HBU had two teams taking part in semi-final seconds legs at the weekend. The first team were 3-1 down against Premier League champions  Grimsby.
HBU travelled to Grimsby on Saturday 1 – 3 down from the first leg and without captain Joe Singleton.  Captain for the match was Fabio Vicente.

HBU started brightly and had most of the play. Alex Mount scored after 5 minutes and reduced the overall deficit to 1. A minute later Lewis Greenwood put the ball in the net but for some inexplicable reason the goal was not given and play recommenced with a face-off. This should have levelled the overall score and put a very different complexion on the match.

As it was, the HBU manager struggled to get composure back into his players. 5 minutes later Grimsby’s Mark Waddingham managed to get his stick ahead of his marker and slotted home Grimsby’s equaliser. Another 5 minutes and Waddingham scored again with a brilliant piece of individuality that jinked the ball over Mount’s shoulder when the angle looked far too late for a shot. A further goal from Waddingham on the other post saw Grimsby go into the interval  3 – 1 up on the day.

HBU’s plan for the second half was to rotate forwards and conserve energy without conceding goals in order to apply a late push for goals. The team put in a disciplined holding performance and it worked extremely well. Fabio Vicente scored from an Italian turn with 12 minutes left. HBU were now dominating the match but Grimsby’s keeper Eddie Revell was on top form. With 6 minutes to go tackling players crashed into the barrier and a spectator crashed to the floor banging her head. Play stopped while she received attention and was then taken off by paramedics. The side effect was that Grimsby had time to recover some energy and hold HBU out for the rest of the match.

So, a 3 – 2 defeat on the day and a 6 – 3 loss overall. Apart from the disappointment of the disallowed goal, a really good game.  A young HBU team containing two 15 year olds and two 16 year olds can take a lot of credit from this match with great experience to take into next season.

HBU Veterans were the second semi-final of the day and we’re travelling to Middlesbrough with a 9-4 lead.

HBU Vets expected Middlesbrough to go for it today and have a full complement of players for this leg. United really didn’t take advantage of what they gained and were almost immediately on the back foot. United managed to keep game in reach and in front overall through out the half, leaving Middlesbrough to still have a mountain to climb.

The second half recommenced and Middlesbrough went about climbing that mountain, and were doing so efficiently, with 12 minutes to go they had closed the gap and the game was back to effectively 0-0. United now had to kick into gear and change tactic, however following a direct free hit that could have put them back into the lead, but denied by the post, Middlesbrough also had a chance but missed from the spot but it was not enough to stop them and they soon got the goal to put them in front over the two legs with 3 minutes to go the comeback was complete with the score now 10-4 Middlesbrough. United we’re given a further chance but failed and were pushing very hard with a minute to go it looked to be impossible but could not penetrate Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough goes through to the final and the impossible was achieved and Won the  National Cup Semi-Final 14- 13.
United were openly disappointed and Middlesbrough were jubilant and deservedly so.

United’s Brendan Barker said after the game; “we are absolutely gutted with the result, to travel all this way with such an advantage and lose is crazy, we have no excuses and Middlesbrough were far better than us today. Unfortunately our hope of getting our old team together again and reaching a Final one more time but as Veterans was not to be, I very much doubt we will enter another and this is likely to be the last time this team enters a National competition.”

United’s veterans side was very dominant in there time and today their goal keeper Garrett Priestly who is approaching 50 played the full game with 5 of the 9 players all over 40 years old and the youngest being 36 have done a good job overall and can still very much hold there own against the current top teams in the UK. What HBU have now is a very promising young side in the club and very much could have a bright future as a title contender for next season.

HBU 1st team vs Grimsby: Eddie Mount, Alex Mount(1), Josh Branchett, Lewis Greenwood, Fabio Vicente(1), Tom White, David Martindale

HBU Veterans vs Middlesbrough: Garrett Priestley, Phil McVey(1)(c), Nigel Mills, Nick Barton, Simon Hosking, Richard Walker, Brendan Barker (3)

Evricup 2014 

Roller Hockey 

On 11 June, Herne Bay United veterans traveled to St Hipolit de Votrega in Catalonia to play the Evricup tournament (35+).

HBU’s group matches, both of which were on Thursday, were against 2 Spanish teams, Vilafranca and FC Barcelona. This was a tough group with FCB appearing for the first time in the event and expecting to be the winners.

In the first match against Vilafranca, HBU started hesitantly and goals were scored by both sides, but as the 2^nd half drew to a close HBU retained more energy and ran out comfortable winners 7 – 3.

HBU had 3 hours in which to eat and try to regain some energy for the match with FCB. Some very familiar roller hockey personalities took the floor for FCB but United defended strongly and at half time FCB had a 2 – 1 lead. FCB continued where they left off in the second half and increased their lead to 4 – 1. Then Brendan Barker managed to find a hole somewhere under the FCB goalkeeper bringing it back to 4 – 2 but nothing much changed in FCB’s domination otherwise.

With about 7 minutes left, Barker scored an out of the blue slapshot from just inside the half way line which drew a standing ovation from the crowd.  FCB’s composure left them and Barker started to cause a lot of concern in front of their goal. This led to 2 penalties in the last minute both of which Barker converted. The unimaginable had happened HBU 5 FCB 4 and big grins on the faces of the HBU team and pretty much everyone in the building.

HBU had won their group and would now face the other group winners in the semi-finals on Friday. HBU’s semi final was against Barcino. While HBU had beaten Barcino last year in Herne Bay, Barcino had added to their full squad and HBU were without some of their out-players.  Through new (old) star Tony Sachez, Barcino tore HBU apart and won comfortably 10 – 3. This meant that HBU had to play Portuguese team Parede for 3^rd/4^th place on Saturday.

Each afternoon it rained a little but today the heavens opened and there was a major thunderstorm which saw water flowing around the courtyard and coming into the stands where windows had been left open. This continued throughout HBU’s match with Parede and the match was equally exciting with each team scoring and swapping the lead. HBU had a penalty which, today, Barker failed to convert. Then Parede had 2 direct free hits both of which they scored. With the score at 5 – 5, Phil McVey converted a penalty and HBU were 6 – 5 with 3 minutes on the clock. We immediately took a time-out to compose ourselves to defend the last 3 minutes but a scoring opportunity arose that could not be resisted and it failed giving rise to a counter attack through which Parede leveled the score.

Play ended at 6 – 6 and had to be decided on direct three hits. HBU’s were dismal in their free-hits and Parede managed to beat Dan Barton once and so secured 3^rd place. HBU were 4^th, one place behind last year in Herne Bay.

Barcino won the tournament beating Valkenswaard from Holland 6 – 2.

FCB finished in 5^th place one lower than HBU.

Barker scoring all 5 against FCB got a special mention in the presentation.

HBU Team: Garrett Priestley (GK), Dan Barton (GK), Phil McVey (4)(captain), Nigel Mills(1), Brendan Barker(12), Richard Walker, Nick Barton(1), Simon Hosking(3).

Footnote: Wednesday’s (June 11^th) Daily Telegraph carried an article on page 9 (“England team upstages Barcelona – shame they are too young for Brazil”) about a children’s football team (under 1) from Upminster that had managed to beat an FCB academy team in Spain in a tournament. But we did not see it until after our result!

Information

The European Veteran Roller hockey Invitational Cup, in short Evricup, was created in 2003 when the first tournament was played in Barcelona. This tournament was the result of a collaboration between Barcino and Geieg from Spain, Castiglione from Italy and Dreamteam from The Netherlands. Following the initiative of Angel Figueroa Messrs. Labory, Escuder, Becacci and Ben Veerman have organized annually a veterans tournament, using their extensive international network.

Over the years the Evri-cup has become the largest international Veterans tournament in the world.  In the early years played in a single category, namely 35 +. Because it showed in the course of time that the quality and level went up, the 50 + category was introduced during the tournament in 2009 in Zaandam. Finally in 2009, rules were established that participants must comply with and the International Evricup Committee (IEC) was established.

The objective of the Evricup circuit is to promote roller hockey in the broadest sense and provide a platform for the older players to be able to compete in their favorite sport.

Last year (2013) the Evricup was held in the Bay Sports Arena in Herne Bay from May 29 until June 1 with Herne bay United coming 3^rd behind winners Paço de Arcos from Portugal and Lobinhos also from Portugal. The 2014 event took place in Voltrega (Spain).

The following cities are signed up to organize the tournament:

Paco de Arcos (Portugal) 2015

Trieste (Italy) 2016

“Herne Bay United U13 team and parents travelled to Soham, Cambridgeshire last weekend to compete in the Eastern Counties Roller Hockey Association Jubilee Cup 2014.

The two-day event saw eight teams from the North, South and East of England competing against each other for the title.

HBU’s first game was against Northern team Grimsby who were unknown to them. However, it became very apparent soon that HBU were a much confident and stronger team and they won the game easily 4-0.

Their second was against Walpole from the East of England, this was a young side which allowed the more experienced HBU players to dominate the play early on in the first half. HBU were able to score at will and the game finished 11-0 to HBU with nearly all the players getting onto the score sheet.

HBU’s last game of the day was against a much more experienced team Peterborough who had already won their own Eastern Regional League. With some end to end hockey and both goalkeepers making good saves it remained tight for awhile. However, the HBU team continued to press hard and scored a well worked goal. A couple more came for HBU before a lack of concentration allowed Peterborough to claim one back just before half-time.

In the second half Peterborough came out determined and pushed hard for more goals. HBU’s defence held strong and they gradually began to dominate again scoring another goal before the final whistle. Winning the game 5-1 meant they had finished in first place in ‘Pool A’ at the end of the first day.

It had been a long day so players and parents enjoyed some good food in Ely before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

On the Sunday Herne Bay United met an Eastern Counties select team in the first semi-final of the day. A good start by HBU with Luke Huckstepp scoring twice before the half-time whistle. However, lack of concentration at the start of the second half allowed EC Select to score a goal. This seemed to spur them on and HBU needed to quickly regain their composure under increasing pressure. The game was end to end hockey and very tight till within the last few minutes when EC Select equalised to make it 2-2. Time had run out for HBU to close the game off and they would have to play 5 mins each way extra time with a ‘Golden Goal’ to end the game or it would go to penalties. After a stern talking to from the HBU coaches the team came out for the first period of extra time very positive. They dominated the play in the first couple of minutes with at least four chances on goal. HBU continued to apply pressure and EC Select needed to defend hard but were not able to get out of their half. HBU’s Captain George Daly found himself with some space in front of EC Select’s defence and took a slapshot that cannoned into the top left corner of the goal securing the win to take the team into the final later in the day.

The final was against local rivals Kent Roller Hockey and Skating Academy who had beaten Peterborough in their own semi-final. This was always going to be a good game for the spectators. HBU started off well with an early goal from Harry Slack. The Kent Academy hit back and quickly scored two goals to put them ahead. The game was turning into a very physical game, which needed some firm refereeing.

HBU remained composed and began to apply some pressure with the team playing some good passing hockey, which enabled George Daly to score two good goals to regain the lead. A lapse of concentration by HBU’s defence allowed KRHA’s Josh Osborne to equalise just before half time. An exciting but very tense first half, which had the spectators, enthralled.

After a poor start to the league season HBU u15 team finished on a high with three strong performances in Eastern Counties div 1 to secure 3rd place.

First up were league champions Kings Lynn who only last week had overwhelmed the HBU players. Learning from last week’s errors HBU took the lead in a close game with a well worked goal and held on to the lead until late in the game when quick reactions to a lose ball saw Kings Lynn equalise and then a penalty resulted in a 2-1 defeat.

Determined after the first game, HBU faced title hopefuls and cup final opponents Letchworth who had previously beaten HBU. In a physical game HBU went into the lead with the halftime score 1-0. HBU extended the lead twice in the 2nd half only to be pegged back on both occasions to win 3-2 and make sure of 3rd place.

The final game against Cambridge was effectively a ‘dead rubber’ and the HBU coach saw it as a chance to give the players a chance to test their alternative defensive system for real. It took a little while to get sorted which saw HBU fall behind by 3 goals before pulling it back and falling just short 2-3 but knowing what to work on in the training sessions.

Having already secured the South Eastern league title, HBU U 15 will go through to the National club championships on 28 June in Peterborough. They will complete the season in the National Cup finals at the Bay Arena on Saturday 19 July.

HBU : Rhys Young, Jamie McVey, Will Parkinson-Wellard, Josh Butcher, Oli Hudson, Jocie Greenwood, George Daly.