Sports Report 13 March 2019

This week, our Junior Bs had a good week against Lord Wandsworth College, while the 1st XI Football team came away with a stunning 7-1 win! 

Hockey

Shiplake Junior Bs Hockey v Lord Wandsworth College U14Cs

A few last-minute changes meant that this junior fixture ended up being a composite junior/senior team against some committed Year 9 boys from Lord Wandsworth. The senior boys in the Shiplake team took immediate control of the game up front scoring twice in quick succession. Some hasty positional rearrangements allowed Lord Wandsworth back into the game and thereafter, the match ebbed and flowed with both sides managing to get a few scoring opportunities. Right at the end of the game, one of Shiplake's senior players surged forward to make it 3-0 and was promptly sent off as the final whistle blew. Some fantastic hockey enjoyed by all!

1^st XI v Lord Wandsworth College

The 1^st XI welcomed Lord Wandsworth to Reading Hockey Club in a return fixture of the 2-1 victory earlier in the season. The game started as expected; both teams battled hard in midfield but neither were able to exert any sort of dominance over the game. Arthur worked hard to try to open the scoring, and Oliver supported him with some hard runs and decent passes. As the first half went on, Shiplake began to find some holes down the flanks to work through, and some good work from Callum, Harvey and Jack led to a couple of openings, despite the Wandsworth keeper only being tested once. With about 10 minutes to go in the first half, a bobbling ball in the D was fed through to Tomas, who managed to turn the goalkeeper and slot the ball home to give Shiplake a deserved 1-0 lead. Shortly after the restart, Lord Wandsworth went up a gear and started pressing the Shiplake D. Despite some good defence from Harry, Jack and Dom, a short corner broke to a Lord Wandsworth player who drilled a fantastic reverse stick shot past Max and into the top corner before he could even get sight of it. 1-1 at half time.

The second half became very frantic and physical, as both teams played right on the edge, and knew that the next goal would probably decide the result. Shiplake tried relentlessly to get the ball down the wings, and tried to expose the Lord Wandsworth halfbacks but only resulted in few half chances. In response, Lord Wandsworth pushed forward and won another short corner, which was dispatched into the bottom corner for a 2-1 lead. Shiplake tried to push for an equaliser while the defence was left open to attack and Lord Wandsworth managed to find another goal before the game was out. A 3-1 loss in a very tight and bruising encounter.

Football

Shiplake 1^st XI v St. Edward’s

Shiplake got off to a very fast start, winning the ball back quickly and spreading it wide. This was immediately rewarded, as a pass from wide was chipped over the keeper by Matty for the first of many to come in the game.

Shortly after, a quickly taken throw-in was worked into the box for Matty to finish, making the score 2-0. Shiplake had complete dominance of the game when half time came and the score was 2-0.

This dangerous score line was quickly added to by a wonderful goal again by Matty to achieve his hat trick. The game then became physical, as St Edward’s lost their heads. A slight shift in momentum was dealt with well, with Max leading the back line playing some nice football from the back. Chances began to appear as the game opened up and a quality ball from Luke was put in behind for Sean to lift over the keeper.

Matty then added to the list of goals after a tidy ball through by George. Not long after his fourth came his fifth. Matty thundered the ball past the stunned keeper from outside the box.

However, Shiplake were too comfortable and a sloppy piece of defending led to Teddy’s scoring a consolation goal, making the score 6-1. Shiplake responded with a good ball in behind which Joe poked tidily over the keeper ending the game 7-1. A good win, showing the attacking threat of Shiplake, was well deserved.

MOTM - Matty Fitzgerald

Netball

Shiplake Bs v Shiplake Cs

Last Wednesday, the Shiplake B team went head-to-head against the Shiplake C team in the local Super League. With some girls ill, and Jessie having her first game back from injury, the B team were determined to keep up their unbeaten season. With the first centre, the B’s passed the ball around well in the centre third, and with good shooting from Alina and Livie, they were ahead. The C team kept fighting, and kept the game evenly matched with good shooting from Grace and Sophie. All girls continued to play well throughout the second half, with great shooting from the B team, they managed to continue to pull the score away further from the C team. The final score was 34-16 to the B team! Well done to all the girls, especially Katie and Sophie for getting the player of the match.

Good luck for next week’s League matches and the Year 13 boys vs girls on Thursday