20 April 2009, Singapore: The opening day's second game started 10 past 9 and was incident packed. The Hollandse Club Blue (Blues) team who boasted a team completely of Division 1 players from last season proved to be too strong for the Mucha Hockey (Mucha) side.
The latter were also playing on home ground but struggled from as soon as 2 minutes into the game. Pascal Blanchet, the French inspiration behind this Dutch team spurn into the "D" and reverse sticked the ball past Rob Glover for the Blues' opener.
It was one way traffic from there on end till half time which came 5 goals later courtesy of Jonathan Price from a penalty corner, Michiel Bouwman twice, Blanchet added another and Hans Sluyser once. At 6-0 up the Blues were cruising to a huge opening day victory.
However, the unique feature of the league where you can score points in each half galvanised the Muchas. They came out with renewed vigour and did a great job in denying the Blues time and again.
Unfortunately the nippy Blanchet's drive into the "D" on numeorus occasions was checked disastrously by Glover in the Mucha goal. He came out and made himself big innocuously and regretably struck Blanchet on his left eye socket. A bloodied Blanchet left the field with a cut nose bridge and another one a milimeter below his left eye, lucky lucky:)
A sporting Blanchet cleaned himself up with first aid provided by the ever present Vear Singh and watched a little more before heading home by which time Bouwman and Sluyser had added 3 more goals to the good for the Blues.
Mucha treathened to pull one goal back but to no avail. They however look sufficiently improved to live to fight another day.
With the 9-0 win the Blues lead the standing after Matchday 1 with 11 points (3 for winning the 1st half, 3 for winning the second half, 4 for wining the game and 1 bonus point for winning by 3 or more goals margin.
Bouwman's one-two with Wim Ten Hof which produced goal number three for the Blues was the play of the day.
Next up 27 April 09 8pm Merlions v Temasek and 9pm Hollandse Club Oranje v Mucha Hockey.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Village People let home ground advantage show
20 April 09, Singapore: It was a keenly contested opening game to the inaugural SVHA 8on8 League Masters 2009 Season. Hollandse Club Oranje (Oranje) took on Hockey Village People (HVP) a shade past 8pm. Umpired by Hans Peter Sluyser and Rod Hurst the game was more than we bargained for as the teams went at each other like rabbits on heat.
With neither of the goalkeepers budging in the first half, the teams retired to half time locked firmly at goalless. Martijn Snijder was having a blinder for the Oranje whilst Stephen Whitton came close a number of times for the home side. Paul Riddle was solid at the back for the HVP and provided many a attacks with his long passes which the Oranje struggled to deal with.
The introduction of Paul Kronenburg at half time for the Oranje made a difference as the Oranje had a player who was willing to take the opponent on and added an carefree asian flavour to the dsciplined European brand of hockey.
However it was Whitton who struck at the other end 5 minutes into the second half. It proved to be the only goal of the match. Whitton latched onto a mis-trap by Sander Scheepens of the Oranje and capitalised lethally with a stift forestick shot past a hapless Snijder in the Oranje goal.
Kronenburg came close a number of times to level the game but good goalkeeping by the HVP keeper and a fraction shy of accuracy meant HVP bag the win.
The win gave HVP 8 points and the narrow defeat did not leave the Oranje empty handed as they finished with 2 points, 1 for drawing the first half and the 1 for losing by a single goal margin.
With neither of the goalkeepers budging in the first half, the teams retired to half time locked firmly at goalless. Martijn Snijder was having a blinder for the Oranje whilst Stephen Whitton came close a number of times for the home side. Paul Riddle was solid at the back for the HVP and provided many a attacks with his long passes which the Oranje struggled to deal with.
The introduction of Paul Kronenburg at half time for the Oranje made a difference as the Oranje had a player who was willing to take the opponent on and added an carefree asian flavour to the dsciplined European brand of hockey.
However it was Whitton who struck at the other end 5 minutes into the second half. It proved to be the only goal of the match. Whitton latched onto a mis-trap by Sander Scheepens of the Oranje and capitalised lethally with a stift forestick shot past a hapless Snijder in the Oranje goal.
Kronenburg came close a number of times to level the game but good goalkeeping by the HVP keeper and a fraction shy of accuracy meant HVP bag the win.
The win gave HVP 8 points and the narrow defeat did not leave the Oranje empty handed as they finished with 2 points, 1 for drawing the first half and the 1 for losing by a single goal margin.
Monday, April 20, 2009
MATCHDAY 1 RESULTS
HOLLANDSE CLUB ORANJE 0 -1 HOCKEY VILLAGE PEOPLE
Goals: Stephen Whitton (FG, 30 mins)
MUCHA HOCKEY 0 - 9 HOLLANDSE CLUB BLUE
Goals: Pascal Blanchet (FG 2min, FG 13), Jonathan Price (PC 4), Michiel Bouwman (FG 5, FG 19, FG 35, FG 39), Hans Sluyser (FG 16, FG 40)
Goals: Stephen Whitton (FG, 30 mins)
MUCHA HOCKEY 0 - 9 HOLLANDSE CLUB BLUE
Goals: Pascal Blanchet (FG 2min, FG 13), Jonathan Price (PC 4), Michiel Bouwman (FG 5, FG 19, FG 35, FG 39), Hans Sluyser (FG 16, FG 40)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Match Day 1: 20 April
8pm Hollandse Club Oranje v Hockey Village People
9pm Mucha Hockey v Hollandse Club Blue
9pm Mucha Hockey v Hollandse Club Blue
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