The 2025/2026 season is all but over for the Yeovil & Sherborne Hockey Club’s sides. Three of the four Ladies sides have now completed their season with only the Ladies 4s still play their final match. The club’s Men’s sides all finish their season next week. This week’s results were dominated by the club’s Ladies 1s finishing top of their league and gaining promotion.

Men’s Hockey: Penultimate Weekend Battles

With just one match remaining in their season, all three senior men’s teams played away from home this weekend. They faced tough weather conditions and strong opposition, bringing home a mix of results.

Men’s 1s Face the League Leaders

The Men’s 1s travelled to Bristol to take on Bristol Firebrands M2, the current leaders of the West Open Men’s Division 2 Central. Facing a team that has controlled the division throughout the year is never an easy task. The hosts proved their quality with a relentless attacking display, resulting in a heavy 10-2 defeat for the Yeovil & Sherborne side. Despite this difficult result against the top team, Yeovil & Sherborne retain a solid seventh position in the league table with 28 points looking for a bounce back in the final game of the season.

Men’s 2s Fight the Elements at Chard

Currently sitting fourth in the Men’s Parrett Division 1 with 31 points, the Men’s 2s took on Chard M2s in a highly testing away fixture. The travelling squad arrived during a torrential hailstorm, taking to a pitch initially covered in ice.

Chard fielded a former Portuguese international in their midfield, who quickly dictated the pace of the game. The hosts took an early lead, and although Yeovil & Sherborne worked hard to break their rhythm, Chard used their short corners well to build a strong advantage. By the second half, we found ourselves trailing 5-1.

However, travelling side refused to give up. James R. The Younger made a fantastic impact on his debut, driving a powerful shot into the bottom corner. Next, a beautifully executed routine allowed Harry to strike home from the top of the penalty area. Man of the Match James Rowe (the Senior!) then capped off an outstanding individual performance by dribbling past multiple defenders to score a superb goal. While this late surge was impressive, the match concluded in a 5-3 defeat for Yeovil & Sherborne.

Men’s 3s Secure a Statement Victory

The standout men’s result of the weekend belongs to the Men’s 3s, who sit in fourth place in the Men’s Parrett Division 2 with 30 points. They earned a brilliant 3-1 victory over Bridgwater M4.

The match started as a tense battle for territory. Both sides defended well, and the first half ended without a goal. Early in the second half, a rare defensive mistake allowed the hosts to take the lead from close range. Instead of dropping their heads, Yeovil & Sherborne responded with quiet confidence. Kern pushed the line higher, creating essential space for the Yeovil & Sherborne forwards. Casper then found the crucial equaliser with a calm finish, shifting the momentum entirely in our favour.

Jim, who delivered a commanding Man of the Match performance in midfield, struck next to give the travelling side the lead. Jake provided the final blow, finishing clinically to seal a well-deserved 3-1 victory. The team outplayed their opponents brilliantly in the closing stages, delivering a true statement win.

Ladies’ Hockey: Title Wins and Final Day Drama

Three of the club’s ladies’ sides have now officially finished their seasons, while the Ladies 4s have just one more fixture remaining.

Ladies 1s Secure the Title and Promotion

The Ladies 1s travelled to face Taunton Vale 2s with the league title and promotion to Division 1 already in the bag. However, they had no intention of dropping their standards. The team controlled the game from the very first whistle, securing a highly professional 3-0 victory.

Nikki opened the scoring early on, reacting quickest to a short corner rebound. Bromme added a second goal following a precise pass from Pip, and a beautifully executed short corner routine finished the scoring in the final minutes. Goalkeeper Rebecca enjoyed a quiet afternoon thanks to a highly disciplined defensive unit. Saskia earned Player of the Match for her commanding display in attacking midfield. Guided by Coach Ash, the Ladies 1s finish top of the West Women’s Division 2 Central with 47 points, holding an eight-point lead and a massive +40 goal difference.

Ladies 2s Clinch Third Place

The Ladies 2s started incredibly fast against Mid Somerset 1s, needing just forty seconds to take the lead. Mel navigated through the defence before setting up Georgie for a clinical strike. They maintained relentless pressure throughout the entire match, keeping the opposition firmly pinned back in their own half.

In the second half, Sue calmly converted a short corner routine to double the advantage. With five minutes remaining, Amanda J sealed the 3-0 victory with a fine finish following a brilliant pass from Lucy. This commanding performance meant Yeovil & Sherborne leapt above their rivals to claim third place in the West Women’s Wessex Division 1, finishing a fantastic campaign with 35 points.

Ladies 3s Show Incredible Character

The Ladies 3s has already concluded their campaign in the West Women’s Sedgemoor Division 1. Although they finished in tenth place with three points, the squad demonstrated remarkable commitment against incredibly tough opposition this year. Their perseverance and outstanding team spirit set a strong foundation for rebuilding and bouncing back next season.

Ladies 4s Fight Back for a Thrilling Draw

Yeovil & Sherborne hosted Taunton Vale 5s for a highly competitive fixture. The home side took an early lead through Gracie just over a minute into the game. Taunton Vale responded well, eventually taking a 3-1 lead after capitalising on a brief defensive lapse.

However, Yeovil & Sherborne refused to admit defeat. The forward line applied immense pressure, resulting in a penalty flick that Jo confidently converted. Shortly after, Player of the Match Lucy T produced a brilliant run to equalise, bringing the final score to a thrilling 3-3 draw. The Yeovil & Sherborne Ladies 4s have their final fixture next week before enjoying a well-deserved rest.

Ladies 5s & Masters Intra-Club Friendly

Yeovil & Sherborne Hockey Club also runs a Ladies ‘Development’ side for those returning to the sport wishing to brush up on their skills or those who are new to the sport wishing to increase their level of experience. Playing occasional games on Sundays this is an ideal chance to make friends and enjoy playing hockey. On Sunday the club organised an intra-club fixture with members of the club’s masters group contributing to sides. Played in spring sunshine this was a tribute to the friendly, fun-filled attitude of the club’s members.

Yeovil & Sherborne Hockey Club welcomes new players so if you are interested in playing it is easy to get in touch with the membership secretary via the club’s website (https://yshc.co.uk/). Coaching is on Tuesday evenings at the club’s home pitch in Yeovil.

Yeovil & Sherborne Hockey Club welcomes players of all ages and has an active junior section where players will learn the sport in a safe and encouraging environment. For more information, please have a look at: https://yshc.co.uk/junior-hockey.

The club also organises a social, informal Masters Pay & Play on Thursday evenings open to any older players returning to the game or those new to the area.