Hethersett Athletic

Hethersett Ladies are learning that there is no easy route to the Eastern Region Premier Division title as they “won ugly” against Dagenham and Redbridge.

There is no doubting the skill and ability of the Hethersett team but on Sunday they had to grind a result out against a strong Dagenham side that never gave up and provided a stern test of the home side’s championship credentials.

With only two matches being played in the Premier Division it was vital for Hethersett to record a win to increase their lead at the top of the table. Victory took them 10 points clear of second placed Peterborough and, perhaps more significantly, 13 points clear of Norwich City. Peterborough have three games and Norwich five in hand of Hethersett. Hethersett also remain the only side to have beaten Norwich this season.

Dagenham and Redbridge were a much harder nut to crack than their lowly league placing suggested. They are the draw masters of the league with five out of their 13 matches ending level.

Hethersett suffered a serious setback after just nine minutes when Dagenham took the lead with a shot into the top corner from all of 35 yards. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side and they found creating chances difficult with Laura Hodgson going the closest when she saw a drive skim the top of the crossbar after a powerful run. Dagenham also saw a shot hit the inside of a post and run along the goalline before being cleared.

Hethersett dominated the second half and got themselves on level terms in the 56^th minute when a corner from the right was headed on by a defender and Nicola Bray volleyed home at the back post.

Hethersett continued to pile forward looking for the goal that would give them a vital win and also a league double over Dagenham. It came after 72 minutes when Nicola Bray was hauled over on the penalty area and Nicola Stolworthy made no mistake from the penalty spot.

At the end there was a feeling of jubilation but also relief in the Hethersett camp. They take a break from league action this Sunday when Dagenham and Redbridge are again the visitors to Easton College – this time for a League Cup fixture. The following week Hethersett visit Ipswich Town in the quarter-finals of the Norfolk and Suffolk Cup. They round off the month with a home league game against Barking on January 27^th.

Latest positions in the Eastern Region Premier Division are:

team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Ps
Hethersett Athletic	15	11	1	3	52	16	34
Peterborough	12	8	0	4	31	13	24
Haringey Borough	13	7	3	3	33	29	24
Woodbridge Town	13	7	1	5	22	19	22
Norwich City	10	6	3	1	29	7	21
Barking	14	5	1	8	19	28	16
Cambridge University	13	5	1	7	18	32	16
Bedford Ladies	11	4	3	4	25	28	15
Haverhill Rovers	14	4	2	8	20	43	14
Cambridge United	13	4	1	8	22	33	13
Dagenham & Redbridge	13	2	5	6	25	25	11
Royston Town	13	3	1	9	11	34	10

Norman Wanderers 2

Hethersett Athletic 0

Hethersett Athletic lost to Norman Wanderers for the third time this season when they went down 2-0 in the Norwich Sunday League Premier Division.

Norman had a greater appetite for the game, although Hethersett had plenty of the territorial advantage. The home team were first to any loose ball, sharp in the tackle and gave Hethersett no space in which to play their normal expansive game.

Hethersett were virtually back to full strength after weeks of having to field under-strength sides due to injury and suspensions.

Norman took the lead after 27 minutes with a hard low shot and made it 2-0 two minutes from half-time when a forward was given far too much space. Hethersett’s best effort of the half saw a Stuart Holton effort that was cleared off the line.

Hethersett were pinned back in the second half with Norman squandering a number of chances and Chris Brownbridge being called on to make a series of good saves. Hethersett finished strongly with John Curtis also having a shot cleared off the line, but overall a stronger Normans side deserved to take the points.

This Sunday Hethersett have their first home game of the year when they entertain Prince of Denmark (Easton College 2 p.m).

Hethersett Athletic A had a valuable 2-1 victory over bottom club Royal Oak to move themselves up to 10^th place in Division 4B of the Norwich Sunday League. Their goals came from Freddie Raven and Andy Oliver. This Sunday they visit Thorpe Marriott.

Hethersett Athletic Reserves were without a game at the weekend. This Sunday they are home to Drayton (Memorial Field 10.30 a.m).

Hethersett Under-15s have hit a rich vein of form that has seen them win four league games in a row which has hauled them up to fifth place in the Norfolk Youth Combination League. Their latest match saw them beat Poringland 2-0 on the Memorial Playing Field. Both teams started well and played some good passing football without creating many chances. Hethersett started to dominate late in the first half, when a powerful shot was only parried by the Poringland ‘keeper and Luke Giles was on hand to give his team a 1-0 half-time lead. The second half started much the same with only a few chances at either end. Hethersett won a corner and, following a goalmouth scramble, the ball was turned in by Tom Bird to double Hethersett’s advantage. Sam Bird and Lewis Rodgers were named joint men of the match. This Sunday the Under-15s visit Dereham in the league.

Hethersett Athletic Under-14s visited Lakeford and came away with a fine 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Bensley (2) and Smith. The Under-16s lost narrowly 3-2 at Heigham Park (Luther-Veitch and Dyson), The Under-13s lost 10-2 against Thorpe (Bell and Cooper), but the Under-12s beat Costessey 3-1 (Rathjen, Pfeiffer and Groom). The Under-11s went down 4-3 to Mulbarton (Page, Wyatt, Butcher). The Under-10A side beat Salhouse 5-0 (Baxter 3, Rix, Doggett) but lost 5-0 to Dereham and the Under-10B side went down 9-0 at home to Mundford. This week the Under-16s are home to Sprowston (Memorial Field 10.30), the Under-15s visit Dereham, the Under-14s are home to Taverham (Old Hall School 10.30), the Under-13s visit Hellesdon, the Under-12s are home to Firside (Old Hall School 2 p.m), the Under-11s visit Dereham, the Under-10A side visit Norwich United in the League Cup, the Under-10B side visit Wymondham and the Under-9s are home to Hillside A and Thorpe (Memorial Field 2 p.m).

Hethersett Girls Under-15s and Under-12s were without matches at the weekend. The Under-12s return to action this Saturday when they visit Red Rose. The Under-15s have to wait until January 19^th for their return to action with a home game against Norman Wanderers.