we planned it) scored by Erin Weber. 

Half time came, with Chiswick up 2-0. After some half time discussion, with an emphasis on valuing possession and supporting the ball carrier (wise words, thanks Kylie Burnett), Chiswick headed out for the second half in a confident of continuing to dominate. 
Erin Weber continued in goal scoring mood at the start of the second half, after some great baseline play by Lisa Crane. Harriet Stevenson picked up the next two goals for Chiswick, set up by Laura Patterson and then Rhianna Buchanan. 

Henley then pulled one back, scoring after the break down of a penalty corner, where the initial shot was blocked, but follow up enabled one to get through the Chiswick defense. 
Chiswick spent 5 minutes with 10 players after Sophie Kirk was yellow carded. However, Henley also went a player down, following a similar penalty. 
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Chiswick finished strongly, with a goal to Tisunge Barrack, assisted by Rhianna Buchanan (being very generous this weekend) and Erin Weber completing her hat trick, having been set up by Harriet Stevenson. 
It finished 7-1 to Chiswick, a good second game of the season.

MOM: Erin 
DOD: Sophie

​The second game of the season on a beautiful sunny day, the threes were up for the occasion. 10.30 meet! Early rising meant we were actually going to get there with time to spare this time if it were not for car battling in the Aldi car park. Oh well Haribo bought, we were ready!

Play began and we soon realised we were in for a tough one. An early goal meant we were chasing the game. Credit to Harrow: they were well organized and seemed to outnumber us on the pitch. We kept out heads up and fought hard and managed to annoy our opposition. There were a few temper tantrums on the pitch.  A tantrum by one of the girls in the opposition resulted in Sara’s stick flying across the pitch and nearly taking someone’s head off. Caz had a run in with the goalie, in which she lost the battle and ended up bum first on the floor. But she won the battle later on and did manage to cause vicious reactions from other players too in which she won the battle and got the foul (Well done!). There were some in the opposition who thought we were playing rugby with follow through tackles with shoulder impact (I know it’s the world cup and all but chill ). 

Lots of creative play from Harrow resulted in other goals being conceded. A good piece of defending stopped them from extending their lead further, with the ball being cleared from the line numerous times by our amazing defensive team. Joy stole the ball again and again from under the nose of the strikers and stopped the strike on goal, much to their annoyance. The Bernie and Joy team were working their magic to keep the score below double figures.

Things we learnt from our experience this week:
1.We need to teach Mairi her left from right. She was asked by a number of players simultaneously to pass right to Caz but she passed left to… nobody. I take her side though, left and right is a concept I find hard too. Those who have driven in my car will be well aware of this. I blame my primary teacher thus it is my aim to learn with my class, Mairi you can join us too.
2.We need music in our warm ups, clearly the other team benefited from this and this is the one and only reason they beat us. I want some tunes next time, my song choice is Macarena! 
3.I have my own time zone you guys have it wrong thus my DOD is void!
4.Always keep track on who has run off with the balls. Although we might get the shiny new ones if we claim to have lost ours. 
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A good end to our time in Harrow with tasty lasagna in the sun and tea too!

Man of the match goes to – Bernie for excellent defensive play in a really tough situation. 

Dick of the Day goes to – Hazel (author)  simply because people can get on board with her time zone. So she aims to stick to her pledge of no more DOD, so will sign this off as her last ever match report.  Over and out!!!!

Chiswick Ladies 5s backed up their 3-0 win last week with the same this week, beating Eastcote ladies 5s, away. Two goals were scored by Becky Riffel, with Carolyn Alsop adding a further to the tally, assisted by Rebecca Hutchinson. The team played tremendously well together and hope this is a sign of things to come for rest of the season.
Man of the match, on her debut game, went to Scarlett Mackay.  Great work!
DoD: Carolyn Alsop

After their triumph last week, the ladies 6s were raring to go in their second match of the season. Unfortunately a couple of players couldn’t make the game last minute, leaving the ladies with no subs again. This is not dampen spirits, however. Chiswick went out fighting and created several changes with Gillian Kerr pushing the ball up the pitch with Saadia Rahman. Unfortunately the ladies could not convert charges to goals. The BA ladies (relegated from div 2) soon took control of the game with their big hits and Chiswick found themselves 4-0 down at half time, despite some super saves from goalie Sarah Murphy.

After a half-time pep talk, Chiswick came out fighting again and some super team work showed a much stronger second half from the ladies 6s. The score, however, did not work in their favour ending in a 6-0 loss. Many positives to be taken away from the game and with a couple of things to work on, it’s still looking like a positive season ahead for the ladies 6s.

​DoD to Hannah Mort for not checking the match time with social events carefully enough and MoM awarded to Sarah Murphy for some fantastic saves! 

​In their second match of the season, Chiswick's ladies 2s faced Hendon and Mill Hill's first team. What started out looking like quite a close game, turned into a staggering 7-1 win for PHC Chiswick. 

New to the team this year, Claire Hearnden scored a terrific goal with a reverse stick hit. Zoe Jupp also hit the goal once, and the team's captain Georgie Wilson shot in two. However, it was Danni Petticrew who took home Man of the Match by getting a a hat-trick.

Hendon and Mill Hill also had a fair number of attempts at goal, but goalkeeper Millie Lang dealt with these confidently, only letting through a penalty flick. 

DOD went to Emma Bornebroek for not knowing the time and place until the morning of the match.

PHC Chiswick Ladies 6 team beat Old Merchant Taylors 1:0 home at Linford Christie. Goal was scored by Anne Pentecost assisted by a super save from the ball going over the back line by Hannah Rudd. A massive ‘thank you!’ is owed to Nikki Redding who stayed to keep for us immediately after she kept for the 5s which meant that the ladies 6s just had 11 players.

Their first appearance of the season in the midday sun, without substitutes, Chiswick were understandably feeling nervous; however, Chiswick had the upper hand from the beginning, putting the pressure on OMT from the starting whistle, despite losing the toss. A goal for Chiswick felt inevitable with several chances missed throughout the first half, but thankfully it came, a slightly messy scabble in front of goal, within the third quarter of the match. After a mixed season last year, the relief to go ahead in the game was immense!

OMT never gave up, striking the ball hard to gain ground back towards the Chiswick goal, thankfully the Chiswick defense (Alex Cauchard, Talwyn Whetter and Fay Bradley) were solid as ever, with new player Arielle Stealey making a super debut on the back row. Despite the lack of subs, the midfield (Helene Burgess and Anne Pentecost) kept running, supporting both forwards and defense, with Hannah Mort taking firm control in the centre of the pitch. The forwards (Bex Harvey and Hannah Rudd) were super at pushing the ball into the D, piling the pressure on OMT’s with new player Maz Poynter always being in the right place at the right time to support her fellow forward line.

Some stunning play from Chiswick ladies 6s kept OMT back, to hold on until the final whistle. A true team effort from ladies 6s and a super start to the season!

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Match Report by Kylie Burnett

With Chiswick ladies 1s looking for promotion this season after narrowly missing out last season, headed to North West London to take on Eastcote ladies 1s.

We knew it was going to be a tough first game, but we were ready and eager to take the three points. We got off to a great start passing the ball quickly, with most of the game being played in the oppositions half.The forwards pressure paid off when Rebecca Smith intercepted an Eastcote 16 yard hit out, drove the ball into the D and smashed the ball into the back of the net.

Chiswicks second goal came a few minutes later with great team work from the ladies. Laura Patterson making a superb run down the left, passing the ball to Rebecca Smith who smashed it across the pitch to Sarah Blackburn who then found Tisunge Barrack in the circle who pushed in the ball... gooooaallll! 

The second half was much of the same with Chiswick putting on the pressure with most of the play in the Eastcote half.Chiswick 3rd goal came as we got a penalty stroke which Rebecca Smith stepped up to take, which she slotted passed  the keeper with conviction.

DOD: Tisunge Barrack - Plastic shin pads are not tumble dryer safe!
MOM: Lisa Crane - Solid defending and flawless on the ball.

PHC Chiswick Ladies 4s Drew with NPL 1-1 away at NPL’s pitch. Goal was scored by Cat Jackman.

A good display by the Ladies 4s in their first game in Division 1 having won the league and been promoted from Division 2 last season. The team did well to hold their nerve and fight back to equalise having gone 1-0 down in
the first half. With great debuts from Milou De Sain and Flo Wolfe. Fran Cripps was our Woman of the Match with
a fantastically calm performance in the heart of the defensive midfield. We are looking forward to building on this performance through the season.

Despite pre-season fitness and training, and a cracking session with Coach Cowboy on Wednesday evening our ladies 2’s start to the season was as shaky as a paper house on stilts in a subduction zone! We quickly spotted Staines’ established key player during warm up and exchanged knowing looks, tidbits about her previous performances and strategized. She did not disappoint. Within the first 3 minutes’ play she tucked her first goal neatly away.

1-0 down and Chiswick parrots (feeling more like chickens at this stage) quickly snapped into action; sweat was no longer only a side effect of the beating sun! A bit more pace, a bit more meeting the ball and a bit more holding the structure to force Staines out wide, but our naughty feet cost us a short corner which was executed by the infamous number 6! Within seconds another call for a short, and a cheeky short left slip saw Staines close the first half with a lead of 3-0.

Even with a man down due to injury a motivating team talk at half time and a steady supply of haribos saw us ready to start anew. We puffed out our parrot chests and played our game and focused more on short, sharp passing and holding possession. We put in that extra effort and tackled and hassled and it showed. From a free hit just outside our defending D a lovely few triangular passes saw Grace Glendinning pop a goal in, no mess no fuss. Things were flowing well and players were starting to get a good feel of eachother’s game and new positions. We were still in the game! We could turn this around! But with only minutes to spare Staines put their final goal in leaving us at a 4-1 loss.

A disappointing start to the season but we continue to shake our tail feathers. Our girls have the hearts of lions and we look forward to learning from this and reversing the score the second half of season!

DOD: Danni Petticrew unanimously voted in for her shockingly ridiculous choice of L2’s DOD outfit (and admits she was actually keen to give it a whirl) and her tumble on the pitch, which achieved absolutely nothing.

MOM: our Goalie Millie Lang who kept padding away the relentless rebounds and kept calm throughout.

The morning started off with some exciting/intriguing chat about the new formation that the Chiswick ladies first 11 have adopted for the season. Not only did Rhianna Buchanan provide an epic white board session on this at the training on Wednesday, but an overly enthusiastic Rebecca Smith backed this up on game day doing her favourite show and tell activity involving moving the little blue and red people on the white training board. This got the team geared up and prepped for the game. As usual this ended up with ‘forget everything I’ve said and just play your own game!’’ 

With the Kiwi newbie: Erin Weber making her debut for the team, Chiswick was ready for some hockey and right from the whistle  played a pretty sharp and smart game which exposed Wimbledon’s 20 man squad’s loop holes; not long all proved its worth for Chiswick.

After numerous attempts of attack from the Chiswick ladies, a quick break from their defence released the ball into midfield which gave Sarah (I got the 2nd assist) Blackburn a chance to dribble though Wimbledon players into the path of Rebecca Smith who then ever so coolly transferred it on to the penalty spot finding Tisunge Barrack who without a hesitation banged it past the keeper! First goal sorted, first half done!

Second half started with Chiswick Keeper Kylie Burnett providing superb saves by diving so accurately every other minute like Tom Daley would, whilst her defence was facing Wimbledon’s classic aerials ‘’international hockey style’’. Still Chiswick could not be broken! One of these aerial did end up on a Chiswick defender’s chest who turned out to produce some rather colour language (not to be repeated). 

Despite all Kylie Burnett and her defence’s countless effort to shoo off Wimbledon from scoring, they did end up firing in 2 quick goals within 8 minutes which led to Chiswick being a goal behind.

The Chiswick platoon lead by Captain Mary Gamble did not give up the fight and were still determined to get another goal. With five minutes till the final whistle Chiswick provided a full team attack and full team defence scenario, surprising Wimbledon with a rude awakening of ‘’we never give up that easy’’ style.

This army style attitude led to the result of Chiswick’s 2nd goal which was created  by another great defensive tactic from Heather Ford onto Rhianna Buchanan in the midfield who swiftly picked up fast paced Laura Patterson on the right wing then who drove it down past  at least 5 Wimbledon players! Laura then held the ball looking for a pass but could only see red as the Wimbledon defence and the Chiswick strikers looked like they were re-enacting the scene from Finding Nemo ‘’Mine, Mine mine, mine’’! The goals line scramble resulted in Tisunge Barrack claiming the ball and boom passed the keeper. She claims her second goal of the game and Chiswick secure a point!

All is fair in love and war but the fight for Chiswick was fun after all! Although Coach Prashila Puna was happy to settle for a draw, we all know she will be searching for a win for the first league match next weekend when Chiswick Ladies 1’s play Eastcote at 1.30pm at Eastcote Hockey Club Astro.

Match Report by Tisunge Barrack