2023/24 Season - Week 4

Blueharts Ladies and Men’s 1s completed a satisfying Saturday with hard-fought 1-1 draws as they bounced back from setbacks the previous weekend.

The Ladies were beaten by Cambridge City last Saturday and seven days on, fell behind early on to a Broxbourne penalty corner.

But, helped by a dominant performance from Holly Christie in the centre, the Hitchin side deservedly levelled through a debut goal from Ana Hickling just before half-time.

Broxbourne came on strongly in the second period but the Blueharts defence also stayed strong and repelled the visitors’ chances to earn a valuable point.

The Men’s 1s were desperate to make amends for their heavy defeat to Saffron Walden the previous Saturday and faced a marathon trip to the Essex seaside to face Old Southendians.

Better defending was the order of the day and Tom Russell, Dan Fair, James Byford and Sam Rees obliged to reduce the home side to just a handful of chances.

At the other end, Ethan Gaunt and Harvey Walton Adams led the line effectively but without any reward.

Blueharts did eventually make the breakthrough in the second half after a short corner was converted by skipper Richard Julian.

But the lead didn’t last long as Southend equalised following a short corner of their own – it was then that Blueharts keeper Alex Ford came into his own with two incredible saves to keep the score at 1-1 and earn the 1s a satisfactory point.

The Ladies 2s went one better than the 1s with a 2-1 win at Broxbourne 2s thanks to two goals from Carly Madders.

The 2s could have added more but there were standout performances from midfielder Emily Frenay and Charlotte Brackenbury in defence.

There was a brilliant performance to match the warm sunshine from the Ladies 3s who hit eight past Rickmansworth at Hitchin Boys’ School.

Kiki Arellano started the landslide when she won and converted a penalty flick, while a neat post deflection from Meme Brown doubled the Blueharts lead.

An unfortunate own goal from Nicky Turnbull saw the lead halved but further goals from Lizzie Bayley and Arellano gave the 3s a comfortable 4-1 half-time advantage.

The 3s’ pressing and intensity in the Hitchin heat proved too much for Rickmansworth after the break and two fine finishes from Josie Layton extended the lead to 6-1.

A first goal of the season from Emily Bryan and another striker from Brown rounded off the scoring and sent the 3s to the top of the league table.

A first-ever Blueharts goal from Freya Burgess was the feature of the Ladies 5s 4-1 win against their Broxbourne counterparts with Niamh Krishman adding two and player-of-the match Talin Keoshgerian one.

But a Claudia Taylor goal, set up by Sadie Lait from a short corner, was in vain for the 6s as they went down 2-1 to Broxbourne, with the visitors sealing the points in the second half from a short corner of their own.

It was an all-Blueharts men’s afternoon on Saturday - the countdown starting  with the 4s beating the 3s 2-1 thanks to goals from Sean Storey and Paul Graves – William Hammond replying for the 3s.

For the second week running, Ollie Wright took the man-of-the match award for 4s while Melvin Jose took the honours fort the 3s.

But the 6s were too strong for the 7s, beating them 6-1 with two goals from Gary Fung and Paul Krishman and one each from Charlie Moore and Henry Payne.

Ashley Hammond was on the scoresheet again for the 5s – it proved a mere consolation however as they went down 3-1 to Potters Bar.