Report by James Perks
University of Kent 1-2 Cliftonville Men’s 2nd XI
A winless start to 2025, but coming off the back of two draws, a new formation to experiment with the Ville were hopeful we could secure our first win of 2025.
We faced a much younger University of Kent team at their place in weather we haven’t experienced, 17 degrees and sun!
Everyone was given their instructions with regard to their role within the new formation and we were ready to go.
The Ville adapted to the new set up brilliantly and were playing some great hockey and it seemed only a matter of time before we would take advantage of that superiority. After 15 minutes we broke the deadlock, it came from a short corner that broke down and the initial attempt was cleared away.
Prov playing at centre back decided to stay up and proved to be a good decision as the ball was fizzed back in across the face of goal by Simon and Prov managed to deflect it past their keeper.
Ville continued to press and were playing some of the best hockey we have seen this season.
A second goal followed in similar fashion to the first, this time it was the captain, JB, who pinged the ball in and Gabe managed to get a touch on it and found the net to double our advantage. Fine reward for Gabe who had worked his socks off in the first half.
The half time team talk was fairly simple, more of the same with a couple of things to work on in this new look set up.
The second half would prove to be a lot tougher against a much younger, fitter bunch of University students and also a lot of them. They had 16 teenagers that they were constantly rotating, which was needed in this heat. They also had sun cream, which for us follicly challenged was a life saver, that they were sharing around – thanks lads.
We managed to cling on and despite a late goal from them, which made for a dicey last 4 or 5 minutes, we came away victorious 2-1.
Great to secure the win, plenty of positives with our new set up and a few things to work on.
Results:
| Home: | |||
| Cliftonville Women’s 2nd XI | 2 | 2 | Gillingham Anchorians 3 |
| Sally Maiden-Tilsen Julie Cobb | |||
| Cliftonville Men’s 3rd XI | 2 | 1 | Gore Court 5 |
| Rob Macer Aron Walker | |||
| Away: | |||
| Holcombe 3 | 1 | 0 | Cliftonville Men’s 1st XI |
| – | |||
| New Beccehamian 1 | 0 | 5 | Cliftonville Women’s 1st XI |
| Anna Holland Smith Kat O’Hara x4 | |||
| University of Kent 1 | 1 | 2 | Cliftonville Men’s 2nd XI |
| Gabriel Hillier Bowman James Provins |
