Knowle Hockey Club

Last Saturday feels a long time ago after the hockey-free Bank Hol weekend! The 2s finished their season with a bit of an anti-climax 5-0 walkover to keep them above the drop-zone after Hanham sadly couldn’t field a team. The action isn’t over though; between now and the end of season do there’ll be some arm-wrestling going on to claim the goals and decide the top scorer contest! 💪🏼

In the other scheduled home fixture of the day, the 3s lost 5-0 to South Gloucestershire 2s. The first round meeting was an 11-0 defeat though, so cutting the deficit shows the squad’s hard work this season is paying off. 👏🏼

Meanwhile the 1s wrapped up their season with a 6-0 win at Keynsham. With it all to play for in the top scorer contest, Emily put two well taken goals away to open the scoring. Meg added another, and they unselfishly shared the goal love round the rest of the forward line with Kira , Kelly and Soph H adding one each to the tally. The team finish the league at least 11pts clear with a GD of 75; top work.

Last Saturday was the season finale for the 1s, and they topped off a successful 2023/24 campaign with a 6-0 win. Fab to have so many of the squad there to play it - congrats to y’all and those who’ve contributed along the way (Michelle, Barnes, Blaa, Sophie, Fox, Hill, Jenni, Bolti, Thompson, Megs, Emily, Rachel, Kira, Macdougall, Vicks, KP Moore, Amber , Jordan and Melissa 😘) your league win!!

In the actual hockey, the 1s and Clobbies 5s got the day off to a good start down at MA Sport & Fitness. Emily put away a rebound from a PC early doors to open the scoring, Sophie added another, and in the second half Thompson converted a straight-off-the-training-ground slip PC 👌🏼 and a just-get-something-on-it second to make it 4. Clobbies were quick and dangerous on the break though and their persistence at the other end paid off as they pulled two back before the final whistle. Thanks for the game Clifton Robinsons L5s and congrats on a strong season!

Up at Gordano our 3s had a lunchtime pushback with North Somerset L3s. In a closely contested encounter, Gryphons broke the deadlock about 25mins in and while Knowle didn’t quite find an equaliser, they kept the deficit small with another determined defensive effort. Then treated themselves to a refreshing swim at Clevedon Lake… 🥶

It was a mid-afternoon start for the 2s as they headed out to Lockleaze to take on Redland 3s in another squeaky-end-of-the-season match-up. Recollections of post-game reports are hazy given the pub that followed, but the GMS timeline suggests a quick start with early goals from Bolti and Grace. Redland got one back, but Knowle did enough to keep it to one and bag 3pts to keep it all to play for going into next week. Nice work, peeps 👌🏼

Super Saturday 2024!

*3s get their third nearly-a-clean-sheet 1-0 of the season and go for a swim

*1s host Clifton Robinsons L5s and all send a hello to Amber in 🇳🇿

*Another excellent Guinness Six Nations day had after the hockey in the - thank you!! Fantasy Rugby honours for this year go to Laura 🏆 by a point , 🥄 to KP

The weather was more hockey-friendly than last week’s monsoon and all three teams got to play in the dry this Saturday!

Home at MA Sport & Fitness the 3s kicked off the action hosting Bristol Bluebirds for a 10am pushback. A well-drilled opposition started strong and by half-time were 4-0 up. They continued their form into the second half, adding to their tally to finish 11-0 up. Scoreline aside, there were some nice passages in Knowle’s play, with mentions in dispatches for Kimberley, and the whole team worked really hard for each other.

The 2s followed the 3s at home, with a visit from second-spot Wotton-under-Edge 2s. WUE opened the scoring early and were 2-0 up by the break. While they couldn’t quite find an attacking breakthrough, a big defensive effort from Knowle and a solid keeping shift from PoM Candice (particularly in the face of numerous short corners), prevented Wotton adding any more before the final whistle. That was no mean feat against a tough oppo and it’s still all to play for with 2 games to go…

Meanwhile up at Gordano, the 1s faced North Somerset 2s. A friendly encounter saw Knowle take the lead early-on with an opener from Thompson and Emily added a second before the break. Gryphs moved the ball round nicely creating some good chances of their own, and Knowle’s defence did well to keep their clean sheet while Kira popped in a third and Thompson and Em doubled their hauls before the end. Owl-based Gordano superstitions were quashed and the win leaves the team 11pts clear at the top of Brunel 1 with 2 games to go. Great work, gang! 🦉🥇

The 1s sealed their top-of-the-table Brunel 1 spot with a win at North Somerset 2s yesterday 🍾

Despite waking to find half of Bristol under a blanket of snow, happily it hadn’t reached MA Sport & Fitness and it was game on for the morning’s home fixtures.

The 1s opened the action hosting Bristol. A very enjoyable game played in great spirit followed, with some tidy hockey on display from both teams. Emily opened the scoring, followed by two more from Jenni to make it 3-0 going into the break. Michelle made it 4 just after half time, Megs added another couple and Em and Shell popped in another apiece before the final whistle. At the other end the defence also put in a strong shift to keep the eighth clean sheet of the season. Thanks for the game Bristol, and best of luck for your remaining fixtures!! 9pts clear with 3 games to go; it’s looking like the Brunel 1 trophy’s got Knowle’s name on it. 🏆

In the second game of the morning the 2s welcomed Yate 3s. As the heavens properly opened, Knowle got off to a flying start with an early goal from Grace which was quickly followed by a second touched in by Emily. Yate put the pressure on but Knowle dug in and worked together to prevent them getting back in the game. Josie added a third to seal the win and three valuable points.

A late pushback for the 3s gave the rain a chance to clear and the Stirratt pitch time to thaw before their game with Old Bristolians 5s. A core of 3s, with Bartlett, Jen & Zo and guest star debutant, Maddie (thanks lovely ladies) making up the numbers, parked a proverbial bus to keep it at 0-0 by half-time. OBs moved the ball around nicely, and while a storming effort from Candice (and everyone else to be fair) in defence kept the bus in place into the second half, they broke the deadlock. As the final whistle approached Knowle upped the attacking ante and their first shot almost-on-target came as the umpires signalled 1min to go. Sadly the last moments whizzed by before they could find an equaliser, but everyone came off smiling. Always a pleasure Louise Pretty et al!

Smiles all round on a surprisingly snowy, then soggy, then slightly sunny Saturday! ❄️💧☀️

A week off for the 1s and 2s saw the 3s head to South Gloucestershire where a good side put 11 past them. They went onward and upward this week though and kept a strong Stroud team to below double-figures with a 7-0 and an impressive set of eyebrow stitches for Grace Nothing like a war wound to take back to school on Monday!! 😉

The 2s hosted Dursley and impressed Coach Jezz with “triangles all over the field” which they converted into an early lead from Rhiannon . Dursley got two back to edge in front but Knowle kept their heads and Reido bagged an equaliser with 7mins to go. It was a tense finale, but they held on to bag a useful point! 🙌🏼

Down the A38 the 1s had round 2 with Winscombe 2s. The game got off to a quick start with attacking opportunities from both teams, but Lady Luck was on Knowle’s side and an unfortunate deflection off a Winscombe foot from a Meg touch saw the scoring open. Emily added a second and Michelle a third. Winscombe started a fight back though and got a quick 2 on the board to make it close at the break. Meg extended the lead again early in the second half, but Winscombe kept the pressure on and put in a third. A quick response from Em saw Knowle pull away again though and Meg sealed the win with a hat trick.

The 2s kicked off this weekend’s action in Hanham against Bristol & West 2s, looking to make life as tricky as possible for the league leaders with a park-the-bus plan hatched in the pub on Friday (where all the best strategising happens). It did the trick for 50-ish minutes until a couple of well executed shorts broke the deadlock. A third followed and a comedy slip and deflection resulted in a fortunate/unlucky fourth. It was a disciplined defensive team performance nonetheless, and an improvement on GA compared to the first round with a strong, well-organised BWJ side.

Meanwhile the 1s hosted Nailsea 1s at MA Sport & Fitness In the first meeting of the season Nailsea pressed set-plays quickly and moved the ball round well, and they started in a similar vein this time, putting the pressure on from the off. It was quite an end-to-end encounter and within the first 10mins both sides had had chances on goal. A break down the wing and cross from Shell was put away by Kira to open the scoring, and by half-time Knowle were 3-0 up courtesy of 2 from Em. She completed her hatrick after the break, and Bolti added a brace to make it 6-0 at the final whistle. Cheered on by a strong travelling fan base Nailsea made us work for it to the end though, and were unlucky not to convert any of the chances they created. Good luck for the rest of the season, guys!

Unfortunately the 3s game didn’t quite go to plan as some of the team got caught in the M4 closure. Our thoughts are with those involved, and thanks to the ladies of Lydney for delaying pushback as long as possible and getting in some friendly hockey with the Knowlies who did make it 😍

🗓️ Saturday 18th May | 7pm 🗓️

Put the date in your diaries for our End of Season Awards celebration. Pizza and party at - check your email for details of how to sign up and send your pennies.

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