Penarth Hockey Club moved a step closer to readiness for the impending Verde Recreo league campaign, with three teams in action last weekend.
1st XI @ Wotton-under-Edge tournament
A busy weekend for Penarth’s senior team culminated in a maiden appearance at Wotton-under-Edge’s four-team pre-season tournament on Sunday. Having already faced off against Cardiff University on Saturday afternoon, the Bears had to cram three games into an away day in the Cotswolds, but knew that the standard of the opposition would again be good preparation for their first season in the Premiership.
Penarth’s day opened against fellow Premiership side Oxford Hawks, who currently play in the division’s East Conference, and it was the Welsh side who capitalised on being quickest out of the blocks, as Ollie Burland produced a delightful mid-air lob to bypass the hapless Hawks ‘keeper, stranded in no mans land thank to the forward’s quick thinking.
Oxford responded with a well-worked goal to bring the sides level again, but Penarth weren’t finished and won a penalty corner with seconds left in the half, setting up Chris Hardy to return them to the lead going into the break. Determined not allow their opponents back into the game after the interval, Penarth again came out strongly, and eventually made the game safe with two quick-fire goals from Jasminder Singh. The Bears continued to pass the ball well to the final whistle, preventing Oxford from getting any further chances on goal to run out convincing 4-1 winners.
It was a similar story as Penarth faced hosts Wotton-under-Edge in the second game of the afternoon. The home side will be in the same division as the Bears this season, and got a taste of what they might expect as Penarth started the game well, controlling the majority of possession for the first 15 minutes. However, although a few half-chances were created, none were converted, extending the deadlock and leaving the visitors open to attack as the half progressed.
As the game intensified, over-exuberance from the Penarth players led to a series of penalty corners for Wotton, but the Bears’ defence remained resolute, with goalkeeper Scott Fulton-Brown making several athletic saves to keep the scores even. It was somewhat ironic, therefore, that the home side should take a slightly fortuitous lead right at the end of the half, as a diagonal pass unlocked the Penarth defence to find a lone striker unmarked at the top of the D. However, as he received the ball, it looped up and over the rapidly-advancing ‘keeper and into the path of his strike partner, waiting at the back post to tap into an open goal.
Determined to redress the balance, Penarth pushed forward from the start of the second half, only to be frustrated by a series of fine saves from the Wotton goalkeeper. Even Hardy, usually rewarded from penalty corners, found himself thwarted, with defenders on the line mopping up behind the ‘keeper, and, as Penarth’s push for an equaliser became al-consuming, they left themselves outnumbered at the back, paying the price as two goals on the counter left the final result as an unrepresentative 3-0 to Wotton.
By the start of their final fixture, against Worcester, the Penarth squad had been depleted by injuries and the remaining players faced a tough game without any hope of substitution. Despite that, the game proved very similar to that against Wotton, with the Bears dominating the vast majority of play, but unable to capitalise on the chances that were created. David Joyce came closest to breaking the impasse when he rounded his defender at the top of the D, only to see his crisp strike come back off the base of the post.
Typically, Worcester then opened the scoring, converting a fortunate – and strongly-contested – penalty corner at the second attempt following a good save by Fulton-Brown. Again, the Bears pressed forward in search of an equaliser but, as they began to tire, the opposition often enjoyed the numerical advantage, resulting in two further goals and a flattering result.
On reflection, had the Bears travelled with a full Premiership squad, the outcomes may have been very different, as the ability to call on fresh legs repeatedly proved the only difference between teams.
Cardiff University 1 – 2 PENARTH
The senior side warmed up for the Wotton tournament with an outing against Cardiff University that proved evenly-matched in the first half. Both sides created chances without being able to convert them into goals but, just as the game threatened to turn around still scoreless, Hardy struck from a penalty corner to give Penarth the lead. Like buses, a second goal appeared almost instantly, as the students pulled level again from a set-piece of their own to leave the game in the balance going into the break, but the second period belonged heavily to Penarth, who dominated possession and were ultimately rewarded with the winning goal from another well-dispatched penalty corner, with the definitive strike this time coming from Chris Baker.
Cardiff University ‘A’ 4 – 3 Penarth ‘A’
Penarth A completed their pre-season friendly programme against a strong Cardiff University side but, instead of the game taking place on home soil, maintenance of the Stanwell pitch meant that there was a late switch of venue with the Bears having to travel to Tal-y-Bont.
Despite the loss of any home advantage, Penarth started the game well but, with several new players slotting into the and regulars starting in unfavoured positions, struggled to find fluency in possession and turned the ball over too quickly, inviting pressure from the students.
The Penarth back line showed commendable resolve, but the resistance was eventually broken by a well-worked penalty corner routine to give the students the lead. Penarth hit back almost immediately, however, as debutant Jasminder Singh beat his man in midfield before firing a pin-point pass cross field to Sam Chick, who found James Kidby unmarked at the back post, the ever-reliant striker applying a neat finish to the move.
The goal lifted Penarth and they started to dominate the game. Their just rewards came on the half-hour as Richard Baker found space in the 25 before firing a pass to Chick, who was able to slip the ball past the Cardiff goalkeeper to give the Bears the lead. Unfortunately for the visitors, though, Cardiff hit back with two late goals just before half-time to head into the break 3-2 ahead.
Able to regroup at the break, Penarth again came out strong, and were able to find an equaliser mid-way through the half. This time, a well-worked exit from the defence surpassed the high Cardiff press and found Chris McCarthy in midfield. Beating his man and driving into the 25, McCarthy played a neat 2-1 with Chick to eliminate both the last defender and ‘keeper, before diving in to add the finishing touch to an excellent team goal.
The drama wasn’t over, however, and the Bears were reduced to ten men shortly after the goal, Aaron Fulton-Brown yellow-carded for appealing too strongly against the award of a penalty corner and finding himself in the sin bin. Penarth weathered the storm and then found themselves a man up when one of the student players was shown a green card for persistent fouling on Singh, who had teased the Cardiff defence all game with his skilful dribbling.
It was ironic then that Penarth conceded when they were a man to the good, a real sucker punch for the Bears who had played so well all game. Although they pushed for a fourth goal – and came close through both a Kidby effort and a drag flick from Singh – they weren’t able to muster an equaliser. The final minutes then saw the Vale side playing with a kicking back after goalkeeper Scott Fulton-Brown was injured in the process of making an excellent save to deny the University a fifth goal.
Despite the loss, Penarth will take many positives from the game as they head into the Welsh Trophy qualifiers in Swansea next weekend.
3rd XI @ Welsh Challenge Qualifiers
The 3rd XI, with a couple of friendlies behind them, kick-started the club’s competitive season with a rare appearance in the qualifying competition for the Welsh Challenge.
Missing a few key members of the squad and with an extremely youthful midfield sandwiched between more senior front and back lines, the Bears were always going to be up against it in a group that included both Cardiff & Met and Whitchurch. However, when fourth group member Abergavenny pulled out on the eve of the tournament, Penarth knew that they would have to ramp up their performance in search of even a moral victory.
Getting the competition underway at 10am, the Bears offered brief resistance to a strong Cardiff side before finding themselves three goals down at the interval. The deficit all but doubled after the break, despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Calum Grant, as mistakes proved costly for the Vale side. The eventual 5-0 result still flattered Cardiff, who only created one goal of their own making from open play, but the Bears knew that they would have step things up in all departments as they turned around and went straight into their second – and potentially final – game.
On paper, Whitchurch appeared to pose less of a threat than Cardiff, and Penarth did well not just to contain their opponents through the opening phases of play, but also the create openings of their own. Unable to turn chances into goals, however, the Bears again paid for mistakes, allowing Whitchurch to score two quick goals before the break. Already on the back foot and needing to press forward in number in order to get anything out of a game in which victory could still yield a semi-final spot, Penarth soon conceded a third before gaining a stronger hold on proceedings that switched play to the opposite end. Veteran striker Dave Watkins finally grabbed a goal for the Bears, mopping up after a penalty corner broke down, but it proved to be little more than a consolation as Whitchurch ran out 4-1 winners.
Penarth’s pre-season build-up culminates this weekend with the 1st XI again taking on Cardiff & Met at Sophia Gardens on Saturday (1:30pm start) in their final game before the Premiership programme starts with a trip to Plymouth Marjon. Having already seen the 3rd XI play their cup qualifying tournament, the 2nd XI will mount a challenge for the semi-finals of the Welsh Trophy in Swansea, while the Thirds travel to Cwmbran for a late-afternoon game with Gwent (4.30pm start)
Penarth Hockey Club always welcomes new, old and returning players, umpires, supporters, friends and helpers regardless of age and ability. Training will resume once maintenance to the pitch at Stanwell completes in late September and will take place on Wednesdays, with the juniors on the pitch between 6.15pm and 7.15pm and the seniors between 7.00pm and 8.15pm.
Anyone interested in joining the club at senior or youth level can contact club secretary Dave Stevens (d_stevens81@hotmail.co.uk) for further information.