REPORTS
Shepton Mallet Ladies 2nds vs Mendip 2nds
Score: Win 4-0
7th October 2023
After a great win last week, Shepton were looking to continue that momentum this week away to Mendip.
Mendip won the toss to start the match, but it wasn’t long before Shepton took possession and put Mendip’s defence under pressure. Some great combinations of passing in the opposition’s half and into their D, saw Shepton awarded 3 short corners, none of which they were able to convert due to a very resilient Mendip Keeper.
It was in the 16th minute Shepton broke the deadlock, with a network of passing from Squire and Thorner down the right-hand side and into the Mendip D. A strike from James too powerful for the Mendip Keeper mitt to stop, went into the back of the goal.
The rest of the half, saw more strong attacks from Shepton brought on through little neat works of play, starting from their own defence in Baller and up through the midfield of Parke and James. After all that, the teams went in at half time with Shepton 1-0 ahead.
The second half saw both teams coming out strong, but it was Shepton that capitalized from their efforts, when Street held off the opposition to enable a pass to Radcliff-James and on to Harman up front. Harman continued and after a couple of attempts, put it past the feet of the keeper in the 41st minute.
The 3rd goal came in the 50th minute, coming from a combination of passes originating from Hardwick, on to Radcliff-James in mid field, who then passed a long ball up front to Earner. In one motion Earner took a sweeping shot ending up flat on her back, whilst watching her first ever Shepton goal slot into the bottom right corner. A very proud moment indeed.
Shepton sealed victory in the 55th minute with a 4th goal, when the ball travelled up the right side from Dauncey, through Squires and onto Parke. Parke then brought the ball up field and passed to Holmes in Mendip’s D. In the D there was then a scramble of passes between Holmes, Thorner and Harman near Mendip’s keeper but it was finally Harman that knocked in the goal, her second of the match.
Shepton’s Keeper Cook had another outstanding performance to leave her with 2 clean sheets out of 2 games so far this season.
Shepton Mallet Mens 2s vs Shepton Mallet Mens 3s
Score: Win 7-0
7th October 2023
Please find below the match report for Shepton Mallet Men's 3rds hockey team for entry into this week's Mid-Somerset series newspapers.
Shepton Mallet 2nds got the better of their 3rd team rivals in the Mallet Derby last weekend to continue their 100% start to the league campaign in the West Men’s Parrett Division 1.
It was an intense start from the 2nds who controlled possession well as the 3rds held out for a couple of minutes before the first goal went in, Adge Hawkins slamming in from close range.
The designated away side made their dominance count further not long after the opener when Jack Burgess made 2-0 to give him and his side some breathing space.
From here, the 3rds weathered the storm and managed to threaten their opponents from a couple of short corners, with Mac Jessop forcing some saves from keeper Louis Guidi.
The half time score remained 2-0, giving the 3rds hope that they could cause their opponents some damage in the second 35 having frustrated them towards the back end of the first half but they couldn’t keep the score down from the restart, conceding a third from Jack Miller after some nice build up play.
Hawkins then made it four with a smart finish, putting himself well on his way to a hattrick.
Winger Ollie Murray made it 5-0 with 3rd team energy levels starting to drop, as they struggled to get out of their half, before Todd Oliver made it six, the 2nds ruthless with their finishing.
Hawkins put the final nail in the coffin with his hattrick goal for 7-0 not long before the final whistle to make it a perfect day for the 2nds, the 3rds hoping they’ll be much improved next Saturday when they host fellow winless side Tiverton, while the 2nds travel to Minehead.
Shepton Mallet Mens 2s vs ISCA 6
Score: Win 6-0
Captain: Nasher
Squad: Louis Guidi (GK), Edson Bird, Mike (Smiler) Spencer, Jack Cadbury, Harry Cadbury, Mike Locke, Tom Woodlock, Jack Miller, Adge Hawkins, Harvey Fews, Jack Burgess, Ollie Murray.
30th September 2023
The first game of the season for Shepton Mallet Mens 2 saw them at home against Exeter team ISCA 6. The Shepton side of 13 (having 2 subs) saw a return of many commonly seen players in the 2s with the addition of a few different ones, going up against an experienced ISCA side. The game began with both sides with their chances but overall Shepton pressed harder in the opponent's half, with chances from Jack Burgess, Nasher, Adge Hawkins and Ollie Murray, Shepton held the ball well passing it around, making transitions around the midfield and defence, with many balls making it into the opponents D and a few short corners, but none finding the back of the goal, most attempts towards Sheptons goal were thwarted by the solid midfield of Harvey Fews along with Mike Locke and Harry Cadbury with Edson Bird seemingly being everywhere around the pitch. Those few that did make it through were quickly cut out by a confident defence on Jack Cadbury, Smiler, Tom Woodlock and Edson Bird. Towards half time and Shepton losing slight composure the opponents did actually find the back of Shepton's goal on a sudden break but the touch had come off the player's foot and was subsequently disallowed. Although mostly Shepton dominating the first half it was 0-0 at half time, After an encouraging team talk from Nasher at half time to a slightly frustrated but upbeat Shepton team that was still finding the abilities and strengths between the players, having never all played together.
Shepton attempted to continue their dominance but with the bonus of goals, Shepton came out In the 2nd half refreshed passing the ball well around the midfield and defence with options out on the wings, of Jack Miller, Ollie Murray, all players keeping calm and most importantly keeping the ball and creating chances, it was only a matter of time that a goal was to come and who better to show the way than the Captain Nasher, and once one goal came there was no stopping them, with another goal from the Captain later in the half, other
goals from Jack Bergess- 1, Adge Hawkins- 2 who both almost scored in the first half, Ollie Murray 1- notably from what seems to be an impossible baseline angle much to the amusement of those who play with him regularly that said he would never do that again! ISCA had a late last-ditch attempt that Shepton ran down before it was a true threat, Allowing goalkeeper Louis Guidi to have a quiet day in the office. To finish the game 6-0 to Shepton, An encouraging start to the Shepton Mens 2s season, with the next game being at Sheptons ground once again, against the Shepton 3s side who were promoted last season to the same division.
Man of the Match- Edson Bird for constant effort throughout the game.
SMHC Men's 3 vs West Dorset 1
Score: Lost 0-1
30th September 2023
Shepton Mallet 3s kicked off their new season as a freshly promoted team in the West Men's Parrett Division 1 with a narrow defeat to West Dorset 1s.
Shepton started the game very well, staying strong at the back with Des Osborne, Darrell Chainey, Paul Townsend and Ben Bloomfield holding firm, while goalkeeper Ten Oliver made some crucial saves as West Dorset tried to get the early breakthrough.
The centre midfielders Todd Oliver and George Mycock were also impressive in the opening stages, strong in the tackle and getting the ball forward to the attackers Ian Bloomfield, Luka Foley and Louis Osborne, who won several free hits early on as Dorset struggled to deal with his stick skills.
The wingbacks Ian Foley and Peter Baller also put an impressive shift in going forward and getting back to help their side as Shepton held the hosts at bay until the last second of the first half when they worked a short corner well, managing to find the goal and break the deadlock.
Shepton heads didn't drop though, and they continued to threaten the Dorset backline throughout the second half but they couldn't find that crucial bit of quality to get the equaliser, unfortunately losing the game by that single first half goal.
In the end, it was a hard-fought defeat for Shepton, who next Saturday will battle some familiar faces in their club's 2nd team, with pushback at 14:30.
