Hockey and Rugby Match Reports against Cargilfield
Reports for Belhaven Hill Matches against Cargilfield
Wednesday, 25th September 2024
1st Girls' Hockey
Today the girls travelled to the capitol to take on Cargilfield – traditionally one of our toughest opponents on the hockey pitch but, off the back of a successful match against Strathallan, and with a new playing structure in place, coach was looking forward to seeing what the girls could do.
Cargi had the hit-off but their initial attack was quickly cut off and almost immediately we had them on the back foot. After the first couple of minutes, play swept from one end of the pitch to the other and at the end of the first quarter, there was no score. I was delighted with the way the girls were playing and looked for them to just carry that on into the second quarter. Ottilie was commanding in her central defence position while Emily grew into her role as wing back.
Play continued to be fairly evenly balanced into the second quarter with our passing game the better of the two teams’ but Cargi carrying the ball stronger than we did. Unfortunately, about three minutes in, a moment of brain freeze saw us take a sixteen yard hit from wide on the pitch and, inexplicably, pass it straight to their unmarked player standing at top D – she couldn’t believe her luck and took an unopposed shot at goal for the first score of the match. Not great but, on the plus side, at least we would never do that again...
The third quarter remained tight with both side having opportunities to score. Eloise worked tirelessly in the middle while Wendy was great in both attack and defence in her wing-back position. Isla carried and harried well but could have been a bit more aggressive in the D – we really need to figure out how to make her more nasty/fierce! Unfortunately, despite all the excellent work done by the team, in a virtual carbon-copy of the previous quarter we managed to pass the ball, AGAIN, to a Cargi player waiting at top D (she certainly won’t need a birthday present this year as we gave her two gifts) and she happily smacked it home to give them a 0 – 2 lead.
So, going into the final quarter, I told the girls that I wanted them to throw everything into attack in order to try and get a goal (or two) and they certainly gave it a go! We had a few good scoring opportunities but just couldn’t get the ball across the line and while doing all this, Cargi managed to score two more goals on the bounce when they counter-attacked.
I don’t consider that the final score is a fair reflection of the closeness of the match and it certainly does not reflect just how good the girls were for so much of the game. I was impressed with how seamlessly I could make subs with players such as Bee, Emily & Maggie all slotting into position very well. This group is shaping up to be a good team.
Final Score:
Belhaven Hill 0 - 4 Cargilfield
Player of the Match: Wendy for some stylish play out wide and some excellent tackling on the run.
Mr. Townshend
2nd Girls' Hockey
Cargilfield 2 - Belhaven Hill 2
After several productive practice sessions and a refreshing weekend, we travelled to Cargilfield, looking forward to the challenges this fixture would bring. A healthy mix of nerves and anticipation captured the team's feelings.
It was a lovely afternoon, and the Cargilfield astroturf provided a wonderful surface for fast hockey. Unfortunately, we faced an early setback when Beatrix had to withdraw due to illness, leaving us without a designated keeper for the game.
Cargilfield started strongly, pressing us from the outset. Our defence, anchored by India, Molly, and Abigail, held firm. The team has begun to understand the importance of playing the ball wide before advancing, evident in the interplay between Florence and Abigail on the left and Molly and Bella on the right. This strategy allowed us to transition from defence to attack, enabling Iris and Clemmie to press the Cargilfield defence effectively. Both teams created numerous chances, and while Cargilfield established a 2-goal lead midway through the first half, a crucial goal just before halftime by India reduced the deficit to one.
At halftime, we focused on believing in ourselves and taking the game to the opposition. The team’s fantastic spirit and energy were evident as they returned to the field. We made a few positional changes, with Clemmie moving to midfield, Iris going up front, and Matilda joining the team for her first game.
We started the second half excellently, with Florence equalizing early on. The remaining fifteen minutes were thrilling, with both teams pushing for the win. India made remarkable goal-line saves, earning cheers from everyone, while a late flurry of shots from Iris and Clemmie had us on the edge of our seats.
The game finished in a draw, which I believe was a fair result. Cargilfield were sporting opponents, and we wish them all the best for the remainder of their season.
Mr. Dean
1st Boys' Rugby
Our first away game of the season and there are not many harder places to start your away fixture campaign than The North-West of Edinburgh. The sun was again shining on a cool day, another fine day for rugby. This coach has never travelled to Cargilfield and won, but on the back of two strong performances the team travelled with well-founded confidence.
The match started at a frantic pace with both teams going through multiple phases of play. Cargilfield opened the scoring followed by a fine try from Belhaven. The level of defence from both sides was formidable and both teams were repelled on multiple occasions from the 22. Cargilfield were to extend their lead before half time with some powerful running.
Half time: Cargilfield 14 – 5 Belhaven
The second half saw Cargilfield race away on the score board in the first five minutes with three quick-fire tries. The match as a contest was over, however, I gave the players two choices. Crumble, or bond together and win the rest of the match. The players met that challenge and kept up the contest with Cargilfield with Belhaven exchanging the next four tries. The last try was Belhaven’s as their relentless drive to succeed together lasted right to the last play of the game.
Final score: Cargilfield 49 - 24 Belhaven
Coach’s thoughts:
Do we like to lose matches? No. Can we live with this loss given the level of performance? Absolutely yes. Wins are good for building confidence and team moral. While the scoreboard did not end in our favour the players can, and should, leave Cargilfield with a sense of confidence and sense of togetherness. There are technical details which can be improved. The speed to, and body shape at rucks can be worked on. The leg drive in the tackle to make sure players are dropped to the ground are crucial. An area which requires no work is the determination and heart to achieve together. The relentless pursuit of improvement. This will carry us far this season.
Player of the match: Rollo
U11A Boys' Rugby
Belhaven 9 – 9 Cargilfield
With Fred injuring his ankle in a breaktime football match the day before the big clash, there was an opportunity for those who impressed in training to be called up to the A team. Alexander, Alfonso and Archie each made their first U11A appearance, with Mr White needing to highlight that he hadn’t just make his selections based on alphabetical order.
In the buildup to the match, we focused on passing the ball out of contact and getting to rucks quickly – areas of the game that had caused us problems against Dollar. As the game progressed it was a delight to see that we performed remarkably well on both fronts; however, it was our tackling that let us down. The Cargi attack ran through shirt tackles too easily, scoring 5 tries in the first half. Belhaven heads went down, but tries by Xander & Patrick lifted the spirits. We were 5-3 down at the break, but were still very much in it.
The start of the second half saw Cargi getting on the scoreboard quickly and Belhaven heads once more began to drop with the score at 9-4. The boys in blue need not have worried. The Belhaven phoenix eagle rose again and managed to stage one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. Xander’s darting runs proved too much for Cargilfield and whilst I was very keen to pass the baton of MOTM onto somebody else, it was difficult to see past his 7 tries.
Tries –Xander (7), Patrick (2)
Man of the Match – Xander
Mr White
U11A Girls' Hockey
On a crisp and unusually calm afternoon at Hallhill, the Belhaven Hill U11 girls took on a strong Cargilfield side in a hard-fought match. Despite a 4-0 loss, the Belhaven girls showcased resilience and determination throughout. Cargilfield set the pace early on, scoring two quick goals in the first ten minutes and doubling their lead in the second quarter. However, the Belhaven team never let their heads drop and continued to work hard until the final whistle.
Sophia, captaining the side, was outstanding on the wing, using her speed and skill to drive the ball forward. In defence, Isobel was rock-solid, consistently passing the ball out wide and helping to relieve pressure. Chloe was nothing short of heroic in goal, making several brilliant saves that kept the scoreline from escalating further.
The team displayed moments of beautiful, fluid hockey, moving the ball from their defensive D up to the attacking D with precision. Their communication on the pitch improved as the game went on, with noticeable cohesion during the final quarter.
The weather played its part in allowing for a fast-paced game, with clear blue skies and little wind—a rare treat for Dunbar.
By the end of the match, the girls came off the pitch with smiles on their faces, proud of their efforts despite the result. Isobel’s strong defensive performance earned her Player of the Match, deservedly recognised by the opposition. Moving forward, the team will focus on channeling the ball more effectively, running alongside opposition players, and applying pressure without diving into tackles - something that often allowed Cargilfield to regain possession and break forward.
U11B Boys' Rugby
Today saw a heavy defeat against Edinburgh rivals Cargilfield. The first half was a one-sided affair with the visitors winning it by twelve tries to three. Woody, Alfonso and Alexander got on the scoresheet but mainly through bloody determination rather than any semblance of good team play. At half-time I reminded the boys to get the ball, and indeed themselves, wide, and to commit more to the tackle. The aim was to score more tries in the coming half than we had in the first.
And so it proved. Although we ‘lost’ the second half too, it was by the much smaller margin of seven Cargilfield tries to our five. Woody and Finlay both went over the whitewash twice and Alfonso got his second of the game as we were much more competitive both in an attacking sense and also in our tackling. We managed to get the ball into wider areas more, and even began to support each other as we made ground going forward. Even in defence, at least we were managing at last to get our bodies into position across the pitch, even if we were beaten for pace more often than not.
Player of the Match: Alfonso for his gliding forward runs and a hugely improving approach to contact.
U11B Girls' Hockey
The under 11 B team girls and I made our way down to Hall-hill on a very chilly Wednesday afternoon ready for what was chirped up to be quite a match against a strong Cargi side. After slight logistical transport obstacles to overcome we all got down there with our mouth guards in and sticks ready to go. After a quick but thorough warm up the girls were ready.
Our captain for the match Rose met the captain of Cargi, they shook hands and were both ready for the toss. Unlucky for Rose, Cargi won the toss and started with the ball. Since Cargi had a goalie and we had a slight lack thereof, the fantastic umpire and the other one from Cargi decided that we could have an extra field player, which meant all the girls got a full match. All 8 players in position we were then ready to start.
Cargi started with the ball and within about 6 seconds I was blowing my whistle for a goal to Cargi - from then on the girls woke up! Back to the start and Mary took the ball, our girls did a fantastic job of calling for the ball but unfortunately there seemed to be a swarm of bees around this small white pot of honey. Despite this, the possession percentages were looking promising. Whistles gone - first quarter finished.
We all gathered in a circle to reflect and critique. After what felt like 10 seconds we were back out there and ready to fight back and score some goals. The girls had taken on the advice I had given them and went back out there determined and strong. This paid off as we won the ball after a 16, Mary passed the ball to Eliza, who took it up and passed to our captain and leader Rose who was perfectly positioned on the wing and was able to tap it in past the fierce Cargi goal keeper and get our first goal of the season. From then on the girls fought hard and won ball after ball. The defence was tough and although our attackers didn’t stop running, unfortunately Cargi got a few more goals and the final score was 4-1 to them.
I want to make a special mention to the girls in my team as they honestly fought so hard and played hockey the best I’ve ever seen them play. Starting with our demon defence duo of Sylvia G and Imogen O, these girls were on fire protecting our goal and getting their sticks down! I would like to see them start passing out wide after winning possession next week but they were absolutely fab!
On to the mid field where we had Eliza A, Lara D and Flora G who also had some brilliant defence. These girls again didn’t stop the the whole match and worked really hard to get the balls back. They made some brilliantly accurate passes as well! Again I would love to see them space out slightly more next week but super job girls.
On to our forwards we had Rose C © who also received player of the match from Cargi, Mary D and Alice. These girls didn’t stop running and were all very red faced after the match from working so unbelievably hard! I would love to see my wings stay more out on the wings to keep receiving those fantastic balls from defence and looking up when they are in the D to take a shot.
All in all I couldn’t pick a star player of the match in my team as they were all absolutely fantastic and will all receive a plus point from me.
Well done girls, I am looking forward to our next match already.
Miss Dyer
U11C Girls' Hockey
On a beautiful day at Hallhill, with clear blue skies and no wind - ideal conditions for a hockey match - Belhaven Hill's U11C girls took on Cargilfield. Both teams had a strong start, and the game remained competitive throughout the first half, with neither side managing to break through the defences.
In the second half, Cargilfield found their rhythm and scored three goals, leading to a final score of 3-0. Despite the result, there were plenty of positives for the Belhaven team.
Calantha was a key player up front, encouraging her teammates to push the ball forward. Delphine started the match at centre midfield but moved to defense, where she made a solid impact. Laia was tireless, carrying the ball up the pitch with determination, and Cecily worked hard to stay wide, as the team had practised.
The girls focused on staying wide and improving their communication on the pitch. Although the goals came late for Cargilfield, Belhaven continued to show strong teamwork and determination.
For future matches, we'll focus on developing accurate passing to get the ball out wide to our players more effectively. Despite the loss, the girls came off the pitch smiling, pleased with their performance and looking forward to their next game.
U9 Girls' Hockey
Belhaven 7 – Cargilfield 1
The first match of term is always an exciting one, and even more so for the U9s as this was their first ever Belhaven hockey match. We were super excited and couldn’t wait to get started. Cargilfield won the toss and decided to choose which end to shoot, which meant we took the first centre.
We began really well and took a while to adjust to playing as a full team as the girls only play 4 aside in training. They worked well as a team and made some great passes. Annie was super in attack and the ball stayed in our attacking half for the first few minutes. Holly managed to get in front of the players to have the first shot at goal.
In the second quarter, Cargilfield fought back hard which meant that Cleo and Arabella needed to work hard to stop the ball reaching the defending circle. Lexi moved to play attack and played the ball beautifully along the pitch. It wasn’t long though before Holly scored a second. Annie and Lexi had shots on goal, missing out each time and a great ball from the Cargilfield defence, soon saw the opposition in our defending circle and aiming for goal. By half time the score was 2 – 1.
A well-deserved quarter of orange and a quick drink of water saw the girls ready to go again. Anabel swapped in to play defence and Coren swapped back on to give Flora a rest. We had several shots on goal this quarter and the Cargilfield defence made a great save right in front of the goal to deny us another. However, it was not going to stop Annie from trying again and this time, succeeding.
For the final quarter, both teams were beginning to get tired but the Belhaven girls still had enough energy in them for a final few goals. Flora switched to play defence to allow Cleo to have a more attacking role. We kept the ball away from our defending circle and there was certainly no stopping the girls aiming for goal. The attack worked brilliantly together to move the ball along to our attacking circle with all four attacking players having shots on goal. Four more goals were scored in this final quarter before the final whistle blew.
What a super first game girls. You played really well as a team, encouraged each other and gained a good understanding of how the game works.
Three wishes ....
We need to have our heads up before passing
We need to make sure we are moving into a space
We need to try and keep our sticks down when defending
..... and a star
Annie was voted Star of the match by Cargilfield
Mrs G
