January Summary

What a start to 2026 for Crowborough Hockey Club.

Across all teams, we've had an incredible run with 15 wins and 5 draws so far this year. The quality of hockey is soaring, and we've already scored over 100 goals in just one month across the Men's, Women's and Development sections. Some standout games in January include the Men's 2's 14:2 victory against Eastbourne, the Women's 2's 9:0 win over Eastbourne and the Boy's Development team's impressive 11:4 triumph against Horsham.

Beyond the hockey pitch we recently held or annual quiz night, a crucial fundraising event for the Club. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and showed their support and big also a big thank you for all of the raffle donations especially the lovely Little Dough Company for their awesome voucher. We'd especially like to thank the wonderful Crowborough Athletic Football Club Women's 1st team, the volunteers from Crowborough Athletic Football Club and our quiz champions, Edenbridge Hockey Club. Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedicated committee who organised such a fantastic evening, and a special shout-out to our quizmaster, Sam Williams, for another brilliant quiz.

Women's 1's January Match Summaries:

10th January - Women's 1's travelled for a middle of the day fixture away against Brighton 4's who they drew against at the start of the season. Determined for a quick start to the new year, the team went on the attack from the first whistle and were rewarded when Kate Baxter arrived at the top of the D smashing the perfectly hit strike into the top corner to make it 1:0, 5 minutes in. The Crows kept pushing and were rewarded again with some great work by Jess Jolley to find Kate Baxter again who, this time, drove the ball into bottom corner to make it 2:0 after 10 minutes, the score remained the same till half time. The team then suffered a few injuries with Kate Innes taking a stick to the nose and Hannah Walker sliding on a slippery pitch however both rallied and the team were grateful they were able to rejoin the game. Brighton came out and pressed high but the team held fast, working hard, keeping up energy and working together. Sandra Hepple in goal made some excellent stretching saves and with the hard work of the centre backs, wingbacks, midfields alongside the ever running forwards the team saw out the game for a much needed win.

17th January - Women's 1s played Horsham 3's in a competitive, physical encounter. Horsham started on the front foot pressing hard with some well drilled passing routines. The Crowborough defence and midfield worked hard and communicated well to hold the onslaughts off for the first 15 minutes. Having weathered the initial storm Crowborough started to press and had some good attacking moves and were rewarded when Nikki Churchward took a long corner to Amanda Catling who fed the ball into Lucy Smith in the circle who laid it off to Kate Baxter for Nikki Churchward to slam it home for the Crows and make it 1:0 at half time. The second half continued at the same intensity, Millie Rymer-Gough continued with some critical interceptions and piercing passes out keeping Horsham on their toes in defence and attack. Crowborough's second goal came when the ball was switched from left to right with Dani Newitt finding Poppy Cureton who found Kate Baxter with a cool finish. A third followed not long after with a well worked short corner routine allowing Kate Baxter to complete her double. The final score was a 3:0 win for Borough meaning they climb to 7th in the league table. Player of the match went to Millie Rymer-Gough.

24th January - Women's 1s travelled to the triangle for a midday pushback against Mid Sussex 2's. With a squad with a few changes from previous weeks the team started quickly with Lucy Smith popping up to finish well within the first minute. The game settled with Mid Sussex packing the defence. The Crows kept probing and were rewarded when Flo Fuller broke down the left, slotting across to Meg Shaw for the teams second. Score 2:0 at half time. Determined to put the match out for sight the team started the second half brightly with flowing play. Kate Baxter was rewarded for some excellent individual skill to finish coolie and Flo Fuller stepped up on a short corner to slot another home. The team weren't done and following a lovely ball into the circle by Grace Mercer, Nikki Churchward popped up on the penalty spot to grab herself a goal, with the goal fest finished off with another lovely finish from Meg Shaw. A great overall team performance with Player of the match going to Flo Fuller for an all round fantastic performance which was full of energy and drive

31st January - 4:2 win, no match report provided.

Women's 2's January Match Summaries:

10th January - Women's 2's travelled to Little Hampton to take on Middleton 2's. The ladies took control from the first whistle, with the forwards making fast attacks on goal. The first goal was scored by Josie Mitchell from a short corner, this was quickly followed by Lottie Currie scoring a blinder after weaving her away past Middleton's defence and goal keeper. The ladies continued to battle on with many more attempts at goal. Isla Potter had an incredible game, dominating the middle and enabling further chances at goal. Isla Potter went onto be awarded player of the match, which was hugely deserved. The 2nd half the ladies were leading the game 2:0 up, another opportunity was created with Jen Brough slotting the ball to Eve Taylor which she smashed past the keeper. Making the final score 3:0 to the Crows. The whole team had a tremendous game, everyone came back from the festive break with real determination and it showed. So much so, goalie Tilly Singleton did not have to touch the ball once! A very exciting to start to the season for the ladies.

17th January - Women's 2's played Women's 3's at home, both teams battled from the first whistle, with 3s player Emily Holman having a brilliant game. She was awarded player of the match for stepping into a new position, which she excelled at. Isla Bysouth had her first adult game as goal keeper for the 3's. Bysouth did incredibly well against the fast attacks from the 2's forwards and midfielders and made multiple saves throughout the game. The 2's managed to find goals from two short corners, one from Hannah Walker and the other from Josie Mitchell. Libby Hamill, Eve Taylor, Lottie Currie & Jess Ikeson also scored goals making the score 6 nil to the 2's.

24th January - Women's 2's travelled to Steyning to take on South Downs Ladies’ 2nd team. Within the first few minutes, Jenny Brough scored the opening goal. Isla Potter quickly followed with another after slamming the ball into the back of the net. Wing back Annie Wood played a fantastic game, breaking down South Downs’ attacks before they could get near the D. Her brilliant performance earned her Player of the Match. Another goal soon came from a Jenny Brough cross in for Eve Taylor to nudge over the line. Eve Taylor then bagged another goal before heading into the second half. The second half saw Isla Potter score her second goal of the game, well deserved after battling her way through the defence. South Downs managed to pull one back; however, the centre backs — Daisy Howles, Emily Holman, and Bethy Catling — had a solid game. They kept their cool throughout, and Tilly Singleton made some incredible saves, as she always does! The ladies added one more goal after Jess Ikeson won the ball back during a quick South Downs attack. She ran the length of the pitch before passing to Eve Taylor, who struck it precisely to Josie Mitchell waiting in front of goal to swipe it past the keeper, making the final score a 6:1 win. A real team effort and a game enjoyed by all!

31st January - Women's 2's welcomed Eastbourne Ladies 3's at home and wasted no time stamping their authority on the game. The first half was nothing short of electric, with Josie Mitchell firing in a stunning first-half hat-trick. Caroline Cardozo added a moment of magic with a fantastic reverse-stick finish, while Matilda Whitney also got herself on the scoresheet to round off a dominant opening period. At the break, the Crows held a commanding 5–0 lead, determined to carry the same intensity into the second half. The pressure continued after half time, and it was Whitney who struck again — her second of the match — after driving the length of the pitch and weaving effortlessly through the Eastbourne defence. Lottie Currie then set up Mitchell for her fourth goal of the game, producing a brilliant j-run before sliding the ball perfectly to Mitchell waiting on the P spot. The goal of the game soon followed. Currie once again tore through the defence with another outstanding j-run, delivering the ball into the circle where Libby Hamill coolly slotted it into the left-hand corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance. While the forwards stole the headlines, the result was built on a huge team effort across the pitch. Hannah Walker worked tirelessly in midfield, holding things together alongside Isla Potter and Olivia Springer. At the back, Caroline Cardozo, Michelle Hulse, and Emma Christmas were rock solid, limiting Eastbourne to barely a sniff at goal. When called upon, Tilly Singleton produced the save of the match — calmly stopping a rare effort after barely seeing the ball all game and making it look effortless. The final whistle blew on a superb 9:0 victory for the Crows — another outstanding performance from the Ladies 2s. Player of the Match went to the entire team, a fitting reflection of a performance built on collective effort, hard work, and seamless teamwork

Women's 3's January Match Summaries:

10th January - 5:0 win, walkover.

17th January - 6:0 loss, no match report provided.

24th January - 4:0 loss, no match report provided.

31st January - 1:1 draw, no match report provided.

Women's 4's January Match Summaries:

10th January - The Women’s 4's faced Burgess Hill Flames in a crucial match on Saturday with a late pushback at 4:30. Understanding the necessity of a win, they prepared for a strong start, but the opposition matched their intensity. The first half was dominated by defense, with Rach Catling earning player of the match for her impenetrable performance, likened to a 'brick wall.' Wingbacks Amelia Turner, Willow Cureton, and Amber Valentine effectively marked their players and made crucial tackles, disrupting the opposition's play. Despite their efforts, the Crows conceded two short corner goals just before halftime. In the second half, the team appeared more settled, with impressive forward plays from Bethany Burns, Karen Shier, Izzy Ikeson, and Ellie Cawsey. Ellie Cawsey, despite it being only her second game, created significant opportunities by driving the ball down the wing and cutting into the D. The midfield, composed of Charlie Owen, Caroline Webb, Jen Turner, and Amber Halstead, displayed excellent linking play and brought a surge of energy, particularly in the second half. This energy was reflected in the team's improved defense, preventing any further goals after the two short corners in the first half. A special thanks to Sam Williams, who stepped in as goalie, providing a commanding presence and voice for the team. Despite their efforts, the match ended in a 2:0 defeat.

17th January - Women’s 4’s hosted East Grinstead at home. A superb fast attack from Crowborough saw Ellie Cawsey score her first goal for the Club. An end to end match ensued with strong defence from the Catling trio. Bethy and Rach made multiple clearance and Amanda saving anything that got through. A well drilled short from East Grinstead saw them draw level. Willow Cureton and Amelia Turner continued to drive the ball into mid field with Caroline Webb and Meg Shaw making determined attacks to feed Karen Shier and Izzy Ikeson but Crowborough could not beat the keeper. Despite Jenny Turner's determined play at DCM an East Grinstead attack broke through for a second goal. The match finished in a 2:1 loss. Player of the match went to goal scorer Ellie Cawsey.

24th January - No game.

31st January - Women’s 4’s hosted Brighton at home. With some positional changes due to some last minute illness Crowborough started with intent. Amelia Cornwall was sensational in mid in her first adult game. Feeding the ball to Karen Shier for numerous accurate shots on goal but the Brighton keeper was on amazing form. Our defence was equally strong with the Catling pairing stopping everything getting to keeper Isla Bysouth who kept anything that did make it pass out. An injury to Rachael Catling meant a position change for our young defence of Amelia Turner, Phoebe Markhan and Hannah Beckett but they were more than up to the job. Holly Sharp showed her true versatility covering almost every position at some point in the game. It was a close fought battle but neither team could beat the keepers and finished 0-0. Player of the match was shared between went to the 4 girls development joining us who all showed skill and determination.

Men's 1's January Match Summaries:

10th January - Men’s 1's hosted Eastbourne 2's in a 2:2 thriller. The lads came back after a month off and knew they would struggle as they where unable to train the week of the game. The opposition started well creating chances and scoring 2 goals in the first half as well as creating other opportunities. Borough managed to score in the first half also from a great goal on the p spot from a returning Sam Chick. In the second half Borough looked stronger and Cameron McCabe scored a great reverse hit from a short corner to make it 2:2. Eastbourne and and the Crows both made more chances but both teams couldn’t find the net and with Mikey Orchard making some great saves. Player of the match went to Angus Donaldson.

17th January - Men's 1's faced Southwick 1's after a disappointing performance last week and Southwick previously beating them it was a must win game. Borough started strong working out Southwicks Ariels and long passing. Borough dominated the first half creating so many opportunities which weren’t clinical enough to beat the keeper. They managed to go score with a great J run from Angus Donaldson to an awaiting Harry Turner who slotted home the first goal. The second half came and it was much the same, Borough dominating the possession and the attacking play, creating chance after chance. Sam Chick got on the score sheet for the second week in a row with a scrappy goal. Southwick managed to score a goal against the run of play from a short corner. This didn’t hinder Borough and they kept on goingand Olly Yeoman and Freddie Lee joined the score sheet to make it 4:1. Massive improvements from last week. Player of the match went to Greg Surridge

24th January - Men’s 1's hosted Hailsham 1's. Borough dominated most of the possession creating many chances in the first half but only managing to slot 2 chances away by a fired up Samuel Chick who had a point to prove after getting injured by the same team earlier on in the season. Hailsham managed to score a scrappy goal on the back foot. Second half showed lots of back and fourth play, has to be said Borough created so many chances which couldn’t be converted this week, Hailsham scored again some what controversially but Harry Turner put the game to bed by scoring a penalty flick and making sure Borough took home the 3 points. Player of the match was given to Oscar Fulham for a great first Men's 1's performance

31st January - Men’s 1's went away to Horsham to grab another 3 points. Crowborough started slowly struggling to convert chances and Horsham managed to grab an early first goal. Borough managed to gain two back in the first half with a penalty corner converted cooly by Harry Turner and a penalty flick converted by Cameron McCabe. The second half saw Borough change formation and dominate the second half with passes from the back breaking the lines, creating many chances and converting 1 from Freddie Lee and another from a drag flick from Cameron McCabe. The game finished in a 4:1 win. It was not the best performance from the Crows but it is another 3 points on the board. Player of the match went to Harry Hook.

Men's 2's January Match Summaries:

10th January - Men’s 2's went away to Worthing for an early push back. With a still frozen pitch Borough knew it would be hard work. Both teams battled for 70 mins to a 3:3 draw until Worthing got a short corner in last play where they scored taking it to a 4:3 loss for Crowborough. The goals where scored by Darren Pullman, Ted Fullham and Rohan Milne

17th January - Men's 2's hosted Eastbourne for the return fixture of the season. Crowborough started the game off strong with excellent ball control and took a grip of the game that Eastbourne never managed to reclaim. The boys went in at half time 7:1 up and finished the game 14:2 with Eastbourne scoring there 2 from short corners. Player of the match went to Oscar Fullham for his class performance at the back doing everything exceptionally well. Goal scorers Will Hook x2, James Lee x1, Joe Joyce x1, Ian Easton x1, Ted Fullham x1, Hamish Marr x6 and Jude Fuller x2.

24th January - Crowborough Men’s 2's travelled away to Crawley and came away with a convincing 6:0 win. Crowborough controlled the game well with player of the match Andy orchard opening the scoring tally with a textbook goal from the top of the D. Despite the scoreline, Crawley remained a good side and earned numerous short corners throughout the match. However, Crowborough’s defence stood firm, dealing with the pressure effectively and preventing Crawley from getting on the scoresheet. A solid all-round performance secured a well-deserved away victory, which now put crowborough at the top of there league! Goal scorers where Andy orchard x1, Hamish Marr x4 and Alex Seath x1.

31st January - No game.

Men's 3's January Match Summaries:

10th January - Men's 3’s hosted Eastbourne 5’s. Borough had a slow and difficult start to the game conceding 2 goals in the first 20 minutes from a string of short corners, alongside centre back Nick Sparks being forced off the pitch with an injury. Towards the end of the first half Borough seemed to up the tempo showing signs of attacking promise before half time. Rejuvenated in the second half Crowborough came out on fire with a dominant display in midfield from Steve Burns, starting the attack, some silky link up play saw Alfie Hook combining with Nate Potter, who scored to make it 2:1. Keen to capitalise on this goal Borough were quick after the restart, with striker George Lawson bagging his 5th goal of the campaign pinching the ball off an Eastbourne defender producing a lovely tomahawk strike to make it 2:2. The rest of the game was box to box with neither team finding a goal to take the lead. The match finished as a 2:2 draw, with Isaac Phillpott taking the player of the match award for stepping into defence due to injury with a commanding and solid display seeing as he was being played out of position.

17th January - Men's 3’s travelled to Horsham to take on Horsham 5’s. It was a tough game where Horsham were on top from the start scoring 2 early goals, it could have been much more if it wasn’t for Mark Fulham in goal making numerous saves to keep Horsham at bay, helped by Henry Stubbings in defence. Going foward the Crows were unlucky not to score with an early questionable disallowed goal from George Lawson. Eddie Dennett provided a needed spark off the bench in the second half, but they could not convert the chances they made. It was a tough game final score 4:0 to Horsham

24th January - 4:0 loss, no match report provided.

31st January - Men’s 3’s travelled away to Hastings to play South Saxons and ended up losing 5:4 in a very competitive game. Borough started very slowly with Saxons grabbing 4 early goals. Nate Potter grabbed one back for the 3’s. Going into the second half Saxon’s grabbed another goal. But Crowborough rallied back managing to score 3 in quick succession to bring the score back to 5:4 with Nate Potter grabbing another & Ian Easton scoring twice. Although the Crows completely dominating the second half, Borough failed to convert anymore chances. A performance that showed some promise. Hoping for a faster start against Worthing next week. Player of the match went to Nate Potter.

Adult League Positions:

Women's 1's - Martlet's Division 1 - 8th (18 points)

Women's 2's - Martlet's Division 3 - 1st (31 points)

Women's 3's - Martlet's Division 3 - 8th (12 points)

Women's 4's - Martlet's Division 4 - 9th (6 points)

Men's 1's - Martlet's Division 1 - 2nd (35 points)

Men's 2's - Martlet's Division 3 - 2nd (40 points)

Men's 3's - Martlet's Division 4 - 11th (14 points)

Girl's Development January Match Summaries:

10th January - Girl's development welcomed Hawks for a late, chilly home game. The girls started strongly with Amelia, Harry and Amber linking well to put the Hawks on the back foot. An excellent drive into the D saw Sophia open the scoring for Borough. However Hawks came back quickly and put the excellent defence of Ana, Phoebe and Hannah to the test. Isla was on outstanding form making excellent saves but Hawks finally levelled the score. This boosted the oppositions confidence and they quickly scored a second from an outstanding breakaway and finish. Crowborough continued to attack with Lexi providing some excellent runs down the wing. After half time Hawks continued to put the Crowborough defence to the test. Scoring several goals but Crowborough continued to battle and managed to slot home a second home. The 2:7 score line was not reflective of the excellent play.

17th January - Girl's Development played Burgess Hill in the late game at home. The girls started strongly pushing into attack. Sophia Sharp, Lexi Halstead and Morwenna making some fantastic runs. Amelia and Harry continued there beautiful play in mid but Burgess Hill continued to test the defence. Phoebe strongly held the speedy Burgess Hill winger out but a fantastic strike saw Burgess Hill beat Isla Bysouth to score. Burgess Hill continued to dominate going 0:3 up at halftime. However with the arrival of Amber Etheridge for the second half Crowborough continued to battle with Sophia finding a away through to score. Amelia, Harry and Amber linked beautifully in midfield and Hannah made some superb goal line stops. A determined effort finished with a 1:3 loss.

24th January - Girl's Development drew 2:2 with Eastbourne. Bethany Burns broke the deadlock with a super solo strike. Anemia Cornwall restored the lead after great work from Lexi Halstead. Morwenna came close with a one on one with the keeper after a great J run to collect. Visitors equalised with last play of the game but was a great team perfromace for the girls.

31st January - No game.

Boy's Development January Match Summaries:

10th January - 2:4 loss, no match report provided

17th January - Crowborough travelled to Horsham in what proved to be a high-scoring thriller, ultimately securing an emphatic 11:4 victory after a tactical masterclass at the break. The match began as a tight affair, with Crowborough finding themselves 2:1 down at half-time. The first half's highlight for the visitors was a moment of individual brilliance from Will, who navigated a maze of defenders before unleashing a fine solo goal to keep his team in the contest. The interval saw a decisive team talk centered on accelerating ball movement and exploiting the flanks. The strategy paid immediate dividends in the second half. Crowborough emerged a transformed side, their passing crisp and their attacking play relentless, tearing through the Horsham defence. A torrent of goals followed. The floodgates opened as Henry Lucas, Hayden, and Henry Burrows all demonstrated lethal finishing to each secure remarkable hat-tricks. Will, having set the tone in the first half, added his second goal to cap off a superb personal display. The goals were a testament to exceptional teamwork. Freddie, a livewire on the left wing, delivered a brilliant performance, his relentless, surging runs creating an endless stream of opportunities for the forward line. Charlie was instrumental in attack, cleverly creating space and providing a series of sublime assists for his grateful teammates. The midfield engine room hummed with efficiency; Eddie made powerful, driving runs forward and threaded clever, incisive passes, while Leo demonstrated an intelligent reading of the game, consistently choosing the right pass to maintain momentum. Defensively, Crowborough were marshaled by outstanding performances. Joe was a towering presence at the back, proving tremendous in defense against Horsham's counter-attacks. Max was a constant disruptor, intercepting danger with expert timing and distributing the ball brilliantly to launch new waves of attack. Between the posts, Albie made a string of great saves, ensuring Horsham could never build meaningful pressure. The final whistle confirmed an astonishing 11:4 triumph for Crowborough, a victory built on resilience, tactical adaptation, and brilliant individual performances across the park.

24th January - In an exhilarating display of hockey, Crowborough staged a breathtaking comeback to defeat Crawley 7-4. What began as a testing afternoon turned into a showcase of "The Crowborough Way", precise passing, tactical discipline, and an unbreakable team spirit. The match didn't start according to the script. Despite early pressure, Crowborough found themselves staring down a 3-1 deficit. Crawley’s strategy was simple: feed their two powerhouse dribblers and hope for individual brilliance. For a moment, that raw pace threatened to overwhelm the visitors. However, where other teams might have panicked, Crowborough showed immense strength of character. Instead of matching Crawley's individualistic style, the boys doubled down on their "passing-first" philosophy, systematically dismantling the Crawley defense through superior movement and vision. The comeback was built on a foundation of defensive excellence. When the game was in the balance, Albie produced a series of "how-did-he-save-that" moments. His crucial stops at 3:1 down kept the momentum from shifting irreversibly. The backline of Max, Eddie, Joe, and Rohan deserves immense credit. They were tasked with the game's hardest job: nullifying Crawley’s two danger men. Through disciplined positioning and clean tackling, they effectively took the opposition's best players out of the game. Henry, Rowan and Will were the heartbeat of the team today. Putting in an incredible shift in the midfield, their vision and distribution created the lion's share of Crowborough's chances. They were flanked by the tireless Flynn and Leo, who embodied the "box-to-box" spirit, breaking up play in their own half before charging forward to join the attack. On the wings, Johan was a constant threat, stretching the pitch and providing the width needed to bypass Crawley's crowded center. Wilf proved to be the ultimate utility man, seamlessy transitioning between numerous positions to plug gaps and maintain the team's high tempo. Once the floodgates opened, the goals flowed with clinical precision: Fred x2 & Henry B x2. The sharp-shooters were in fine form, each bagging a brace to turn the tide. Will, Hayden & Rowan: Each added their names to the scoresheet with goals born of great teamwork. While Charlie didn't find the net today, his movement was superb, finding pockets of space and coming agonizingly close with two narrow misses. This wasn't just a win; it was a tactical victory. Crowborough proved that passing hockey and team chemistry will always triumph over individual dribbling. To fight back from two goals down to win by three is a testament to the grit and "never-say-die" attitude of this squad.

31st January - 8:2 loss, no match report provided.