New look Hawks side lose out in Berks League opener

HENLEY HAWKS WOMEN lost their debut Berkshire Premier Division match 46-35 to a well-drilled B’s side.

With none of the players having played together before, this was a true baptism of fire.

The opening quarter saw both sides trading goals in a high-intensity start. Lucy Sharman-Munday and Claire Moyses worked tirelessly in defence, disrupting B’s attacking flow, while Emma Robinson and Alice Bland linked up well in the shooting circle. Despite the strong efforts, Hawks trailed 12-10.

In the second quarter, Leah Daines was introduced, bringing fresh pace and vision to the attacking line. Although B’s started to pull away with clinical shooting and tight marking, Georgina Robertson remained composed at centre as the B’s led 23-16 at half-time.

The third quarter saw further rotation, with Alex Jacob stepping in at goal shooter and Annah Spear returning to court in defence. Hawks continued to find rhythm and pushed hard through mid-court pressure from Hannah Cornish and smart feeding from Daines. However, B’s capitalised on a few turnovers, extending their lead to 34-23.

More changes were made for the final quarter as the Hawks fought to the final whistle, showing glimpses of real promise and team cohesion, before eventually losing out by 11 goals.

In the EMMNA National South Series, HENLEY HAWKS MEN went down to a 56-47 defeat against GIANTS, a side made up of national championship winners and England players.

The Giants struck early with blistering speed through court, but debutant defender Rich Taylor at WD was more than up to the challenge, disrupting their play and contesting every ball.

Charlie Jordan was the engine at centre with his relentless work rate and he linked well with Stephen Kelly who brought calm control and sharp movement to the attack line.

Though Giants found their rhythm first and took an early lead, the defensive duo of captain Ray Atkinson and Geoff Watts began to disrupt their play. The Giants led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter Jordan continued to drive Hawks’ tempo while Atkinson was everywhere in defence. In the shooting circle, Javi Marin Florido remained calm and clinical. Hawks took the lead midway through the quarter thanks to a sequence of turnovers and fast conversions. Giants clawed their way back just before half-time to lead 25-23.

In the third quarter Jordan remained a driving force for the Hawks as they surged ahead again. An injury to Giants’ shooter changed the dynamic, prompting them to shift tactics and bring on fresh legs and extended their lead to 42-35.

The final quarter saw Giants introduce more fresh players, and their legs made a difference as they ran out nine-goal winners. Zak Brown was named Hawks’ man-of-the-match.

HENLEY HAWKS U13s, playing their first ever fixture, went down to a 41-14 defeat against WOODLEY U13s at the Piggott School on Wednesday of last week.

The first quarter was evenly matched, with neither side able to pull away, going goal for goal as Maisie Smith and Soraya Stender combined with accuracy and confidence in the shooting circle for the Hawks.

Lois Hamilton played a pivotal role in feeding the circle, while Daisy Goforth linked defence and attack with smart movement as Woodley led 8-7.

In the second quarter, Woodley began to edge ahead. Hawks captain Erin-Rose Chester applied pressure across the midcourt, Sophia Stavrou (GD) intercepted key passes, and Kitty Lawrence anchoring the defensive circle, but they were unable to stop Woodley extending their lead to 18-11.

The third quarter saw Woodley race away to a 32-14 lead as fatigue set in for the Hawks. Woodley eventually won the match by 27 goals.