BICESTER HOCKEY CLUB

Bicester M3  1- 1  Oxford Hawks  M6

 

Bicester started strongly against their local rivals, dominating possession, and forcing a number of scoring chances which they were unable to convert. Midway through the first half the visitors were reduced to 10 men after their centre back disagreed too strongly with an umpiring decision, and was forced to spend the remainder of the game on the sidelines.

Spurred on by their sense of injustice, Hawks then played with renewed resolve, and were rewarded for their efforts with a neatly taken goal to lead one nil at half time.
Bicester's extra man began to tell as they pressurised the visitors and 10 minutes into the second half, Nick Styles intercepted a clearance, strode into the D and smashed home low into the corner of the net. They created several more goal scoring opportunities, but a combination of poor finishing and some inspired goalkeeping kept the home side at bay, and ensured that the points were shared.

Bicester entertain promotion-chasing Oxford next week, knowing that improvements must be made in front of goal or they will get sucked into a relegation battle.

 

Eastcote M5's  3-1 Bicester M3's

 

Bicester travelled to West London missing 5 of their regular starting team, and struggled to cope against an experienced Eastcote side. The home team created most of the goal scoring opportunities in the first half, and scored twice in quick succession playing some slick attacking hockey.

Bicester came into the game in the second half, their young attackers using their pace to get in behind the home defence. After spurning several good chances, they finally pulled a goal back when Steve Birtles powered a short corner into the roof of the net helped by a deflection from a defender's stick. This was as close as they got though, as the home side finished strongly, and only some heroic defending from Martyn Southam and goalkeeper Darren Moore kept the score down to 3 - 1. Bicester hope to return to winning ways on Saturday as they host Oxford Hawks, where a win would take them above their local rivals in MBBO division 6.

 

BICESTER M3's 4 -1 BOURTON & SHERBORNE M2's

Bicester returned to winning ways with a comfortable win against lowly Bourton. The home side were always in control and created a series of early chances, one of which saw Mitch Dales open the scoring with a first time shot from CJ Birtles through ball. Ollie Hartley then doubled the lead with a powerful strike from the top of the D.
Dave Marsden-Jones then got in on the act, firstly diving to finish from another Birtles pass, and then smartly finishing after the visiting keeper could only parry another goal-bound effort.
The second half was much more even, Bicester making a raft of substitutions that limited their attacking threat, and the visitors were rewarded for their efforts with a late consolation goal scored from close range.

 

Milton Keynes M4's 4-0 Bicester M3's

Bicester's winning run came to an abrupt end against a strong Milton Keynes side. The first half was evenly contested, with both sides playing attractive hockey, and creating goal scoring opportunities. It was the home side who took the the lead however, when Bicester defender Paul Thompson stopped a goal-bound shot with his foot, and the resultant penalty was duly converted. Milton Keynes then doubled their lead from a penalty corner, dragged powerfully into the roof of the net.
Bicester started the second half strongly, with David Marsden-Jones particularly impressive on debut, but the home side then took control, and only a series of fine saves from goalkeeper Darren Moore kept the score down. Bicester will hope to return to winning ways against bottom side Bourton next Saturday.

 

Bicester M3's 3 -0 Wycombe M4's 

Bicester Men's 3rd team completed back to back wins for the first time this season with a fine performance against a team containing several County Juniors. The visitors started strongly and dominated the early exchanges, playing some neat passing hockey.
Bicester's defensive unit coped well with the early onslaught, denying outright chances, and the home side gradually worked their way into the game, and looked increasingly dangerous on the break. Late in the first half Bicester won what was to be their only penalty corner of the game, and Nick Styles scored from a rebound after the Wycombe keeper had saved his first effort. On the stroke of half time Bicester nearly doubled their lead, but Chris Tarratt's firm strike rebounded of the post to safety.
The second half was again evenly matched, but the home team were now testing the visiting defence on a more regular basis, and scored a second goal following a slick passing move with Mitch Dales playing in Will Hartley, who coolly rounded the keeper to score. Bicester completed a fine win in the dying minutes when Luke Smith tapped home from close range, with Dales again the provider.

 

BICESTER M3's 4-1 OMT

 

Bicester Men's 3s hosted OMT Men's 4s at home. Bicester took the lead when Nick Styles scored from a short corner. Bicester's second goal was scored by Styles after a pass from Simon Ellison. Styles made it a hat-trick from another short corner and Chris Bloxham made it 4 nil to Bicester at half time. 

 

OMT started the second half with an intensity that was lacking from them in the first half. The opposition managed to claw one back when a shot from the top of the area deflected off captain Ryan Scott's knee catching goalkeeper Gary Brock off guard. Final score 4-1 to Bicester Men's 3s.

 

Bicester 3s 4 vs 0 Wokingham 3s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 28 March 2015

 

Bicester rounded off their league season with a comfortable win over relegation threatened Wokingham. The first five minutes saw Bicester take the game to Wokingham wining a string of penalty corners but failed to convert any of them. Third team debutante Nick Bell finally opened the scoring for Bicester capitalising on a miscleared shot to rifle home. Pressing for a second goal Bicester was caught on the break and the Bicester defence largely being spectators up to this point struggled to contain the visitor forwards who failed to capitalise on a 1:1 with keeper Nathan Penalty corner pressure then finally began to tell with Jack Boyden flicking in the ball across the keeper to double the lead. Minutes later the home side were three up Chris Birch with a text book far post finish latching onto Bell’s cross. Wokingham’s 11th man then arrived and Wokingham found better shape but were clearly beginning to tire having to chase the ball as Bicester constantly switched the play between flanks. In the second half Bicester struggled to find the target despite getting opportunities and Wokingham became a threat forcing the defence to earn it’s match fee. Paul Breese added a fourth from another penalty corner spotting the far post player had left his position and flicked the ball into the unprotected net. Captain Ryan Scott was then given the chance for his first Bicester goal converting a penalty stroke after the Wokingham defender stopped the ball on the line but unfortunately his low push shot went wide of the left hand post. A good season for the Mens’s 3s earning another promotion and will start next season in MBBO Division 6.

 

Wallingford M4's 2-1  Bicester M3's (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 21 March 2015

 

Bicester M3's clinched their third successive promotion with a game to spare, despite going down by 2 goals to 1 away at Wallingford on saturday.

Bicester started the the game sluggishly and were pegged back from the start by a Wallingford side who passed the ball well, creating a number of early chances. The home side's dominance eventually led to two well constructed goals, with the Bicester defence all at sea and leaving too many gaps at the back.

Skipper Ryan Scott's words at half time seemed to galvanise the visitors, however, and they started the second half much more brightly. Wallingford's defenders were forced into a series of aggressive and illegal tackles, most of which went unpunished by the home umpires, and despite having midfielder Steve Birtles sin-binned for remonstrating with the officials, it was Bicester who deservedly pulled a goal back when Paul Brees lifted a flick calmly over the goalkeeper.

The game then opened up with chances being created at both ends. Nick Styles reverse stick strike was disallowed for Bicester and Scott swept a goal-bound strike off the line at the other end, but despite the brave efforts of Will Hartley up front for the visitors, the equaliser would not come.

Bicester therefore finish in second place in MBBO division 7 with a final game to next week at home to relegation threatened Wokingham.

 

Bicester M3s 4-3 Abingdon M2s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 28 February 2015

 

Bicester Mens 3rd team moved a step closer to promotion to division 6 of the MBBO with a hard-fought and slightly fortuitous win by four goals to three against a strong Abingdon side. Bicester started strongly and took an early lead when Jimmy Howson was first to react to a loose ball in the D and fired home over the keeper. The home side then doubled their lead when Nick Styles goal bound shot was touched in by Alan Edwards.

 

Abingdon came back strongly, however and reduced the deficit just before half-time to 2 - 1. The visitors continued to press early in the second half, and with errors creeping in to the home side's defence, Abingon scored twice in quick succession to lead 3 - 2 with 10 minutes remaining.

 

Bicester rallied as the visitors were reduced to 10 men late in the game and Steve Birtles set up Howson for the equalising goal. With time running out Howson completed his hat-trick when his fiercely struck shot deflected in off a defender, leaving the home side to reflect on a victory that the performance barely merited.

 

Eastcote M6's 0-5 Bicester M3's  (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 14 February 2015

 

Bicester Men's 3s travelled away to Eascote still fired up from their victory over the (until last Saturday) unbeaten West Hampstead 7s. Things got off to a promising start when Bicester were awarded a penalty flick when the ball struck an Eascote foot on the line. Unfortunately the Eascote keeper made short work of saving Nick Styles flick.Jordan Chester was first to find the back of the goal with a reverse stick shot off Styles' pass. Bicester scored their second when Ben Hughes positioned himself near the far post and put put the ball home after the Eascote keeper deflected Styles' shot. Chris Page proved too fast, on a number of occasions, for the Eascote short corner routine and confidently chased down and defended their attempts on goal. Half time arrived having seen Bicester looking quite comfortably in control and Bicester keeper Nathan Elliott seeing his one and only save of the entire game. The second half saw Bicester's 3rd goal when Eascote gifted Styles the ball from a fumbled 16 yard hit out. Umpiring was firm but fair throughout and when Chester committed the same offence that saw Eascote get a yellow card earlier he was given the same treatment. Styles scored his second from a short corner when his shot slipped through underneath the keepers pads. Will Hartley made it 5 nil to Bicester thanks to a pass from Styles.

 

West Hampstead M8s 0-1 Bicester M3s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 31 January, 2015

 

Bicester mens 3rd travelled to London on saturday to take on West Hampstead in th MBBO division 7. On a bitterly cold afternoon Bicester suffered an early scare when captain Ryan Scott headed a goal-bound shot off the line, only for the offence to go unpunished. Bicester gradually began to exert some control over the game, however a combination of some rugged defence by the home side and poor finishing by the visitors kept the score level.

Just before half time though, Bicester managed to break the deadlock from a penalty corner. Nick Styles and Steve Birtles combined well with Styles bringing an excellent save from the home goalkeeper, but Jordan Chester was on hand to bundle the ball home from close range.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Bicester controlling most of the possession, but despite creating several good chances from the strong running of Trevor Joseph, the scoreline finished 1 - 0 to the visitors, leaving them four points clear in second place.

 

Biceter M3s 1 - 5 Tring 2s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 24 January, 2015

 

Bicester men's 3rd's lost their unbeaten home record in emphatic fashion to a strong Tring 2nd team in the MBBO Div 7 on Saturday.

 

Tring started the game much the better and two defensive errors at the back by the home team were punished as the visitors took a goal lead after only 5 minutes. Bicester however gradually worked their way into the game and started to create some goal chances themselves, largely through the tireless running of Trevor Joseph. Just before half time though, another defensive lapse led to a third goal for Tring, leaving the home side 3 nil down as the first half ended.

 

Bicester started the second half strongly, but spurned a couple of decent chances, and were caught on the counter attack by a well-worked 4th goal. The home side finally converted a penalty corner with the ever reliable Nick Styles firing in from close range, but despite some heroic defending from Chris Page, Tring scored again to make the final tally five one to the visitors. Despite this setback, however, Bicester retain a four point cushion in the race for promotion to division 6 next season.

 

Maidenhead Magicians 2-4 Biceter M3s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 17 January, 2015

 

Bicester mens 3rd team travelled to Maidenhead in a battle between two teams vying for promotion to division 6 of the MBBO. The visitors started strongly and took a deserved early lead when Chris Coleman struck a reverse stick shot through the legs of the Maidenhead keeper. Bicester continued to press, and were rewarded with a second goal after a clever finish from Jordi Chester.

 

This seemed to galvanise the home side, who went on the attack and were awarded a series of penalty corners, two of which they managed to convert to level the scores at two all. Just before half time however, Bicester re-took the lead when Will Hartley fired a shot into the corner of the net from the top of the D.

 

The second half started evenly, both sides knowing that the next goal would be crucial to the outcome of the game. It was Bicester who scored it when a cross to the far post was bundled over the line by Birtles to restore the visitors' two goal advantage. 

 

Maidenhead then launched a series of attacks on the Bicester goal, striking the post, and causing Ian Quinton in goal to make some fine saves. The scoreline ended 4 - 2 to the visitors giving them a sixth successive win, and securing 2nd place in the table.

 

Bicester M3s 4-1 Wallingford M4s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 10 January, 2015

 

Bicester finally completed their first half of the season with the rearranged game against fellow Oxfordshire side Wallingford.

Bicester dominated the first 10 minutes of the game taking full advantage of some slack marking at the back to provide a number of scoring opportunities but a combination of on form goalkeeping and poor finishing resulted to no opens to the scoring. A well organised penalty corner defence also meant that Bicester gained no joy from what is usually a very lucrative part of the game for this side. Finally the deadlock was broken when young forwards Jordan Chester and Will Hartley combined the former providing the cross for the latter to slot home with the goalkeeper stranded.

 

Bicester maintained the pressure but were pulled back, with Wallingford converting their second penalty corner. Keeper Gary Brock logged to block the first shot but the defence failed to clear his pads before Wallingford pounced to slot the ball under Brock as he lifted his body trying to maneuverer to clear the ball.

 

Bicester continued to look the most threatening but failed to make the most of a number of clear cut chances.

 

In the second half the game changed and Bicester began to dominate. Restructure in the Wallingford defence meant a loss of cohesion and discipline when defending penalty corners and Nick Styles made sure the visitors were sufficiently punished by converting three of these set pieces; putting the game beyond doubt.

 

This result puts Bicester second at the halfway point and restart the season against their nearest rivals Maidenhead next week in game that even as this point in the season could decide promotion as only one point and one goal resides between these two teams.

 

Bicester M3's 4-4 Eastcote M5's (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 8 November, 2014

 

Bicester 3's recovered from being 4-1 down to get a point and should have come away with all three points at this exciting 8 goal thriller at Cooper School. Bicester dominated the early exchanges and came close to opening the scoring with the best chance falling to Jordy Chester. Eastcote caught Bicester on the break and discovered this Bicester team’s achillies heel at the Eastcote forwards were quicker than the Bicester backs and were quickly 2-0 up. Bicester responded with a good flowing move between forwards Will Hartley and Luke Perrins resulting in the former rounding the keeper and slotting home. Eastcote then added two more and the game looked secure before on the stroke of half time Will Hartley missed an open goal but rather than this misfortune downhearting the team it worked to motivate the team during the half time talk. The second half saw Bicester take control as the visitors began to tire. Will Hartley got his second and minutes later Steve Birtles speculative shot from the top of the D was miscontrolled by the otherwise good performing Eastcote keeper and spilled over the line. Chris Coleman then provided the equaliser from a penalty corner using a reverse stick shot to fire the ball home after the initial shot was saved. Bicester then had chances to take all three points but a combination of poor finishing and good defending denied Bicester the winner.

 

West Hampstead M7s 3 vs 0 Bicester M3s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 1 November, 2014

 

Bicester’s unbeaten run in the new league game to an end with a 3-0 defeat at league leaders West Hampstead 7s. Facing a much younger side with more substitutes Bicester knew they were going to be in trouble from the start. Unsurprisingly from the start Bicester was put under a great deal of pressure but good defence work made sure that the Hampstead could get a shot away. The deadlock was finally broken with the penalty corner of the game which was drag flicked off the right hand post. Bicester did threaten the home side’s goal in the first half catching the home side on the break but Ben Hughes was the only one to produce a save from the keeper. In the second half Hampstead continued to press and doubled their lead through a straight hit form another penalty corner and the third from open play. The scoreline could have been far worse but a great goalkeeping display from Gary Brock ensured that the deficit was not far worse.

 

British Airways M2s 1-6 Bicester M3s (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 25 October, 2014

 

Bicester 3s maintained their undefeated run in the new division with a comfortable win at BA. The game started with both teams fielding 10 players and for once Bicester had the younger side which was utilised from the start running the ball around the BA defence. During one of these runs Ben Hughes worked his way around the BA defence and slotted the ball across the goal out of the goalkeeper’s reach and giving Chris Birch an uncontested diving tap in on the far post.

 

Bicester continued to dominate the game but a mistake at the back gave the ball to the BA forward to made no mistake in restoring parity with a powerful shot high into the net. Bicester’s subs then arrived which gave Bicester the extra player advantage and from this point the domination of the game was complete. Hughes was next on the score sheet slapping the ball underneath the diving keeper before Rob Charlton added the third redirecting Birch’s initial shot. Hughes added his second shortly afterwards scoring from a narrow angle. Graham Harman and Alan Edwards linked up well in the middle to create the best passing move of the game eventually finding Charlton on the penalty spot who quickly turned and dragged the ball into the net. Birch finished the rout after unexpectingly being passed the ball by a panicked defender and the simplest of tap ins from less than a foot from goal.

 

Bicester Men's 3 1-0 West Hampstead Men's 8 (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 18 October, 2014

 

Bicester pipped West Hampstead into 3rd place last season in MBBO division 7. So when Hampstead also gained promotion, thanks to 3 instead of 2 teams going up into division 7, Bicester expected them to come and prove a point.

 

The first 10 minutes saw Bicester looking strong and controlling a large amount of the possession. The next 20 minutes went downhill for Bicester with Hampstead finding their game. There were a number of forays into the Bicester D and when captain Ryan Scott's foot stopped a goal bound ball a penalty stroke was given. Bicester keeper Gary Brock need not have worried as Hampstead put the shot wide. Bicester regained composure in the final five minutes of the half which finished tied at 0.

 

The second half continued similarly with Hampstead's forwards outnumbering the Bicester defence attacking the goal en masse forcing Brock to make a number of saves and kicked clearances. A skirmish in front of the Hampsted goal saw a penalty flick awarded when the goal bound ball was stopped by a foot. Nick Styles confidently flicked it home giving Bicester the lead. The game ended with the Styles flick as the only goal in the game and Bicester unbeaten in 3 games.

 

Bicester M3 3-3 Tring M2 (MBBO Open League - Division 7) 11 October, 2014

 

Bicester lost the coin toss so had to play into the sun for the first half. Tring took advantage with an unmarked man in the D scoring the first goal of the game. Things went from bad to worse as Tring went 3 - 0 up before the half time whistle.

 

15 year-old Ash Ellison began to turn things around for Bicester after Graham Harmon and Ben Hughes got the ball to him in front of the Tring keeper. A reverse stick 180 spin left the Tring keeper on the floor allowing Ash to walk around and casually push to ball into the back of the goal. Spirits lifted, Bicester possession appeared to improve and Tring breakaways were kept in check. Bicester's Nick Styles closed the gap further thanks to a penalty stroke awarded when Harmon's shot on goal hit a Tring player laying on the ground.

 

Bicester Keeper Nathan Elliott performed the save of the match with a top corner Tring shot confidently pushed to the side of the goal. Will Hartley was robbed of the chance to notch a goal by a stick tackle as he took his shot. The umpire awarded a second penalty stroke to Bicester which Style once again flicked home. That was to be the last play of the game as the final whistle blew with Bicester and Tring tied on 3 goals apie