Hethersett Athletic

Hethersett Athletic Under-16s were the only team from the club to beat the weather over the weekend with all the other scheduled fixtures falling foul of waterlogged pitches. The Under-16s visited Taverham and went down 3-2 with their goals coming from Ross Luther-Veitch and Ryan O’Sullivan. The club will be hoping for better luck this weekend with the youth sections having a full programme of fixtures. On Saturday the Under-15 Girls make the long journey to North Lynn for a league match. The Under-12 Girls visit Aylsham, also in the league. On Sunday the Under-16s are home to Attleborough (Memorial Playing Field 10.30 a.m) and the Under-15s visit Scole. The Under-14s are home to Old Catton in the quarter-finals of the League Cup (Old Hall School 10.30 a.m). The Under-13s visit Costessey in the league, the Under-12s are home to Poringland (Old Hall School 2 p.m), the Under-11s visit Thorpe, the Under-10A team visit Sprowston in their League Cup quarter-final and the Under-10B team are home to Swaffham at Little Melton School. The Under-9s complete the fixture list with games against Norman and Lakeford on Hethersett Memorial Playing Field (2 p.m).

Seven members of the table-topping Hethersett Athletic Ladies team have been picked to play for Norfolk in the county’s game against Huntingdon FA at St Neots on 29^th January.

Nicola Bray, Emily Coates, Sophie Fuller, Logan Shepherd, Jemma Smythe, Nicola Stolworthy and Jodie Allard are no strangers to the Norfolk team and join eight players from Norwich City Ladies and Sarah Quantrll from Arsenal Ladies in the 16-player squad.

It is testimony to the success of Hethersett, that they are one of only three clubs represented in the squad – Arsenal and Norwich City Ladies being the others.

Hethersett’s intriguing Norfolk and Suffolk Cup tie at Ipswich Town was called off on Sunday due to a waterlogged pitch and will now be played this Sunday. Ipswich will be a supreme test for Hethersett. They are currently 14 points clear at the top of the South-East Combination which is the league above Hethersett. The Suffolk side have won 13 of their 14 league fixtures. The match replaces Hethersett’s scheduled home league fixture against Barking which will now be re-arranged for a later date.

“The Ipswich game will give us the chance to prove how far we have come. It is an exciting prospect for us and will act as a yardstick for the future,” said Hethersett Athletic co-manager Sue Milne.

Hethersett Athletic’s Harley Hammill has also been selected for county honours. Harley has been picked for the Norfolk Under-14s to play Cambridge United Academy on Saturday.

Hethersett Athletic’s Norwich Sunday League Premier Division fixture at Delaneys on Sunday fell foul of a waterlogged pitch. This Sunday Hethersett have a tough fixture in the second round of the League Cup when they visit AFC Wanderers. Hethersett will be aware that the league cup is the only competition they still have a realistic chance of winning. They will also be aware that Wanderers are runaway leaders of Division One of the Sunday League with a 100 per cent record.

Hethersett Athletic Reserves and A team’s fixtures were also postponed at the weekend. This week the Reserves are home to Horsford Social Club (Memorial Playing Field 10.30 a.m) and the A team visit Sprowston Rovers.