First XI matches

20 Oct 2007 Richmond 1sts 2 Harrogate 2nds 4

Not a great day for us this week as it we never really clicked. Not sure which Harrogate side was gonna turn up after the problems with their club they had a few new faces from last year. They seem fairly similar to us in that they seem to have mixed reports. They just were one step ahead of us all the time. They were quickly two goals up through a slick team move and then a lucky nutmeg of Dave. Fatty Matty Brown then managed to get us back in the game rounding the keeper for the second time in as many weeks.

MOM Wil ‘Chop Chop Chop’ Jones was in imperious form in defence with their attackers in the pocket throughout. In fact I can’t really work out how they beat us. Their forwards seemed to like dribbling into our sticks but kept on sneaking through somehow.

The second half was much of the same. Captain Crank went off with a bruised Carrot after throwing one aerial too many and they grabbed a third goal, beating Dave at the near post. Billy Whizz in his comeback game used his sizzling pace to burn off their defence and then calmly beat the keeper. Just needs to learn to pass and then he’ll be quality! As we pushed for that equalizer, we went to three at the back and everyone was pushed up exposing our defence. Wil was left on his own and even his big pockets couldn’t fit in three of their attackers and they finished off their game giving them a 4-2 win.

13 Oct 2007 City of York 2nds 2 Richmond 1sts 3

A trip down to York on Saturday saw us trying to avenge our 5-4 loss last year, when we managed to throw away a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes to go. Again we managed to play like a bunch a muppets, as we struggled to break down York. Chances galore were created however our finishing was as accurate as Steve Lowther’s navigating! Somehow we managed to turn around 1-0 down. A short corner shot deflected in past Ripon Dave to put them up. Pepe hit the bar, plus their keeper made numerous saves.

We stepped it up in the second half thankfully and started to ping the ball around, rather than passing it straight through their players in the middle. Azz scored at the back post for the first time in his life, following great link up play from Fudgy and Fatty Matty. MOM Dan Hodgson with the skills to pay the bills then put us 2-1 up finishing with style, putting forward further evidence for a Hodgson/Gedye partnership up front. We then let them back into the game with a combination of shocking tackling, poor defending and lack of fitness. With three minutes left, I thought we’d blown it, as they trickled in a short corner. The Big Man stepped up as Azz Pepe grabbed a winner with seconds left. Great link up play led to a reverse stick shot which Pepe deflected past the keeper.

MOM: Azz Pepe, he is UNREAL
DOD: Gedye, giving out complicated directions that Lowther couldn’t handle!

14 Oct 2007 Richmond 1sts 3 Northumbria St Georges 1sts 0

After three games without really clicking, we finally turned it on at home to North St Georges. Top performances from the back right thru to the money men up front led to us playing hockey in the right way for once. The opening exchanges were fairly even with both sides creating chances. The visitors converted theirs into short corners, whilst ours were in open play. Boyband hit the bar, whilst Bullhead used his pace, power and panache to create a great opening but lifted it just over the bar. Dan Hodgson grabbed his second in two games deflecting in Matt Brown’s shot.

The defence was stalwart throughout, with North St Georges making life easy trying to go through our defenders. Man of the Match Adam Gedye was making tackles for fun as his new stick made all that potential come to life!! Both sides couldn’t decide who was going to win as the second half progressed. The students had a strong fifteen minutes. Wil Jones was chop, chop, chopping away and we were shooting ourselves in the foot giving away numerous short corners. They failed to convert them with Dave Haley making outstanding saves whilst their attacking routines failed to come together.

Stocky and Gedye were battling away with their strikers and it was another fine tackle that set up our second goal. Matt Brown finally converted a one on one, rounding their keeper to put us ahead. Their heads went down and we finished in style, keeping hold of the ball, running them ragged and then scoring our thirds. A slick move down the right saw the ball fired in for Kev Barker to finish at the back post. Job done and third in the table. GET IN!!!

MOM: Gedye, big pockets. ‘He is GOD like’!!
DOD: Fatty Matty Brown
6 Oct 2007 Richmond 1sts 0 Sheffield Hallam 2nds 2

We welcomed Sheffield Hallam up North on Saturday for what turned out to be another battle at Richmond School. A completely different team turned up to the one that beat us at the end of last season, nice to actually play their proper second team aswell. They were still pretty useful and kept the ball very well. We were missing Matty and Azz up front, however were still creating chances as Dunc and Fudgy were menacing their defence. With them going on all out attack they left the boys up front space, leading to Dunc hitting the post. We also forced a few short corners however our inability to convert these, again let us down!

Despite Hallam’s great retention of the ball, they didn’t create a huge amount of clear cut chances. They fizzed the ball across the D looking for deflections however they never quite came off. A flick was forced however as a fast breakaway left to Dan Hodge trying to stop the ball on the line, but it unfortunately hit his body. Their fitness and big bench became a big factor in the second half as we tired, constantly chasing after the ball. It was left to another set piece though for their second goal, as a fluffed short corner strike managed to squeeze under Dave in goal.

MOM: Wil Jones, top tackling
DOD: Jim King, Gardening Duty

29 Sept 2007 Slazengers 1sts 3 Richmond 1sts 4

A sunny afternoon down in Wakefield and after a quick speed down in the Banter Bus, Richmond First XI opened the season against Slazengers. Following two losses last year to the same opposition Richmond were keen to make amends. They started strongly putting Slazengers immediately on the back foot. After dominating the opening exchanges Richmond forced a penalty flick with Dan Hodgson being denied a goal due to Slazengers foot. Matt Brown calmly converted to put Richmond 1.0 up. We then sat back and let Slazengers back into the game. Captain Crank gave away his second flick of the week kicking the ball in the D, and then sloppy marking let Slazengers in again with expert finishing putting the home side 2.1 up.

Richmond came back however, with the new centre midfield partnership of Bullhead and Idiot coming strong. Great hassling from Brown led to the ball rolling free at the top of the D, where Duncan Bottrill then finished with a wonder reverse stick shot. Brown then grabbed his second to put the purple army 3.2 up.

Half time came and the next goal would prove to be crucial. Brown grabbed his hat-trick to give the Richmond breathing space, however more action was to follow. Slazengers lost their centre back after use of foul language, and then we lost Fudgy after a stick tackle, taking the flack for shocking tackling by the Richmond defence throughout the second half. Another one of their players was lucky to stay on the pitch after over-reacting big style to an accidental trip. The home side pulled it back to 4.3 but couldn’t convert their pressure into goals due to Dave Haley making a string of mesmerizing saves.
MOM: Duncan Bottrill
DOD: Gedye


2nd XI

Durham City 3rd XI v Richmond 2nd XI

Clelland wonder goal proves vital and Richmond take all three points.

Richmond 2's continued their unbeaten start to the season by gaining a hard fought 4-3 victory away at relegation strugglers Durham City 3's. It was the home team that had the better of the early stages and scored a well taken goal when the city centre forward put the faintest touch on a speedy cross to deflect the ball past the Richmond keeper. Richmond then woke up and started to pass the ball with ease and forced a penalty corner in which Graeme Clelland scored a contender for goal of the season when he slid the ball past the Durham City goalkeeper from the tightest of angles.

Despite this piece of magic Richmond went down to yet another act of sloppy defending as Durham City scored on a quick counter attack. Richmond again pressed and went in all square at half time due to a fine 'Clelland/Brown' combination that resulted in the ball flying off Martin Brown's stick in to the roof of the net. At half time there were some stern words from Richmond captain Tony Potter but as per usual none of us were listening and we continued in sloppy fashion. With two minutes to go the game was evenly poised as we traded goals once more in the second half. No one would have argued that a three-all draw was a fair result. However Richmond scored with one of the final touches of the game as Jonathon Bagley popped up at the back stick to finish off the simplest of chances.
MOM - Martin Brown - Two Vital goals
DOD - ME - Did i really write such nonsense? (Yes! (editor))

Next weeks game Newcastle University 4's The one to watch: The strike force that scored just short of 100 goals last year have yet to hit form so far this season. Is the step up in class too much for them?? Due a big game: Gavin Hill very subdued and off form due to an illness has the pace and skill can cause even the best defence severe problems


4th XI

…Durham City 5ths ……5……..Richmond 4ths …….2…. (20th Oct 07)




This game was played on the fine Astro pitches of the Durham University grounds.

A match report was not compiled at the time. But 2 fine goals by Tom Kirby and Gregg were not enough to stop a Durham side that played well and deserved their 5-2 victory. Richmond were showing in patches that the youngsters in the team were beginning to blend and coming on in leaps and bounds which should bode well for next weeks game against Top of the table Darlington.







Norton 3rds ….10….Richmond 4ths……0………(6th-Oct-07)




Due to illness and absences a much weakened Richmond side turned up with a bare eleven, to face a very much bolstered Norton home squad of 14 players.

The very young Richmond side were no match for this strong team and the goals were going in regularly throughout the first half .A half time score of 5-0 was the result. But following a rousing half-time team talk Richmond came out and well matched the Norton side for the next 20 minutes , having as much of the play , and being unlucky not to score themselves on a few occasions . But the continuous rotation of 3 tired Norton players for 3 freshly rested players began to tell on a Richmond side unable to avail themselves of even one rotation and in the final 15 minutes Norton added 5 more goals to give the scoreline a very unfair look given Richmond’s strenuous efforts after the break.

A Man of the Match was not awarded for this week.







Richmond 4ths…..5…..Redcar 2nds …0 …(29-Sept-07)




The first game of the season started with two evenly matched sides giving their all, in a game that flowed from end to end , with both defences mostly on top . Just before half time Denny scored to put Richmond 1 up. The game again ebbed and flowed throughout the 2nd half, with neither side making a break through, until 15 minutes from the end when Tom Kirby scored to put Richmond 2 up. The fight now went out of Redcar and a further 3 quick goals , 2 from Richard Lewis and 1 from Luke McComb saw Richmond start the season with a fine 5-0 win . Richard Lewis was given Man of the Match for his 2 fine goals.