REDDITCH Hockey Club have two men’s and one ladies’ team competing in Summer League fixtures between now and the start of August and the action is already hotting up.
The ladies, comprehensively beaten in their opening game against Bromsgrove School a couple of weeks ago, faced Stourport White in their next outing and led 2-1 thanks to goals from Anna Stafford and Lucie Mottet before heavy pressure from their opponents led to Stourport scoring three second half goals to claim a 4-2 victory.
Several new players have made their debuts in these two games after the success of the club’s free Back to Hockey sessions which are currently taking place on Saturday mornings between 10-11am.
Anyone interested in giving hockey a try is welcome to come along to the Bromsgrove Road club and give it a go.
Redditch men’s 1st XI began their campaign with a 2-1 win against Stourport Spoofers.
The squad is the youngest 1st XI that Redditch have fielded in a number of years with all but three members of the team aged below 25, including several teenagers who impressed in the Winter League playing in the 2nd/3rd XIs.
There were debuts for youngsters Ethan Reeves, Josh Brown and Harry Williams, who was voted man of the match by his team-mates for his dazzling performance.
Redditch started the game positively under captain Jacob Beard and were holding on to the ball well before some sloppy defending allowed Stourport to take the lead.
In the second half extensive Redditch pressure paid dividends when Andy Billingham converted a penalty stroke before Pete Dawson won the game for the Kingfishers with a well placed shot.
Redditch veterans also faced Stourport in their opener at Bromsgrove Road and a game played in a superb spirit ended in a 3-3 draw.
Dave Smith scored twice for Redditch with close range finishes and their third goal was a superb strike from captain Dan Waite.
