Progress in cups for both Repton teams
REPTON Hockey Club’s men and women both went through at the expense of Burton in the first round of the Tier Two National Cup.
Both ties demonstrated the strong likelihood that the relatively new Repton club will be climbing the hockey league pyramid quickly, as they were too strong for opponents currently playing a division higher in each.
That was especially true of the men, as they took Burton apart 11-2 with a disciplined performance.
While much of the action was around Burton’s D, 17-year-old goalkeeper William Tomalin also made an assured first start for Repton after regular keeper Jeremy Wilson went down with food poisoning.
In an astonishing start, Aaron Hibbell netted a hat-trick inside the first 10 minutes, all from penalty corners.
Xavier Finglas followed up with a fine solo run and shot to make it 4-0 before Burton pulled a goal back.
Hibbell then converted another penalty corner before scoring his fifth goal from open play, dribbling past several Burton players through the D.
Burton got another one back but Matti Thomas showed off his dribbling skills to score, making it 7-2 to Repton at half-time.
The second half did not have the same fireworks but, with David Exley commanding the back line, Repton were satisfied not to concede again.
Luke Brown, on the right, and Ronan Sillery, on the left, provided a regular outlet going forward and Repton added four more goals.
Hibell scored his sixth goal from a penalty corner, Billy Collins skilfully smacked home a ball in the air, Stuart Kentwell added a flick from a short corner and Matthew Bellin finished off the scoring with a mazy run and reverse stick shot.
The game wrapped up a successful first half of the season for a side on course for promotion from the East Midlands Premier Division.
They have scored 96 goals in 11 wins from 11 games, conceding 12.
It was not quite so easy for Repton Ladies as they made the short journey to take on Burton and were relieved to come away with a 4-3 win after squandering a 3-0 lead.
They began strongly, Irish international Emma Thornbury scoring in the sixth minute.
Miranda Jackson made it 2-0 after 20 minutes and Emilia Kaczmarczyk added the third three minutes later.
However, Burton pulled goals back through Amy Palmer and Nicola Taylor before half-time.
Burton struck first in the second half with a fierce shot by Palmer from a short corner to equalise.
Bea Bridge made it 4-3 in the 47th minute and, despite a tense finish, that was the end of the scoring.
Repton Ladies seconds travelled with only 10 players but won their rearranged Derbyshire Ladies Division One match at Buxton 4-2 with goals from Ann Johnson (2), Ellie Barlow and Non Ewart-White.