Hawks edge narrowing victory to maintain winning league run

HENLEY HAWKS 1sts ran out 43-36 winners in their Maidenhead and District League Premier Division clash with WINDSOR.

The Hawks started brightly, settling into their flow early and taking a three-goal lead by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Henley continued to build momentum, working the ball efficiently through court and extending their advantage to six goals at half-time.

After the break Windsor came out revitalised and began to chip away at the deficit, narrowing the margin to just three goals by the end of the third quarter.

The Hawks held their nerve in the final period, stepping up a gear, to claim their first win of the season.

In Division, HENLEY HAWKS 2nds went down 33-21 to unbeaten MAGNET ICE in a fiercely competitive and physical encounter.

The opening quarter was tightly contested with Hawks matching Ice goal for goal through sharp movement and strong defensive pressure, though Ice managed to edge ahead by two.

The second quarter saw Ice make the most of a few turnovers to stretch their lead but Hawks continued to battle hard across the court against a physical and well-drilled opposition.

Despite the Hawks continuing to fight for every ball, Ice extended their lead to run out winners by 12 goals.

In Division 2, HENLEY HAWKS 3rds went down to a heavy 48-27 defeat against VENOM.

Venom started quickly, finding their rhythm early and taking a 10-goal lead by the end of the first quarter. From the second quarter onwards, Hawks began to settle, tightening up in defence and finding more flow through the mid-court. Their patience in attack and resilience under pressure saw them create several well-worked opportunities, keeping the game competitive and pushing hard for the bonus point right until the final whistle.

HENLEY HAWKS 5ths ran out 37-28 winners in their Division 3 clash with BUMBLEBEES.

The Hawks got off to a confident start, settling quickly into rhythm and producing some sharp attacking play. Their defensive unit broke down Bumblebees’ early phases of play, allowing Hawks to build a four-goal cushion by the end of the first quarter.

The tone shifted in the second quarter as Bumblebees raised their intensity. They applied sustained pressure through the centre court and capitalised on turnover opportunities. Hawks found themselves contained for much of the quarter and Bumblebees began to chip away at the lead, reducing the gap to two goals by half-time.

Momentum stayed with Bumblebees in the third quarter as they continued to press hard, forcing Hawks into errors and narrowing the margin even further. With the scoreline down to just a single goal, the game was finely poised. However, the final quarter belonged to the Hawks as the defensive pairing turned over crucial ball, while calm and accurate shooting from the attack saw Hawks regain control of the game.

Despite a strong challenge from Bumblebees, who did enough to earn the bonus point, it was Henley Hawks who claimed victory by nine goals.

HENLEY HAWKS 4ths continued their unbeaten run in Division 4 as they defeated PINK FLAMINGOS BLUSH 23-22.

The opening quarter set the tone as the Hawks settled quickly into a rhythm and edged ahead by a single goal. The second quarter mirrored the first, with neither side giving an inch. Turnovers were hard to come by and every goal was earned the hard way, but Hawks dug deep to protect their slender one-goal lead heading into half-time.

The third quarter saw Hawks step up a gear. Through composed play and sharp shooting, they found a breakthrough with a couple of unanswered goals to stretch the lead to four heading into the final 10 minutes.

Blush rallied in the final quarter, clawing their way back into the game and applying huge pressure in the closing minutes. Hawks were forced to defend as a unit, showing grit to hold their nerve in a nail-biting finish to triumph by a single goal.

HENLEY HAWKS U13s ran out 37-18 winners in their Berkshire League U13 clash with FINCH GREEN U13s last Saturday.

The Hawks started brightly with sharp passing, good movement and clinical finishing in the shooting circle. By the end of the first quarter, Henley had built a 10-5 lead.

Player-of-the-match shooter Soraya Stender was in unstoppable form, consistently finding the net and proving too much for the Finch defence.

At the other end of the court, defender Kitty Lawrence was outstanding, making key interceptions, breaking down Finch Green’s attacking plays and swiftly turning defence into attack.

The Hawks maintained their dominance through all four quarters to run out winners by 19 goals.