Clean sweep for Horncastle Hockey Club

Horncastle Men’s 1sts 8

City of Peterborough 5ths 1

Horncastle Hockey Club’s Men’s Firsts stretched their unbeaten start to the season to 14 matches with win number 13.

This week they claimed an 8-1 success at Coronation Walk as City of Peterborough Fifths were the visitors, seeing the side move six points clear at the top of the table.

Horncastle started strongly and took control of the game, creating a few good chances within the opening exchanges.

Within 10 minutes Read buried a loose ball to get the home side off to the start they wanted.

Quick breaks forward then gave Horncastle two more goals, both scored within minutes of each other by Bennett.

Horncastle looked to ease off, which gave Peterborough the chance to sneak through the defence and, following a good initial first save by keeper Ashton, they were able to bundle a loose ball into an open goal.

Frustrated Horncastle went straight back on the attack, Harris scoring his first of the game as the hosts finished the first half 4-1 up.

The second half ran smoothly for Horncastle as they started strongly from the off, captain Scott, the man of the match, taking on several players before hitting a clean strike into the bottom corner.

Almost immediately after, a through ball found Bennett, who rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the bottom corner to compete his hattrick.

Horncastle were then kept at bay until 10 minutes later when quick reactions from Harris saw him turn in a lifted strike from Bennett into the roof of the net.

Two minutes from the final whistle there was time for one more goal when Garcia took down a lifted ball into the D and scored a reverse strike in off the post.

On Saturday Horncastle travel to second-placed March Town Firsts.

East League - EWL Division 3NW

Horncastle Ladies’s 1sts 2

City of Peterborough 3rds 1

Horncastle Ladies’s Firsts beat City of Peterborough Thirds 2-1 at home on Saturday morning,

Peterborough began on the front foot and Horncastle battled to gain possession of the ball.

The hosts opened the scoring when Williams picked up the ball and sent a strong pass to the penalty spot.

Wood collected the ball and, with a strong push, planted it in the bottom left-hand corner.

With renewed energy, Horncastle reset but Peterborough had also done the same.

Not long after Horncastle’s first goal, Peterborough attacked and, with quick, fluent passes, they broke through Horncastle’s defence and equalised.

The second half began in similar style to the first, with both teams battling for possession.

It was Horncastle that made the breakthrough as Esterhuizen received the ball and dribbled past Peterborough defenders before finishing well.

The rest of the second half saw Peterborough and Horncastle taking it in turns to attack.

But there were no more goals and the hosts claimed victory.

Laura Neame was the player of the match.

On Saturday the team travel to March Town Firsts.

East League - EML Division 5NW

St Neots 3rds 1

Horncastle Men’s 2nds 3

Horncastle Men’s Seconds left St Neots Thirds with a 3-1 victory.

The away side started brightly with Dave Seymour and Sam Edwards tearing through the middle of the opposition and Zak Legate and Rob Evershed running down the sides.

The pressure finally paid off as Rob Evershed deflected a Seymour pass into the back of the net.

Neots levelled as Horncastle took their foot off he gas, but the away side soon got back in their stride.

Andrew Lammiman skillfully scored Horncastle’s second, a lead which they took into the half-time break.

Horncastle continued to push forward in the second half but with little in the way of results.

Lammiman saw an effort ruled out for offside while a green card for Lewis Howden disturbed the flow of the match.

At the death Lammiman had the final say, scoring Horncastle’s third.

The Seconds host St Neots Seconds on Saturday (1.30pm).

East League - EWL Division 4NW(N)

City of Peterborough 4ths 2

Horncastle Ladies’s Seconds 3

Horncastle Ladies’s Seconds claimed a 3-2 success at City of Peterborough Fourths.

The two sides had played out a goalless draw the last time they met, but on this occasion they netted five times between them.

Jess Wood put Horncastle in front after the team were awarded a short corner from an oppositions foot in the D.

Peterborough fought back and levelled before the break.

However, in the second half the away side came back strongly with the midfield of Wood, Cat Cory and Melissa Sharpe working exceptionally hard to bring the ball up as Horncastle scored twice more.

Harriet Wilkinson and Wood were the players who applied the finishing touches.

The hosts were awarded a number of short corners throughout the game but captain and goalkeeper Annabel Rinfret and defender Jenna Dean ensured many of these were saved and cleared away.

Peterborough finally made a short corner count in the final five minutes, but Horncastle held on in what was a very impressive team effort.

Dean was named player of the match for Horncastle, who sit second in their division.

The Seconds are without a fixture this week.