Match Reports

Barnsley Hockey Club

Promoting Hockey in Barnsley

Reports from matches played throughout the season.

Don Valley vs. Barnsley

Match Reports

Sheffield & District Womens Hockey League

6 : 2

13th Sept 2008

On Saturday, Barnsley Ladies started off this year’s campaign in the Sheffield & District Hockey League with a tough away fixture against Don Valley Ladies in Rotherham. Not a good fixture to start the season with as Don Valley have just come back into the league after a number of seasons playing in a higher league.
Barnsley got off to a flyer, shocking the home team when they went ahead with J.Oliver netting from a penalty corner strike after just 2 minutes.
Don Valley attacked from the start, but luckily for Barnsley, failed to score past some good defending and outstanding saves from stand in keeper L. Butcher. Eventually their pressure paid off as they found the net and the score line changed quickly to 2:1.
Both teams continued to play well, producing some good chances, with Don Valley again failing to net the ball after numerous chances. Barnsley finally managed to equalize before half time when pressure on the keeper by A.M.Watkinson produced a penalty stroke, which was confidently put away by J.Oliver scoring her 2nd.
In the second half, Don Valley came out determined to play better, passing the ball around a tiring Barnsley side, whose lack of match practice and fitness was beginning to show. Good passing produced a number of scoring chances, both from open play and penalty corner set plays, with only fine saves from L.Butcher in goal preventing the final score of 6: 2 to Don Valley being much worse.
Barnsley, although beaten, came away happy in the knowledge that match fitness played a big part in the game, and that later in the season their game play will again, easily match up to that of the other top teams. Player Of The Match was easily awarded to keeper Lou. Butcher.

Saturday saw Barnsley Men’s team first match in the Yorkshire League Division 10, a hard fought game against Halifax 5. Barnsley attacked from the start. The early pressure on the Halifax defence took its toll, Dave Maine weaving through to shoot past the keeper. Though disappointed to concede a goal so early in the game, Halifax fought back but could not capitalize on any defensive errors Barnsley made. Chris Shaw increased the lead, 2-0 at half time.

Halifax were caught cold in the second half with a route one aerial ball, Dave Maine receiving and flat footing the Halifax defence for his second and Barnsley’s third. On the few occasions Halifax did manage to shoot they found the Barnsley keeper Pete Jepson in commanding form. Halifax did pull a goal back from a goal line scramble but the three goal margin was restored by Tom Lodge.

4 : 1

27th Sept 2008

Barnsley vs. Halifax 5

Yorkshire League Division 10

Leeds Adel Carnegie8 vs. Barnsley

2 : 2

4th Oct 2008

Barnsley travelled to Leeds with just nine players. Ten of the squad were unavailable and two more succumbed to injuries the day before the game. Knowing the task that lay ahead Barnsley opted for a 3-4-1 formation, David Maine being the solitary striker.

The first half was hard work for the Barnsley team, but their efforts brought dividends. Leeds were restricted to just one clear cut chance to put the ball into an empty net and to the relief of the Barnsley defence manage to pull the shot wide.

Barnsley had not come looking for a goalless draw however. Time and time again they swept forward creating all sorts of problems. Leeds defended resolutely. Too resolutely sometimes, yet went unpunished. That is until a short corner right at the end of the first half saw Captain James Shaw open his goal scoring account for this season with a thunderous low drive. Half-time, 0 – 1.

The second half saw a change in tactics from Leeds. Having identified the major threat from Barnsley was their lone striker and his crafty dribbling skills, they decided to mark him at times with three men. At first it seemed to work, forcing Barnsley’s mid-field to work even harder to find an outlet. Then suddenly it backfired on them. Dave Maine burst through the three of them to score. Each had blocked each other and the view of both umpires. 0 – 2 to Barnsley.

Leeds pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes remaining. Barnsley won a series of short and long corners but the ball just wouldn’t go in the net.

There had been some interesting umpiring decisions, so it will come as no surprise to hear that Leeds equalised from a penalty flick awarded against Barnsley keeper Pete Jepson for “laying on the ball”. Not something the experienced keeper is ever prone to do.

After the match it’s customary for the team to cast lots for “Man of the Match”. I can reveal each player received one vote. Says it all really!

The roll of honour: Jepson, Silcock, Kelly, Shaw J., Kitchen, Smith, Raine, Shaw C., Maine.

This week Barnsley managed to put eleven men on the field, though two of those were carrying injuries. Having no bench to call on meant Barnsley played conservatively, at least to begin with.

Chapeltown had much of the early possession, the first ten minutes of the match being played almost exclusively in the Barnsley half, yet, though the approach play looked promising from Chapeltown, the experienced Barnsley defence limited open play in the circle to just three scrambles and five short corners, tidied up by the feet, hands and stick of Barnsley keeper Pete Jepson.

Twelve minutes into the game Barnsley scored. Chris Shaw, taking advantage of a defensive miss-hit in the circle, put away the aerial ball with some skill. Not to be outdone, older brother James Shaw added Barnsley’s second goal. Driving into the circle from the left wing the Chapeltown defence stood off. The invitation to crack the ball into the top corner, even from that angle, proved irresistible.

End to end stuff in the second half. Two half chances to Barnsley were missed, Chapeltown couldn’t get into the Barnsley circle to have even a half chance.

Man of the Match to Louis Raine, tremendous mid-field tackling dynamo.

Barnsley vs. Chapeltown 4

Yorkshire League Division 10

11th Oct 2008

2 : 0

Barnsley met their neighbours Wakefield in this 1^st Round Cup tie and the visitors certainly had the upper hand at the start scoring after just 5 minutes. Barnsley seemed to be a little in awe of the individual skills of their opponents and it took some motivation by the seniors in the squad to rally the team’s performance. But rally they did in typical Barnsley style, rolling up the sleeves and getting stuck in. Barnsley equalised.

As half time loomed Barnsley lost concentration defensively allowing a soft shot into the bottom left corner, which gave the half time huddle even more importance. What was said may not rank with the likes of Winston Churchill but the effect was noticeable. Barnsley came out in the second half full of running. Surprising as this was their second match this week end and only one on the subs bench. Gradually, Barnsley’s pressure and the warm October afternoon took its toll. The ebb and flow of the first half had turned to all hands to the pumps as far as Wakefield were concerned as Barnsley lay siege to the Wakefield Goal. They hit the post and rightfully had a goal disallowed but, in between, manage to score three times.

Scorers for Barnsley: Dave Maine, hampered by a hamstring injury, stayed close to the Wakefield goal but picked up a well deserved hat-trick and skipper James Shaw.

Man of the match: Phil Kitchen, ran himself into the ground for the cause.

Barnsley vs. Wakefield7

Yorkshire League Cup D

4 : 2

12th Oct 2008

Barnsley were not on form for most of this match. Defensively, quite naïve at times, gifting the three goals to Airedale. The mid-field ball carriers found the sandy pitch slow and sticky in the drizzle and the whole team were guilty at some point of being either clumsy or careless. There were however spasmodic periods, the second half in particular, when Barnsley gave glimpses of how they can play. Two nil down at half time, the traditional Barnsley revival spluttered and coughed but only on two occasions burst into life. Dave Maine and Chris Shaw putting their names on the score sheet. Yet these heroes were also villains. Both missed opportunities to put the ball into open goals when all the hard work had been done. It was that sort of afternoon for everyone on the pitch. You can’t fault the team for effort but perhaps a little more application wouldn’t go amiss.

Yorkshire League Division 10

Airedale2 vs. Barnsley

3 : 2

18th Oct 2008

Sheffield & District Womens Hockey League

18th Oct 2008

Leopold vs. Barnsley

5 : 6

After a 2 week break, Barnsley Ladies started well and after a good attacking move, A.M.Watkinson pushed the ball into the net after 8 minutes. Barnsley settled, assuming that the match would result in the usual easy win against Leopold, but with a much improved side, Leo's had other ideas. They equalised straight away, followed by a 2nd after a quick break down the right put Barnsley's defence on the back foot and left stand in keeper, captain Jo Hughes with no chance. Leopold looked a different side from previous encounters with good movement around the pitch and fast breaks down the right, Barnsley were relieved and lucky to reach half time only 2 : 1 down.
J.Hughes came out of goal for the 2nd half to change play in the midfield and try and regroup, with new player Kelly padding up in the nets. Barnsley played much better in the 2nd half, the forwards starting deeper and wider to pick the ball up and man to man marking in defence. A.Wilkinson scoring soon after the start, followed by a good strike from a penalty corner
by S.Smith to put them 3 : 2 a head of a shocked Leo's side, who up till then had had complete control of the game.
The match then settled down for 10 minutes, both sides playing well and producing some good attacking moves. Barnsley, playing a lot tighter and with good marking and back tackling, looked a lot better than in the 1st half.
Leopold's right winger had an outstanding match, running around the defence and providing some excellent crosses from which they scored 2 quick goals to take back the lead at 4 : 3, but Barnsley soon equalised from another penalty corner strike from J.Oliver, who's persistent attacking play resulted in the set piece.
Play was end to end and was an excellent match to watch from the side lines. Leopold re-took the lead from yet another quick break down the right and thought they had the match won with only 6 minutes to go. But Barnsley were not finished and equalised after K.Whitehouse netted the ball from another penalty corner strike, quickly followed by her second to win the match for Barnsley 6 : 5 with only 1 minute left.
Barnsley were well pleased to come away with the win, clearly out played by the home side especially in the 1st half

Harrogate5 vs. Barnsley

Yorkshire League Division 10