Tangerine News

League Matches 2007-2008

Match Report 05/04/08: Gorleston (1-1) Lowestoft Railway 1st XI

Lowestoft Railway came to Gorleston's Cliff Park Community Pitch determined to spoil Gorleston's chance of winning the EML's Division 4 North East Championship outright. And so it proved - this 1 -1 draw coupled with Ipswich 4's 3 - 2 win at Dereham and UEA 2's 13 - 0 trouncing of Pelicans 3 means Ipswich win the title and Gorleston must now win next week's final home game against Watton to secure the remaining second place promotion spot.
As befits two sides in the top four the match itself was keenly fought with many moments of speed and quality but Gorleston undoubtedly had most of the possession and will bitterly regret not converting several of the attacks and short corner chances they had into goals. Particularly so in the first half when the visitors were reduced to 10 men after Richard Pallant was sin-binned for 10 minutes after retaliatiing for an offence against him.
Following the interval the game continued at the same furious pace until the 20th minute when another Gorleston short corner routine saw a Lowestoft defender illegally stop a certain goal on the line. Up stepped Peter Jones to take the resulting penalty and his shot into the corner of the net gave Martin Howes in goal no chance.
Lowestoft continued to probe away at the Gorleston defence and when four minutes later they were awarded a short corner of their own Jamie Clarkson, making a welcome return to the side out of partial retirement, scored with a powerful first time strike to show the home side that sometimes over elaborate routines are not always as effective or indeed necessary.
In the final session both sides then battled strongly to find the winner with at one end Jamie Higginbotham and Adam Stone both going close whilst at the other Barney King earned the Man of the Match Award in the Gorleston goal pulling off a fine save to deny the visitors. But a draw was just about the right result for the neutral although there were few of those about in this local derby.

Match Report 29/03/08: Felixstowe 2nd XI(1-2) Gorleston

Gorleston maintained their push for promotion with a solid if unspectacular win against previously relegated Felixstowe 2. Missing 5 regular first team players for their mid-morning start this was a match which could have caused an upset but Gorleston skipper Kevin MacDonald successfully reshuffled his squad by pulling Mark Vaudin back to a more defensive role. This had the effect of frustrating the home side's attacking capabilities but at the same time both players were given licence to break forward which they did quickly and often enough with Jamie Higginbotham to cause major problems for the Felixstowe back line.
A player short the best opportunity for Gorleston points was always going to be their varied short corner routines and they got the ideal start from one of these after 8 minutes when Jamie returned Mark's push-out for him to fire home under the keeper from the unexpected angle.
Felixstowe's young side however continued to play some neat hockey and was rewarded with a short corner goal of their own just before half-time. After the interval the pattern of play continued until a moment of brilliance in the 14th minute saw Gorleston secure all three points. Again the same three players were involved - Kevin MacDonald put Mark Vaudin clear down the right wing and when his cross came in MOM Jamie was there to sweep the ball home with an unstoppable reverse stick shot.
Gorleston now finish their season with two home games and with other results in the Division 4 North East table having gone their way on Saturday their final position is entirely out of other hands. With their rivals Ipswich 4 and UEA 2 only having one game to play a single win will secure Gorleston automatic promotion and two wins the league championship. The next game this weekend is undoubtedly the most difficult for them - a local derby against fourth placed Lowestoft Railway 1 at Cliff Park Community Pitch with push-back at 2.30 pm. Good luck to them.

Match Report 15/03/08: Gorleston (7-1) UEA 3rd XI

Despite the final scoreline Gorleston will be disappointed with their performance at times against the students third string who are rock bottom of Division Four and have already been relegated next season to Division Five of the NE14 Hockey Mens East League.
Playing under floodlights in the murky conditions Gorleston started well enough and after six minutes Martyn Vaudin burst through some weak defensive tackling to open the scoring. But then with the midfield quartet of Jason Austin Andrew Lilly Jamie Higginbotham and Nick Mobbs easily smothering the students few attacking options wave after wave of Gorleston moves seemed break down on the final pass or be foiled by Richard Beastall in the UEA goal who had an outstanding afternoon. Nor was his side's cause helped by injuries to key players which at times saw UEA reduced to eight fit players as the injured trailed over to the nearby James Paget Hospital for treatment before to their credit returning to the fray.
After half an hour Gorleston added a second goal with Adam Stone firing home a short corner rebound and three minutes into the second half with UEA down to nine players he repeated the performance at the other end of the pitch. At this point Gorleston again lost their game plan and in the gathering fog too many attacks were wasted as the direct approach foundered on a combination of Richard Beastall's athleticism and wild shooting. As frustration mounted it was inevitable that the students should get their moment of glory and so it proved - 20 minutes from time James Hawkes broke away to beat substitute keeper Dale Kemp.
At last Gorleston pulled themselves together and with their extra man advantage moved the ball about more fluently and with purpose. First Mark Vaudin restored their three goal lead cutting in from the right wing before Jamie Higginbotham scored twice from close range to put the score-line into appropriate perspective. For the icing on the cake all that was needed was for Peter Jones to notch his 600th goal for the Club and that he did with the final strike of the match - a short corner special which left even Richard Beastall powerless to prevent.
No match next week with the Easter break before Gorleston play their final three games with promotion still very much their goal.

Match Report 08/03/08: Holt Harlequins 1st XI (1-6) Gorleston

Gorleston's excellent form continued for the second week in succession when they handed out another six goal hiding this time to Holt Harlequins 1 in a late afternoon push-back in bitter North Norfolk conditions.
With the confidence of having already beaten them comfortably at home last November Gorleston applied pressure from the start and were awarded a short corner after six minutes which Martyn Vaudin clinically converted. With Jason Austin Andrew Lilly and Jamie Higginbotham solid in the mid field as usual the traffic towards the Holt goal was more or less non-stop and it was little surprise when the lead was doubled ten minutes later - this time a shot from Liam Payne taking a cruel deflection past the home keeper. But the Holt's fortunes have improved of late with some new young faces in the team and although lacking Gorleston's experience they battled gamely until half-time to prevent further scoring without offering any real threat at the other end of the pitch.
Two goals in two minutes immediately after the interval settled the result of the game. First Jamie Higginbotham powered in another short corner strike before he turned provider for Russ Crawford to get his name on the score-sheet. Then came the best move of the game - Nick Mobbs broke swiftly down the right skillfully avoiding several tackles before crossing to Malcolm Berry who slipped the ball under the advancing keeper.
There was still time for MOM Jamie to score his second and Gorleston's sixth before Holt deservedly got a consolation goal from Andrew Plumb and Andrew might well have scored again but for a fine reaction save from Barney King.
In Division 4 NE of the NE14 Mens Hockey League the relegation positions have been decided but the promotion battle is clearly going to the last game. UEA 3 and Felixstowe 3 (both of whom third place Gorleston still have to play) are relegated but with Ipswich 4 losing to Cranes last week and UEA 2 winning at Lowestoft Railway, all the top three sides cannot be overtaken. Next week Gorleston are at home to the relegated students and push-back is at the Cliff Park Community pitch at 2.30 pm

Match Report 01/03/08: Gorleston (6-2) Pelicans 3rd XI

Gorleston bounced back from last week's defeat at the hands of league leaders Ipswich 4 with a convincing home win over Pelicans 3. Although missing Andrew Lilly and Adam Stone the return of Jason Austin and Dale Kemp alongside Nick Mobbs gave the defence a more stable base from which to launch their attacks and by half time the game was effectively won with Gorleston having scored three good goals without reply.
Martyn Vaudin opened their account after 17 minutes neatly finishing off a well-worked move from a narrow angle and he was on hand again ten minutes later with Jason Austin this time making the break-through. Pelicans stuck to their game plan but with three or four youngsters in the side at times they lacked the experience and skills needed in this league and a minute before the interval a flowing move out of defence saw Jamie Higginbotham score Gorleston's best and perhaps the decisive goal of the game.
After the break Russ Crawford quickly got his name on the scoresheet with a well-taken brace but then the visitors got the break they needed to raise their spirits. First they were awarded a penalty when skipper Kevin MacDonald was adjudged to have prevented a goal illegally and his Pelican counterpart Jim Stewart converted from the spot. Then after Malcolm Berry had restored Gorleston's five goal advantage from a Russ Crawford cross the visitors scored again - this time it was Tony Hall who was the quickest to react to a short corner rebound which the home side failed to clear.
With UEA 2 winning at Watton and Ipswich 4 at Norwich Union on Saturday Gorleston retain third spot in Division 4 North East of the NE14 Hockey Mens East League on 40 points one point behind the students but with a game in hand. With fourth placed Lowestoft Railway 1 10 points behind, the Championship and promotion stakes now appear a three club race and much will depend on UEA's match next week in Lowestoft and their end of the month trip to Ipswich. Gorleston meantime cannot be complacent as they travel to Holt Harlequins 1 who caused an upset earlier this year by beating Ipswich. Pushback is at the late time of 4 pm and transport leaves the Albion at 2.30 pm.

Match Report 23/02/08: Ipswich 4th XI (3-0) Gorleston

This was a disappointing result for Gorleston who dropped three valuable points against the league leaders and now have little chance in overhauling them on the final run-in to this season's championship. Missing Jason Austin and Andrew Lilly midfield Gorleston were forced to play Adam Stone and Mark Vaudin in more defensive roles and this handed the initiative to Ipswich who dominated the first half with some well constructed moves and excellent ball control.
Gorleston battled well for the first 25 minutes but then two goals in as many minutes effectively settled the match. The first came from a short corner with Rob Sebborn punishing a weak clearance but then came the best goal of the game. A swift move down the left flank resulted with another defensive infringement but with the umpire signalling advantage Ipswich crossed the ball to an unmarked Alan Richardson who had plenty of time to rifle it home past Barney King.
At the interval the Gorleston team-talk clearly worked and the players came out for the second half with renewed spirit and greater aggression. Pushing forward they came more into the game and should have had their reward when a right wing cross from Mark Vaudin beat all the defenders and Malcolm Berry standing unmarked two yards out. Ipswich promptly counter-attacked and showed him how to get the ball into the net - this time however the whistle had gone for a penalty before it crossed the line but Paul Whetton stepped up to make no mistake from the spot.
There was still plenty of time for Gorleston to come back into the game but when another neat bit of skill by Adam Stone got him to the by-line and behind the Ipswich backs his powerful cross was once more missed by Berry with the goal-mouth gaping. It was clearly not going to be the visitors’ day and to preserve their promotion hopes Gorleston must now return to winning ways this Saturday when Pelicans 3rd Xl are the visitors to the Cliff Park Community pitch. Pushback is at 2.30 pm.

Match Report 16/02/08: Gorleston (4-0) Dereham 3rd XI

Gorleston continued their push towards promotion with another fine win this time completing the double at the expense of mid-table Dereham 3. Gorleston have by far the best defensive record in Division 4 North East of the NE14 Hockey East Mens League this season with only 17 goals conceded and today they coped easily with the visitors attack leaving keeper Barney King a spectator for much of the game.
Missing captain Kevin MacDonald and Tim Mobbs, Gorleston's midfield performance by their high recent standard was at times below par but they got off to a bright enough start when Peter Jones scored after 10 minutes coolly converting the cross which followed a swift move down the right flank. But then the game drifted away from them as players tried to over-elaborate and Dereham defended stoically but without posing much threat.
With the sun at their backs Gorleston's second half play was an improvement and Peter Jones struck the right chord when from a quickly taken hit-in by the corner flag after seven minutes he was in the right place to power the ball past Dereham's helpless keeper. A few minutes later the ball was in the visitors circle again and when the defence failed to clear this time it was Russ Crawford who was given time to control the ball and place it just inside the right post.
With the points now secure Gorleston again eased up and Dereham came back into the game. On two occasions it needed the cool head of MOM Ben Goodman to make telling interceptions but five minutes from time Gorleston struck again and as the ball bobbled about the Dereham circle Jamie Higginbotham popped up to seal a victory which was perhaps slightly flattering to them.
Next week comes the most important game for the rest of Gorleston's season as they take on league leaders Ipswich 4th X1 at their Henley Road ground. Three points behind but with a game in hand Gorleston need to win this if they are to be real championship contenders as the home side have a massive goal advantage in their favour. Pushback is at the earlier time of 10.30 am and transport leaves the Albion at 8 am.

Match Report 09/02/08: UEA 2nd XI (1-2) Gorleston

With their home game against Watton last week postponed because of snow and ice Gorleston were anxious to get back to action and attempt to complete a double over the students second string who had meantime usurped their second place in Division 4 of the NE14 Hockey East League.
The weather was a total contrast from seven days earlier and in excellent conditions both sides were able to produce the fast and skilful hockey that has been their joint hallmark this season. Despite missing regulars Nick Mobbs and Russ Crawford, Gorleston's Jason Austin and Andrew Lilly returned to command the midfield and from this foundation in the first half the Vaudin brothers Mark and Martyn were frequently able to move forward with Adam Stone and Peter Jones to test the UEA defence.
The breakthrough came after 18 minutes with a classic Peter Jones goal. A short pass from Mark was turned neatly by Peter down the blind side of his marker and before the latter could recover the ball flashed into the net past the helpless keeper. The rattled students did well to keep their shape but attacking into the sun was difficult and when Gorleston scored again shortly before the interval their hope of points out of the game seemed over. This time UEA's undoing was a well rehearsed short corner routine. From the push-out the ball was slipped sideways to Jamie Higginbotham and his powerful shot took two deflections off defenders before crossing the line.
After the break the tempo of the game dropped as Gorleston dropped back to defend their lines and UEA encouraged by some vociferous local support pushed forward. Their only reward was an early goal struck home by Zero despite close attention from Barney King and Andrew Lilly but that was as near as the students came to an upset as Gorleston once more assumed control and held out comfortably to the final whistle. A good match was played sportingly by both teams if somewhat marred by an incident in the crowd which led to one the spectators being removed by the umpires from the ground.
With leaders Ipswich 4th X1 thrashing the UEA 3rd X1 11 nil at home Gorleston now return to second spot in the league table on 34 points and next week entertain Dereham 3rd Xl at the Cliff Park Community Pitch with pushback at 2.30 pm

Match Report 26/01/08: Cranes (0-2) Gorleston

Gorleston continued their quest for promotion to Division 3 of the NE14 Hockey East League with another solid performance and three points against Ipswich Crane 1st Xl. Missing regulars Jason Austin (injured) and Andrew Lilly (work) Gorleston skipper Kevan MacDonald re-organised his midfield to give Nick Mobbs the unenviable task of marking Crane's captain and top scorer Andy Bristow. This Nick did so successfully that Bristow was limited to a single first half strike on goal which Barney King was able to deal with comfortably and after that the Ipswich forward line barely threatened.
The game began badly with some strange decisions by the home umpire annoying both teams and culminating in Adam Stone being sin-binned for dangerous play. Both captains then restored order and the match continued competitively with neither side able to make any serious inroad against two well-marshalled defences.
The interval came with honours even and it was clear the first goal was likely to be decisive. And so it proved when after 5 minutes Gorleston were awarded a short corner and Martyn Vaudin's powerful strike was deflected by a defender past his helpless keeper. Crane for a while then lost their composure and as the game progressed Gorleston's superior fitness and work-rate increasingly caused them problems. Ten minutes later another short corner gave Jamie Higginbotham the chance to show off his drag-flick and when that rocketed into the roof the net there was no way back for the home side. Gorleston then closed ranks and had little difficulty playing out time.
With Pelicans conceding their game against leaders Ipswich 4th Xl Gorleston retain their second spot in Division 4 NE on 31 points and next week entertain Watton 1st Xl at the Cliff Park Community Pitch with pushback at 2.30 pm.

Match Report 19/01/08: Gorleston (3-1) Norwich Union 3rd XI

Gorleston consolidated their second spot in Division 4 North East with this massively important win against their third place rivals Norwich Union 3 of the NE14 Hockey East League. Having suffered defeat at Union's hands in their last three encounters but able to call on their strongest squad of players Gorleston started the game at a blistering pace and in 13 minutes virtually had the game won with three goals without reply.
Peter Jones opened the scoring after 90 seconds when he turned in a loose ball at the far post and the siege on Union's goal continued with a series of short corners the second of which was struck powerfully home by Martyn Vaudin after the keeper failed to clear. When Peter Jones scored again following an incisive move down the left flank the visitors were in danger of falling apart but then followed one of those incidents by which games can change. Jones prowling this time on the right edge of the circle struck the ball home from the narrowest of angles for his apparent hat-trick but after awarding the goal and under only token pressure from Union their own umpire reversed his decision on the grounds the strike might have been from outside the D.
Heartened by this let-off the visitors raised their game but for the rest of half still made little impact against a Gorleston defence where once again MOM Nick Mobbs Jason Austin Kevin MacDonald and Andrew Lilly were outstanding. After the interval Gorleston continued their dominance with probing runs from Adam Stone Mark Vaudin and brother Martyn causing havoc among the Union back four and substitute Liam Payne also paraded his skills to good effect when replacing Russ Crawford. One notable move from end to end without Union laying a stick on the ball saw Adam Stone shoot narrowly wide but as the rain returned and the floodlights came on Gorleston settled for their points and predictably received Union's riposte when centre-forward Will Kirby notched a consolation goal 30 seconds before the final whistle.
Next week is another difficult game this time against last season's high-flyers Ipswich Cranes 1st X1. Push-back is at 1 pm at Ipswich and transport leaves the Albion at 10.45 am.

Friendly Matches 2007-2008

Match Report 12/01/08: Norfolk Nomads 1st XI (0-7) Gorleston

Norfolk Nomads from bottom of Division 5 of the NE14 Hockey East League were no match for Gorleston who dominated this fixture, The home side were a player short at the start so being a friendly game Gorleston loaned them substitute Malcolm Berry and at half-time keeper Barney King was also exchanged to give him match practice in advance of next week's important league game against Norwich Union.
The goals came at regular intervals with Mark Vaudin opening the scoring after 11 minutes from a well-worked short corner routine with Jason Austin. Two minutes later Russ Crawford turned in another shot and when skipper Kevin MacDonald scored his first goal of the season a rout was in sight. But Nomads rallied well towards half-time as Gorleston eased up and the half-time change of keeper and the exchange back of Malcolm Berry with defender Ben Goodman further steadied the Nomad's ship.
More goals were however inevitable as Gorleston continued to spread the play well in the second half and Adam Stone and Nick Mobbs both showed class as they finished off moves clinically after 13 and 18 minutes. In between that Barney King had saved a Mark Vaudin penalty but there was little respite to the one way traffic as Jason Austin and Andrew Lilley quickly snuffed out any Nomad moves over the half-way line. Two more goals from Russ Crawford and Andrew Lilley on the final whistle simply reflected Gorleston's overall command to the end.
Next week we are back to the league and third placed Norwich Union 3rd X1 are the visitors to the Cliff Park Community pitch with push-back at 2.30 pm. Gorleston will be determined to do well having suffered defeat from the hands of this their bogey team for the past 3 games.

Match Report 05/01/08: Gorleston (3-2) Norwich City 3rd XI

For their opening match of the New Year and in preparation for the second half of a tough league season still two weeks away Gorleston enjoyed the honours in this friendly match against a Norwich City side with a mix of 2nd Xl players and some extremely talented youngsters. The result was a win for the home side thanks largely to a more penetrative attack particularly in the second half.
It was City however who opened the scoring with their skipper putting away a penalty after a short corner shot had been stopped illegally on the line by defender and MOM Kevin MacDonald. Gorleston's reply was almost immediate if slightly fortuitous- Peter Jones mishitting his strike on goal with the City goal-keeper badly out of position and unable to recover.
The match remained evenly balanced until the second half when the Gorleston midfield and forwards upped the tempo. After 11 minutes a free hit was awarded on the right and Jamie Higginbotham's powerful shot was deflected to the far post where Martyn Vaudin controlled and converted the ball with ease. But the visitors did not buckle under pressure and against the run of play their skipper equalized from another short corner which this time was converted without infringement.
By now both sides had the Christmas lethargy out of their system as the play moved swiftly from end to end justice was done when five minutes from time another Gorleston attack saw some neat interplay which ended with Russ Crawford deflecting the winner past the City keeper.
Next week's game is another friendly this time against Norfolk Nomads 1st X1 at the UEA Sportspark at 1 pm. Transport leaves the Albion at 11.30 am.

League Matches 2007-2008

Match Report 08/12/07: Lowestoft Railway 1st XI (1-3) Gorleston

Played throughout in torrential rain and wind both sides are to be highly commended for producing as competitive game of hockey as could be expected from teams before the start lying second and third in Division 4 NE of the NE14 Hockey League. As it turned out Gorleston deservedly took all three points to consolidate their second spot on 25 points behind Ipswich 4 as the league programme moves into its Christmas break.
Understandably in the conditions all the goals came from set pieces as both defences erred to secure their lines from lively attacks but Gorleston had the best of the game having the bulk of midfield possession thanks to solid contributions again from Jason Austin Andrew Lilly and Nick Mobbs. However the Man of the Match has to be Gorleston's Peter Jones who laid the groundwork for victory with a goal after 5 minutes, driving home his first short corner just inside the right post and 10 minutes later beating the Lowestoft keeper comprehensively with a penalty flick after the latter's full back cover had illegally stopped another goal-bound strike on the line.
The home side however did not let their heads drop and after hitting the post were rewarded shortly before half-time with a short-corner reply from Neil Hudson whose initial flick was parried by Dale Kemp back off the shoulder of keeper Barney King and into the net.
After the interval the next goal was always going to be decisive and Lowestoft Railway did not help their cause by having Mark Vaudin's marker sin-binned for persistent barging in the tackle. This stretched an already pressurized defence who conceded several more short corners from one of which Adam Stone was on hand to pick up the rebound and flick it neatly over the keeper to restore the two goal margin.
With the game now safe Gorleston relaxed to play some of their best hockey and were unlucky not to increase the lead but the rain persisted and as the next two teams arrived to play their 4 pm game under floodlights both sides were glad to hear the final whistle and head for the shelter of the changing rooms.
Gorleston's next game is a friendly on 5th January against Norwich City 3 at Cliff Park Community Pitch at 2.30 pm.

Match Report 01/12/07: Gorleston 3-2 Felixstowe 2nd XI

This was a great game to watch between two highly competitive sides. Felixstowe have had a difficult time in the league so far this season due to player and umpire shortages but with a full squad now available on this performance all the signs would point to them climbing the table in the New Year.
With only two regulars missing Gorleston took the early initiative but were unable to find it easy to break down the visitor's defence. Their best chance came after 15 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foot-stop on the line but Peter Jones failed to trouble the keeper with a flick high over the bar. That encouraged Felixstowe who a few moments later opened the scoring when Paul Muschal coolly converted their first short corner of the game. Gorleston then struck back strongly with two goals in eight minutes. First Adam Stone converted a half chance in the Felixstowe circle before more convincingly Russ Crawford was on hand to finish off a good move down the right flank.
By consent the umpires called the interval three minutes early to allow one of the visiting players to be treated for injury but five minutes after the restart Gorleston doubled their lead when from a Peter Jones short corner strike outside the circle Jason Austin was on hand to deflect the ball into the net. But Felixstowe raised their game and eight minutes later Joe Green was first to react to a loose ball in the Gorleston D hitting a powerful shot past Barney King in goal.
That was the end of the scoring but by no means the excitement. As Felixstowe pressed for the equaliser Barney King earned the MOM award with several fine saves but it was Gorleston who created more chances on the break and both Russ Crawford and Malcolm Berry were unlucky not to apply finishing touches to crosses following good runs from Nick Mobbs Kevin MacDonald and Adam Stone.
This coming Saturday sees the last NE14 Hockey league games before the Christmas break in what has become a very close title chase between 5 clubs in Division 4 NE. With leaders Ipswich 4th X1 surprisingly beaten last week by UEA's 2nd team and Lowestoft Railway 1st X1 drawing at Dereham Gorleston climbed to second place on 22 points only 3 behind. Tomorrow they must travel to take on Lowestoft Railway 1st X1 who are third only on goal difference and the outcome of this local derby will decide which club will enjoy the Christmas pecking rights. Pushback is at Kirkley High Scholl at 2.30 pm and the Gorleston transport leaves the Albion at 1 pm.

Match Report 24/11/07: UEA 3rd XI 0-8 Gorleston

Gorleston overwhelmed the University's third string with an impressive display of fast and flowing hockey. The students had no answer to individual skills of their visitors who as a result maintain their third place in NE14 Hockey's East League Division 4 NE on 19 points 2 behind second placed Lowestoft Railway 1st X1 who Gorleston play in two weeks time at Kirkley.
Missing Mark Vaudin with an ankle injury and Tom Wiltshire on paternity leave, Jason Austin opened the scoring after eight minutes with a powerful shot when the UEA defence failed to mark him but by then the writing was already on the wall as Gorleston were allowed to attack down both wings at will. Andrew Lilly appeared in the circle ten minutes later to add the second goal before in the space of two minutes Russ Crawford supplied a neat cross for Jamie Higginbotham to score and skipper Kevin MacDonald set up Andrew Lilly once more for his second of the match.
Four goals up at half-time Gorleston rung the changes to give their rolling substitutes Malcolm Berry and Ben Goodman match practice and also try out some new formations. It made little difference to the outcome of the game as Adam Stone supplied the pass for Russ Crawford to get on the scoring sheet (8 minutes) and from the restart Adam burst through to score with a reverse stick shot high into the net off the head of a defender who was fortunately uninjured.
With Gorleston moving MOM Andrew Lilly up front to give him a chance for his hat-trick, several opportunities were wasted before Russ Crawford notched the seventh goal but fittingly it was Andrew who, to much celebration, finished off the match with his third seconds before the final whistle.
Next week Gorleston entertain Felixstowe 2nd X1 at Cliff Park 2.30 pm and hopefully the visitors will be able to field a side having already this season conceded several matches including surprisingly Saturday's home game against Lowestoft Railway.

Match Report 17/11/07: Gorleston 4-0 Holt Harlequins

Gorleston dominated this game to such an extent that the only surprise was the low score-line which was down largely to several excellent saves by the visitor's goal-keeper and some poor finishing by the home side up front. The Holt goal came under siege from the start and the break-through came after only seven minutes when Malcolm Berry scored his first with a simple tap-in at the far post. An almost identical move ten minutes later doubled the lead and again it was Berry on hand to apply the finishing touch.
Gorleston's strength this season has been in the midfield. With captain Kevin MacDonald away Jason Austin led this with good support from Andrew Lilly and Jamie Higginbotham and between them they never allowed the visitors to advance much over the half-way line. In fact Barney King in goal did not touch the ball once and this left Mark Vaudin Martyn Vaudin and Mick Mobbs plenty of time to break quickly into attacking positions which they did often enough to keep the Holt defence fully stretched.
The third goal early in the second half was the best of the match and sealed the points. Mark beat several defenders down the right wing and from the by-line pulled the ball back for an unmarked Russ Crawford to stop and flick it neatly past the keeper. The final goal towards the end was scrambled affair - following a short corner Holt failed to clear their lines and from a Jamie Higginbotham centre Andrew Lilly appeared from nowhere at the far post to slip the ball into the net.
Gorleston are now third in the NE14 East League Division 4 NE with 16 points and next week take on bottom placed UEA 3rds at the UEA's Sportspark at 2.30 pm. Transport leaves the Albion at 1 pm

Match Report 10/11/07: Pelicans 3rd XI 2-2 Gorleston

Gorleston travelled to Kings Lynn on 10th November to play Pelicans 3rd X1 with a side weakened by injury to Jamie Higginbotham and Peter Jones and without Adam Stone who was forced to pull out through work commitments.
On a poor pitch all the goals came in the first half with the home side opening the scoring from a goal-keeping error but Martin Vaudin soon equalised following a short corner award. Pelicans then took advantage of a defensive slip to retake the lead but Gorleston's better skills were not to be denied and the game was once more squared when Martin scored his second from another penalty.
The second half drifted away with Gorleston unable to take full advantage of their superiority. There were good touches from Malcolm Berry and Andrew Lilly but by and large Gorleston simply ran themselves into difficulty whilst Pelicans appeared more than happy to hang on for a point until the final whistle.
Gorleston drop to fourth place on goal difference in NE14 Hockey East league Division 4 NE and next week take on ninth placed Holt Harlequins at the Cliff Park Community pitch with push-back at 2.30 pm. They will be hoping for wins then and the week after away against the UEA 3rd string to consolidate a strong top six position by Christmas.

Match Report 03/11/07: Gorleston 1-4 Ipswich 4th XI

Top of the table Ipswich 4ths came to Gorleston for the first time in many years and played as a team brimming with the confidence of not having lost a match for over 2 years. With their goal machine Ollie Holloway (25 goals in his last 5 games) leading a forward line full of speed and trickery Gorleston did well to contain their opponents for the first 20 minutes and indeed had good chances to take the lead themselves from two short corner strikes which Peter Jones powered narrowly wide.
But Holloway was not to be denied for long and when his side earned their second short corner Barney King's initial clearance fell kindly for the Ipswich centre who dispatched it back with interest inside the near post. The visitors’ game then hit a purple patch and with their very next attack Captain Matt Godbold took full advantage of a loose ball in the circle to double his side's lead lofting the ball home into the far side netting. The decisive score then followed 3 minutes later. With the Gorleston defence backing off to cover every other possible angle Ipswich centre back Gary Scarff was allowed to advance 80 yards up the pitch to the edge of the circle. There he was still given too much time to line up his shot which rocketed past a helpless Barney.
Only then did Gorleston seem to regain their composure and once Russ Crawford had pulled a goal back following a good break down the right the whole complexion of the game changed to an evenly matched contest of the highest quality. Play moved swiftly from end to end with increasing tempo and it was clear the next score would crucial. Unfortunately it came at a price as 20 minutes into the second half Peter Jones was forced to retire with a ham-string injury and Stuart Sahota came on in a defensive role which limited the full width of Gorleston's attacking ability. Ipswich however continued to move forward aggressively and Holloway was somewhat fortunate to seal the match with a fourth goal which MOM Barney King might have felt he should have saved after his earlier acrobatic contributions to a thoroughly entertaining game.
Gorleston now drop to third position in NE14 Hockey Division 4 North East League and next week need to return to winning form when they take on eighth placed Pelicans 3rd X1 at Kings Lynn with a push-back at 2.30 pm. Transport leaves the Albion at 12 noon.

Match Report 27/10/07: Dereham 3rd XI 1-5 Gorleston

Despite missing Nick Mobbs, Jamie Higginbotham and Andrew Lilly Gorleston produced arguably their best performance of the season to run out comfortable winners against second in the table Dereham in this NE14 Hockey Division 4 NE League match.
The opening ten minutes gave no indication of the upset to come when after an early spell of possession Dereham were awarded a short corner which Ken Huggett duly converted as goal-keeper Barney King misjudged his kick. But the set-back only stirred Gorleston into greater effort and once Tom Wiltshire had equalized with fine strike from the edge of the circle it was the home side's defence which looked decidedly edgy and three minutes later Adam Stone took full advantage of a loose ball to fire Gorleston into a half-time lead.
After the interval Gorleston continued to dominate with a solid midfield performance from Jason Austin backed up well by skipper Kevin MacDonald, Dale Kemp and Ben Goodman. But going forward Dereham had no answer to birthday boy Mark Vaudin (21 on the day) his brother Martyn and MOM Adam Stone who continued to weave his magic throughout the game. Adam's second goal after twelve minutes was an absolute delight - working his way into the circle he neatly pulled both his marker and the goal-keeper out of position before calmly slotting the ball past both into the far corner of the net. Then it was Martyn Vaudin's turn to shine with his first and Gorleston's fourth goal coming from a short corner before another well-worked move saw the ball crossed to him in space. Martyn's fierce shot hit the back of the net before the keeper could move to seal a memorable afternoon for his side who are now second in the table themselves on 12 points.
Next week Gorleston entertain league leaders and strongly fancied promotion favourites Ipswich 4th X1 at Cliff Park Community pitch with a push-back at 2.30 pm. If they can field a full strength side who can play like this Gorleston may hopefully put dent the visitors 100% record which includes after only 5 games a total of 49 goals scored with only 2 against.

Competition Match - HA Vase First Round 2007-2008

Match Report 21/10/07: Gorleston Gophers 1-2 Leighton Buzzard

Gorleston entertained Leighton Buzzard from Division 1 of the Middlesex Oxford and Berkshire United League in this Round 2 match of the HA Vase National Competition and at the end of an entertaining game were unlucky not to lose to a short corner goal by Joe Vernon in time added after the final whistle.
Leighton run four teams in their League but despite this advantage Gorleston matched them in every department and the first half was a very even affair as each side sought to probe the other's weaknesses. Missing their captain Kevin MacDonald and striker Russ Crawford Gorleston called up the services of Stuart Sahota and "Hutch" Stone and both contributed to a game which flowed from one end to the other with good hockey and some fine individual play.
After a goal-less first half Gorleston opened the scoring on 11 minutes when "Hutch" clinically finished off an excellent attack through the right centre. For a while Leighton were rattled and with their game plan upset Gorleston might well have increased their lead. But then the new pitch showed its character when a mishit shot from Leighton skipper James Barrow bobbled in front of keeper Barney King and went off his shoulder just inside the post.
The visitors upped a gear and in some strong defending both Dale Kemp and Nick Mobbs were carded whilst Stuart Sahota was sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes. But Gorleston stood firm and 3 minutes from the end were awarded a short corner which unfortunately was mishit out. From the resulting clearance Leighton skillfully moved the ball to the other end of the pitch and as the match entered the final minute with extra time and penalties looming were awarded a short corner of their own. The first was well saved but as the defence aimed to clear there was another infringement and this time the visitors successfully varied their routine, slipping the ball sideways to Vernon who made no mistake with a well struck shot.

League Matches 2007-2008

Match Report 20/10/07: Gorleston 4-0 UEA 2nd XI

Gorleston retained their fourth spot in NE14 Hockey Division 4 NE with another fine win, this time against the UEA 2nd team who now stay ahead of them on goal difference only. Again much credit must go to a strong defensive display led by Jason Austin Andrew Lilly and Jamie Higginbotham who were quick to mop up any attacking threat the students had to offer and this allowed their forwards frequent opportunities to counter quickly and well planned.
In the first half Gorleston welcomed the re-appearance of Bobby Jones on the right wing and with his brother Peter moved forward to join him and Russ Crawford in attack the visitors goal was soon under threat. After 12 minutes a short corner was awarded and Peter Jones struck the ball sweetly home to take the lead. 5 minutes later and after another defensive error a second short corner strike from Peter was saved by the keeper but the ball rebounded to Martyn Vaudin whose powerful return shot was unstoppable.
Still not satisfied Gorleston continued to dominate and shortly before half-time after UEA had had a player yellow-carded a quickly taken free-hit saw Peter Jones re-acting faster than his marker to turn the ball into the net from a narrow angle.
After the interval with Tom Wiltshire and Malcolm Berry replacing Russ and Bobby Jones the tempo of the game dropped partly due to some inconsistent umpiring but more thanks to the attitude of some of the students who were by now disputing every decision against them. It was therefore only justice when midway through the half MOM Peter Jones nipped through a static UEA defence to notch a well-earned hat-trick and seal a convincing victory for the home side.
Next week Gorleston take on second placed Dereham 3rd X1 at their Dereham astropitch with a push-back at 3.00 pm. Transport leaves the Albion at 1.30 pm

Match Report 13/10/07: Watton 2-4 Gorleston

Gorleston notched up their second successive victory to move into 4th spot in NE14 Hockey League Division 4 NE with a good performance at Watton Sports Centre. In excellent conditions and with a strong line-up Gorleston's midfield was once more in dominant control throughout the game and but for an excellent performance by Bob Fleming in the Watton goal the score line would have been much higher.
Still not finishing as well as last season, the Gorleston forward line were grateful that 3 of the goals were scored by defenders from set pieces. After 13 minutes Jamie Higginbotham opened with a well struck short corner but again as last week the home side struck back quickly to equalize as their Captain Simon Jones crossed for Sean Billington to convert a simple tap-in at the far post.
Gorleston’s short corner routine has been well worked on in training this season and the Watton defence went absent 10 minutes later when another short corner saw Martyn Vaudin on strike to retake the lead. This time Gorleston were determined not to let their initiative slip and it was no surprise when MOM Adam Stone scored shortly after half-time to double their lead. With Jason Austin Andrew Lilly and Mark Vaudin much in control the result of the game now seemed a foregone conclusion but Simon Jones then broke away on his own to somehow get behind of Peter Jones and Barney King and pull another goal back. Gorleston were in no mood to make further mistakes and after one more short corner had been illegally stopped by a Watton defender on the line Peter Jones stepped forward to flash the resultant penalty flick into the roof of Fleming's net to secure the win.
Next week Gorleston take on second placed UEA 2nd X1 at Cliff Park Community pitch with a push-back at 2.30 pm. Then on Sunday Gorleston Gophers enter this season's HA Vase Competition. They have a home tie against Leighton Buzzard and the match starts at 11 am at Cliff Park.

Match Report 06/10/07: Gorleston 3-1 Ipswich Cranes 1st XI

Gorleston put last week's poor performance against Norwich Union behind them to run out comfortable winners against another of last season's top teams in the NE14 Hockey Division 4 NE League. Whilst the number of chances converted into goals still remains disappointingly low, Gorleston's forward line this time showed much more confidence particularly once Mark Vaudin had opened the scoring after 15 minutes from a right wing cross. But the visitors’ captain Andy Bristow is a class player and a few moments later he had equalised deflecting home a fine shot from left past an unsighted Barney King in goal.
So far this season the Gorleston defence and midfield has been outstanding and having suffered this set-back they quickly made amends by tightening their grip on the game. Peter Jones dropped to sweeper and with Man of the Match Nick Mobbs and Jason Austin man-marking Bristow and other key players the home side soon regained control. With Kevin MacDonald and Martyn Vaudin spreading the ball out wide it was no surprise when Jamie Higginbotham found space in the Ipswich D to strike the home side in front again.
The second half saw more or less one way traffic towards the visitors’ goal with Mark Vaudin frequently eluding his veteran marker with a fine turn of pace. Gorleston however were still having problems in front of goal and were thwarted on several occasions by fine goal-keeping and the inconsistent new astro surface. Perhaps then it was predictable that the points should be decided by a rather lucky third goal - Mark's centre was completely missed by two forwards before Russ Crawford's mis-hit strike bobbled over the keeper and into the net.
With two difficult league games now behind them and points on the board Gorleston can look forward to next week's trip to Watton. Pushback 2.30 with transport from the Albion at 12.30 pm.

Match Report 29/09/07: Norwich Union 3rd XI 2-0 Gorleston

After an encouraging three wins in pre-season friendlies Gorleston opened their new league campaign with a disappointing defeat at Pinebanks to Union's third team. The Norwich side was one of the promotion hopefuls last year and completed a double over Gorleston who had picked a strong squad this time to get revenge. But despite having the lion's share of possession throughout the game the Gorleston forward line were unable to convert any of the many chances which came their way.
In the first half Gorleston were particularly dominant in attack with Adam Stone on the right wing causing havoc with his incisive running and crosses with which his inside forwards really should have done better. But ten minutes before half-time came an incident which probably settled the match - a wild clearance by Union out of defence caught Adam on the knee and his game was over.
Tom Wiltshire came off the bench to substitute and Mark Vaudin moved forward but with no Russ Crawford this week the side's link-up play up front was weak. Twice clear chances were squandered by Tom Wiltshire and Peter Jones and when Liam Payne also missed a sitter one could feel Union's confidence grow as they realized it was not going to be Gorleston's day. So the home side pushed forward and fifteen minutes from time having hardly posed any previous threat in attack won themselves a short corner. The first strike was well saved by Barney King but Union's Will Kirby was the fastest to react to the rebound and slipped the ball over the line.
Gorleston fought back strongly but with the Union defence now organised to soak up the pressure there were few signs of a possible equalizer. Then came the final blow - ten minutes from time a Gorleston attack broke down on the edge of Union's circle and with the visitors hotly protesting an infringement the ball was swept to the other end of the field where Kirby showed how to beat the keeper and seal a victory that had on the run of play never looked likely.
Gorleston can take encouragement from the amount of possession they enjoyed but next week's visitors to Cliff Park are Ipswich Crane's 1 and they must get their act together up front if they are to challenge for promotion this season. Push-back is at 2.30 pm.

Pre-Season Friendly Matches 2007-2008

Match Report 22/09/07: Gorleston 3-1 Norfolk Nomads

Gorleston welcomed back their capitain Kevin McDonald for their final warm-up game before the League season starts next weekend. With almost a full squad to choose from and on such a warm Staturday afternoon, Gorleston were looking to put in a very strong home performance.
The team did indeed start strongly, able to find the time and space to switch play effortlessly from Liam Payne and Mark Vaudin on the wings, with both fullbacks making overlapping runs to add to the pressure. Nomads became frustrated and it was not long before Russ Crawford came close to scoring. Shortly after this Gorleston's efforts were rewarded with a short corner which Tom Wiltshire diverted into the back of the net. Gorleston continued to dominate the match, and a well-worked move starting from Jason Austin at the back was finished by Nick Mobbs who broke unchallenged into the Nomads' D giving the home side a two-goal cushion.
In the second half the game became more open as the heat started to affect the players. Gorleston's keeper Barney King at last got in on the action, kicking away a stray ball that broke through the Gorleston backline. However, Gorleston increased their lead when they were awarded a free-hit outside the Nomads' D. It was quickly taken by Liam Payne and Jamie Higginbotham deflected the ball passed the stranded keeper. At that point Gorleston became slightly complacent and started to give the ball away in dangerous positions. Unable to clear their lines after one such error, Gorleston were helpless when a deflected shot beat their keeper. This proved a sufficient wake-up call and Gorleston almost finished the game with a fourth goal - although Jamie Higginbotham's high volley into the back of the net was ruled out for dangerous play. Gorleston now look forward to starting their league campaign against Norwich Union's third string at Pinebanks next weekend.

Match Report 15/09/07: Gorleston 5-0 Harleston Magpies IV

Gorleston played their first match on the newly laid Cliff Park Community Astro-pitch and found it difficult for a while to come to terms with the slowness and bounce compared with the previous surface. Having said that however in this friendly fixture they completely dominated Harleston's fourth string outfit and but for the pitch could easily have doubled their score.
Welcoming the return of the Vaudin brothers Dale Kemp and Adam Stone Gorleston's powerful display bodes well for the season ahead but there is no doubt that their league opposition will be far stronger than their opponents in this game. The only surprise was it took Gorleston 20 minutes to find the net when Adam Stone neatly worked his way into the circle and cut the ball back for an unmarked Jason Austin to fire home.
Within a further 5 minutes Adam had repeated the move but this time scored himself and the game was all but over except as a useful training session. The second half was one way traffic towards the visitors goal and as Harleston wilted in the hot sun Gorleston kept the pressure up to the end with further goals from Malcolm Berry Adam Stone again and Russ Crawford.
In defence there were sound displays from Nick Mobbs and Jason Austin and in goal Barney King dealt imperiously with the few balls whish breached his circle.
Next week's game is the last before the season starts and the visitors are Norfolk Nomads 1st X1 at Cliff Park 2.30 pm.

Match Report 08/09/07: Norwich City III 0-1 Gorleston

Gorleston opened the new season with a pleasing 1 - 0 win over rivals Norwich City 3rds who beat them to promotion last year from League Division 4 North East. With some of their regular players still absent on holiday and other work commitments Gorleston welcomed the return of Jamie Higginbotham to the side and also veteran John Barker who slotted well into his midfield role.
The only goal of the game came after fifteen minutes - Jamie Higginbotham powered a quickly taken free-hit into the circle and Russ Crawford re-acted quickly to deflect the ball into the net. Generally however defences were in control and with both sets of forwards a little short on pace this was a comfortable game for the sides to raise their fitness standards ready for the new league season which starts in 3 weeks time.
The next match for Gorleston is on the newly laid astro-pitch at Cliff Park this Saturday against Harleston Magpies 4th X1 at 2.30 pm. The pitch appears to be much slower than the old one and may take some getting used to. Training begins there this Tuesday at 6 pm and all hockey players old and new are urged to attend.

Previous Seasons' Reports - go here!