Hello everyone,
That’s the first half of the season over and boy it’s been an eventful one!
I just want to thank everyone for their hard work, commitment and availability in the first half of the season. Rest up and enjoy your festive break, the hockey club will be back in action in the middle of January, East district starts back on the 19th. Our fantastic Captains have prepared half season round ups for your reading pleasure.
We have alot planned for the 2nd half of the season;
- Celebrating the Club’s 25th anniversary (date tbc),
- The return of Haarlem Hockey Club in Easter (30th March),
- The End of Season Dinner (27th of April)
- ….. and of course hopefully league and cup success for all our teams.
Have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year.
Neelum
ESM TEAM UPDATE
M1 (Nat 3)- Duncan Wardlaw
ESM 1’s finish 2012 sitting in third position with a game in hand which if we win will put us back into second place 2 points off of the top of National 3.
This seasons fixtures have seen us play 2 thirds of our league games already with the league splitting to a top 7 / bottom 6 for the remaining fixtures to be played in 2013. Having played 11 games winning 8, drawing once and losing twice we have put ourselves in a strong position to contend for promotion during the final 7 games of the league.
A personal highlight for me is the vast improvement in our squad’s defensive work which has paid dividends with the boys having conceded the least amount of goals in the league to date with 5 clean sheets recorded so far.
I think that the final third of our season will be hotly contested with a handful of teams in the top 7 all very closely matched. While we will all be enjoying the Christmas break we will need to put in the hours on the pitch and in the gym in the New Year to ensure that we as a squad are in a position to hit the ground running for our final 7 games of the league and hopefully a lengthy cup run in 2013.
L1 (Nat 2)- Jordana Kennedy
After a fantastic start to the 2012/13 season, ESM ladies 1’s found themselves hitting a losing spell with three or four disappointing results on the trot however, this was short lived and the team quickly found their form again. We finish for the split in 4th place based on goal difference with the 3rd, 4th and 5th placed teams all square on 20 points each. It’s tight league this year with results going any way and the top team only on 23 points so all to play for. The team have scored 20 goals so far with a good spread across the team. Tutu Osifodunrin currently sits as top goal scorer with the recently returned Heather Clark creeping up behind. The ladies hope to be able to maintain their form and start the next half in February 2013 with a bang!
M2 (Central 2)- Scott Brymer
Mixed bag in the first half of the season, 4 wins (5 if you count the victory over WIT who have since left the league) and 4 losses. We don’t do things by halves in the M2s. However, the team has been beginning to gel and encouraging signs are there for the second half of the season and the future. Here’s to more goals and improving on our current league position of 6th as I am targeting finishing at least a couple of places higher. Although we are losing a couple of players at the start of the year, I have every confidence in my team to put in strong performances.
L2 (East Prem)- Katherine Strachan
The L2s have had a great start to the season. Newly promoted to the Premier League, the L2s are currently sitting in 2nd position with a game in hand over the current leaders and are also still on track to defend the District Cup. Having only lost one game in 9 we are in a very strong position, but tough games await us after Christmas and it will be a big challenge to get our three league titles in a row – bring it on!!
M3 (East 1)- Richard Emerson
With a goal ratio of 4:1 per game, intricate passing and fleet footed fullbacks, it would be easy for the M3’s to be mistaken for the famous Barcelona FC. Although, with a centre back as subtle as Razor Ruddock, a midfielder who’s pre-match drinking makes Gazza look tame, and a forward who misses more sitters than Harold Brattbakk, the M3’s season thus far has not always been up to La Liga standard. Despite this, after winning 7 out of 9 games, they currently sit third in the league, a point behind the leaders with a game in hand. With a solid defence that concedes on average only 0.9 goals per game, and a free scoring attack line, consistency is now the key for the second half of the season. A top 3 finish was the aim at the start of the season…. Winning the league I hear you say…. only time will tell?
L3 (East 2)- Anneka Walker
The L3s have had a tremendous start to the season, losing only one of six matches to Edinburgh University. We have travelled far and wide, from Dunbar to Corstorphine and scored nineteen goals along the way; the Top Scorer title is hotly contested. Will it be Suzi ‘how do you like them apples?’ Ridley, Anneka ‘The Poacher’ Walker, Katie ‘Take no Prisoners’ Gibson or Jo ‘sneaky sneakerson’ Duthie? Not forgetting the backbone of the team, we have seen some unbelievable tackling, ball stealing and passing from the defence and mid-field. Roll on 2013, we have our eyes firmly on the promotion prize.
M4 (East 2) – Andy Mitchell
A tricky first half to the season for the M4s with some game cancellations, weather call-offs and certain members of the team getting red carded. But we have a few games in hand and if we can keep our “Fidra” spirit and mentality going through the second half of the season, we can achieve a good position in the league. M4s are currently sitting 9th out of 12 in the East District Division 2. With two wins (against Edin Uni 7s and Edinburgh Colts), two draws (against Watsonians and Fidra Lions) and four losses (against Dunfermline City, Inverleith 3s, Kinross 2s and UoE 5s.).
L4 (East 3)- Alison Forester Smith
The L4 have had a fairly shaky start and played only 6 matches out of 9. Currently the team is sitting in 8th place. In the first half of the season the L4 have struggled to get a consistent team out. However with the hard work in integrating the School girls in the squad and the return of our regular players, the second half of the season looks promising.