THE ONE WHERE IT WAS WET & WINDY

All ten Wisbech Town HC sides were in action on Saturday, despite the wet and windy conditions.

Wisbech Mens 1st XI travelled to Cambridge HC for a late afternoon pushback at St Mary's and Homerton Sports Ground, with both teams working hard to try and carve out an early advantage. The hosts capitalised on an early penalty corner opportunity to go 1-0 up, but Wisbech continued to seek opportunities of their own, with Jason Mallett denied by the Cambridge goalkeeper.

The city side extended their lead with a second goal from a penalty corner midway through the half, adding a third shortly before the break as Wisbech overstretched in search of a goal and were caught on the counter.

After regrouping at half time, Wisbech battled hard to try and find a way back into the game, creating several attacking opportunities but unable to find the decisive strike to cut into the Cambridge lead, with the hosts claiming a 3-0 win at the final whistle. The Men will now take a break over the festive period returning to action with a trip to UEA on January 11th.

Four-goals in the first half set 3rd placed Cambridge South on the path to victory against Wisbech Ladies 1st XI in their Division 1 North clash at Harecroft Road on Saturday. The visitors added two further goals in the second half, with Wisbech looking to bounce back against Loughborough Town in the England Hockey Tier 2 KO Championship Cup next weekend.

A brace from Kieran Hallatt helped the Mens 2nd XI earn a 4-3 win over Cambridge South 2nd XI. Hallatt scored twice from penalty corner opportunities, with Sam Markillie, and Dom Stannard also on the scoresheet for the home side, who moved level on points with the city side in the Division 2 North West table. The Fenland side will next play Ely City on January 11th.

KIERAN HALLATT SCORED TWICE FOR WTHC MENS 2ND XI.

The Mens 3rd team ground out a 1-0 win away at Newmarket 2nd XI. A disciplined defensive display helped Wisbech keep the hosts at bay through the first half, before starting to create more forward momentum following the restart.

Wisbech’s first penalty corner of the game proved decisive, with Mike Lawrence converting on the back hand after the original shot had been saved by the Newmarket goalkeeper. A scrappy final 15 minutes saw Wisbech having to repel multiple penalty corner opportunities for the host, as well as being controversially reduced to 10-men shortly before the end, with the Fenland side able to cling on to their slender lead to claim victory.

Two-goals in the first ten minutes put Cambridge South 4th XI in the driver's seat against Wisbech Town Ladies 2nd XI at Long Road. The Fenland side were able to regroup and sought a way back into the game, but the hosts held on to their lead until the half time break.

South added a third goal ten minutes into the second half, but Wisbech gained a glimmer of hope with ten minutes to go as they pulled one back from open play. Unfortunately the Ladies could not add to their tally, with the hosts adding a fourth goal 60 seconds from the end.

An early penalty corner strike was enough to see Cambridge South 5th XI edge past the Ladies 3rd team at Harecroft Road. Wisbech fought hard for an equaliser, with numerous opportunities coming their way in both the first and second half but the decisive touch could not be found.

LOUISE COOPER HELPED THE LADIES 4TH XI SECURE A 2-0 WIN.

Wisbech Ladies 4th and 5th teams faced each other in Division 5 North West. The 4th team took the lead after ten minutes through Louise Cooper, but strong work from the 5th team defence meant it remained 1-0 at the break, with Meredith Killick putting in another good performance at the back for the 5th XI.

Both teams had a chance to regroup at the break, and while penalty corner opportunities came at both ends, it was not until Steph Leeks added a second goal for the 4th team that the score changed. It remained 2-0 to the 4th XI at the final whistle, with the young players on both teams standing out for their respective sides.

The Mens 4th XI hosted Spalding 4th XI, with the visitors taking the lead after nine minutes but a penalty stroke in the 15th minute allowed Wisbech to get back on level terms, with Brandon Ruff hitting the back of the net. Spalding restored their lead shortly after, leaving the score at 2-1 in favour of the visitors at half time.

Wisbech looked to find an equaliser in the second half, but a combination of the awful weather, some good defensive play from either side, and a series of minor infractions meant the flow of the game was often disrupted, preventing either team from adding to the score.

A very young Mens 5th XI put in a hard working performance away at Spalding 5th XI, but ultimately fell to a 3-0 loss against their more experienced opponents.

CAPTAIN JASON MALLET WAS ON TARGET FOR THE MIXED B TEAM.

On Sunday the Mixed B team hosted a strong Dereham side in the second round of the England Hockey Mixed Tier 1 KO Championship Cup. The visitors took the lead after five minutes, but captain Jason Mallett got Wisbech back on level terms shortly after.

Dereham restored their lead shortly after with a deflected goal, before going 3-1 up after the initial shot ricocheted off a defender to wrong foot the goalkeeper. A fourth goal came late in the half, but Wisbech remained resolute and continued to seek out opportunities of their own.

Emma Webb and Brodie Ellis both had opportunities to add to Wisbech’s own tally during the second half, while Dereham were able to add to their own score via a penalty corner, before securing a sixth goal from open play. Wisbech will now move into the Tier 2 competition, while the Mixed A team are still to play their second round fixture after the weather caused their game at St Neots to be postponed.

Photo Credit: Tim Chapman