Chichester hockey stars in winning home foem - reports and picture special

Reports below...

Chichester 3 Bromley 1

Conference West

Chichester’s men got the reward for good preparation with an emphatic win in their first game after the Christmas break.

The team struggled in the initial exchanges and went a goal down early on, but made their quality count against a Bromley team who must now start to worry for their continued league status.

It seemed as if Chichester spent most of the initial 35 minutes playing against themselves and the frustration became more and more evident as chances went begging.

Ollie Baxter; Alex Baxter; Alex Holton and Joe Budgen will all feel they might have done better but Bromley were kept at bay competently by the Chichester back-line led by Kieran Henn and Alex Thakore, while the work-rate of Richard Blakesley and Joe Budgen stood out.

In the end, a familiar cast started to make the difference when Alex Pendle forced his way into the circle and fed Ollie Baxter for a close range finish.

Chichester pushed on and looked dangerous. Thakore took command in the centre of midfield; Jack Lerwil started driving the inside channel and before long fed Ollie Baxter who grabbed his second.

Bromley took their goalkeeper off and tried to generate some momentum, and for a short period it looked like they might succeed, especially when Lerwil was forced to leave the pitch having been struck hard on the arm, shortly followed by Henn with a head injury.

Chichester, however, stood firm and soon celebrated their final goal when, after good pressing work from Alex Baxter and a deft touch from Ollie Baxter, Budgen could celebrate his first of the campaign.

This was a good win against tough opposition and leaves Chichester with hope of competing for honours at the end of the season.

Chichester Ladies 6 Middleton Ladies 1

Chichester won well on a glorious day for a game of hockey.

They were a goal up thanks to Bella Festa within the first five minutes. Strong runs from Jess Gleeson and Katie Rose meant Chi ladies looked strong but a lack in concentration meant Middleton equalised.

However Chichester’s heads did not go down and strong defending from Alice Facey, Emma Bennison, Meg Thomas, Jenny Horton and keeper Fi Griffiths meant they prospered.

Lottie Greenlees made some superb runs and allowed Chi to keep moving forward and goals by Chloe Goddard and Fiesta made the score 3-1 at half-time.

In the second half Philly Bowry ran her socks off for the team. A penalty flick allowed pocket rocket Jess Gleeson to score an absolute beauty. Majestic positioning from Demelza Peake meant the ball could be transferred forward and Katie Rose scored a cracking goal.

Gleeson scored a worldie and made the final score 6-1. There was amazing support from the home crowd and coach Jonny Goodson and ‘mum’ of the team Sally Bradley.

Worthing 3 Chichester Ladies II 3

Sussex Ladies Div 1

Chichester didn’t turn up in the first ten minutes with some stray passing and poor defending by some. This led to Worthing getting two quick goals.

It was the wake-up call the visitors needed and their discipline grew. Chichester were building the pressure on the home side leading to penalty corners, one of which they scored from.

Sarah Jessop received the ball at the top of the D and struck the ball, the keeper saved and Tracy Austin got to the rebound and struck the ball firmly into the net. This gave Chi confidence and soon Juste Balkyte got the equaliser to make it 2-2 at half-time.

Chichester felt they had the upper hand and strong play by Balkyte and Lizzie Kies up front gave Chi hope of a winner. Julie Abson in goal kept Chi in the game at times.

Chi got their third with the ball coming out of defence from Jackie Baxter through to Gabby Crisp then on to Kies, who scored. Chichester were on tenterhooks for the rest of the half.

Worthing kept pressing and were awarded a penalty corner in the last five minutes and scored. Although it was a point for Chi it felt like a loss – but they march on to the next game at home to Southwick.

Chichester: Julie Abson, Tracy Austin, Vicky Oliver-Catt, Jackie Baxter, Sarah Jessop, Kath Mundy, Alex Hurd, Juste Balkyte, Lizzie Kies, Gabby Crisp, Lois Rice.

New Forest 2 Chichester Friars 4

Hampshire Area Div 4

Friars mounted a great second-half comeback to complete a convincing win.

In the first half, the Friars played up the slope, facing a low sun and a stiff breeze.

New Forest began to take more control and on ten minutes a controversial short corner decision resulted in an extremely well executed drag flick to give them the lead. From the restart, Bryan Locke carried the ball all the way into the opposition D but sent his shot just over the bar.

Friars gave away the ball too frequently and New Forest doubled their lead on 26 minutes, when they reacted quicker to another controversial decision which led to a mix-up in defence and the attacker tapped the ball home after a deflection off the post.

Only three minutes into the second half, Tom Garriock found himself in space just inside the D and fired in a speculative shot which caught the defence and keeper off guard and flew into the far corner.

When Gareth Wharton chased a ball that looked to be going out, he passed to Chris Pacey who had a relatively simple finish to make it 2-2.

The Friars were unlucky not to take the lead when Tracy Boyce missed an open goal. But with 50 minutes gone, Richard Sabin forced the ball over the line after a goalmouth scramble to give the Friars the lead.

On 67 minutes Boyce atoned for his earlier miss and finished confidently to give the Friars a two-goal cushion.

Ian Austin was called into action in goal, making a great block in a one on one. Friars defended well to keep out a flurry of late short corners.

Friars are still third in the league.

Friars: Austin, Andrews, Hughes, Mercer, Walters, Boyce, Strange, Wharton, Sabin, Pacey, Garriock, Locke.