FIXTURES

  • Saturday 7th January Home to Bromsgrove League kick-off 3.00pm. Tickets must be purchased online.
  • Monday 9th January Home to Stevenage Herts Senior Cup QF kick-off 7.45pm. Tickets musty be purchased online and this includes season ticket holders as it is a cup game and the gate receipts are shared.
  • Please note we are offering discounted prices for the Stevenage game to thank our loyal supporters. Prices are adults £8, concessions £5, teenagers £2, under 13’s £1 and over 80’s free.

HERTS SENIOR CUP
The winners of our quarter final with Stevenage have been drawn away to Cheshunt or Hemel Hempstead in the semi-finals. In the other semi final Berkhamsted or Enfield will play London Lions or Watford under 21’s.

MANAGER’S NOTES WITH MARK BURKE

NEEDHAM MARKET

Unfortunately our bad fortune at Needham Market continued on Monday as we suffered a 3-0 defeat. The game started evenly with both teams creating chances without testing the goalkeeper. I must give credit to Needham’s striker who took his chance really well to gain a 1-0 lead. We continued to battle but our service to the strikers was poor. Then what I felt was a dubious penalty was given and it was converted to see us trail 2-0 at the break.

In the second half we dominated possession without creating any real chances and then a bad defensive error gifted Needham a third and decisive goal. We will not feel sorry for ourselves and get really low just as we did not get too high after our four consecutive victories. The players were frustrated at their performance and they worked really hard in training on Thursday to get things right for Saturday.

BROMSGROVE

We welcome Bromsgrove to Top Field on Saturday and our thoughts will be with Cody Fisher’s family and friends after his shocking murder at Christmas. Cody had played against us for Bromsgrove and both sides will wear black arm bands and there will be either a minute’s applause or silence before the game.

Bromsgrove have had some good results recently and are up to tenth in the table just behind us so it will be a competitive game.

STEVENAGE

On Monday we have a respite from league action and face Stevenage in the Herts Senior Cup quarter final. This is a trophy we are really keen to make progress in and we will be taking this game very seriously. I hope our supporters take advantage of the reduced entry prices and create a good atmosphere.

PLAYER NEWS

  • Steve Cawley and Lewis Barker trained last night and return to the squad for the Bromsgrove game after being unable to play at Needham Market.
  • Jack Morrell is having his last day at St Georges Park today (Friday). It has been a successful rehabilitation course and he will be back in full training next week.
  • Toby Adeyemo will not be available Saturday or Monday. On Saturday he is due to be in the first team squad for Watford in their FA Cup game at Reading and on Monday he is due to play for Watford in the FA Youth Cup tie against Everton.

CHARITY GUESTS AT THE BROMSGROVE GAME
After donating £300 to each of our nominated charities before Christmas we have invited representatives from each of the charities to be our guests on Saturday. So we look forward to welcoming guests from Garden House Hospice, Herts Disability Sports Foundation and Stevenage Haven and are pleased to draw attention to the excellent work they all do.

ACADEMY UPDATE BY MICHAEL JONES
Torin Ntege signs for Peterborough.

FA Youth Cup striker Torin Ntege has signed with League One club Peterborough United. Torin played in the young Canaries FA Youth Cup squad and scored six goals in the four games he played during the Youth Cup run. Torin was one of the star performers in the team and this culminated in a lot of interest from professional clubs.

Head Coach Stephen Gleeson said– “Torin was excellent for us in our Youth Cup games, he scored some incredible goals as well as producing some really good assists. He caused havoc for the defenders we played against and also scored both goals in our comeback victory over Bugbrooke St Michaels. He is a really great individual and I will be keeping a close eye on his footballing career and no doubt future successes.”

We wish Torin all the best with his future development- perhaps one day we may be loaning him back for the first team!

NEEDHAM MARKET MISERY
We do seem to find Needham Market a bogey ground to visit. We lost 4-2in the FA Trophy in 2010/11 and in league games we lost 8-1 in 2018/19, 3-1 in 2021/22 and 3-0 last Monday. The only time we avoided defeat was when we drew 1-1 in 2019/20 but this season was scrapped due to covid!

HTWFC UPDATE BY KARLA CHAFFEY
Finally we are back, after 3 or 4 weeks away and it is back to some form of normality.

Our First Team host Hertford Town Women FC at Ickleford Sports & Recreation Ground. 14:00 kick off.

Our Canaries are away to Garston Ladies at the Bushey Sports Club, Aldenham Road, Bushey. 14:00 kick off.

BY ROY IZZARD