Olly Smart joins EG

Nottingham graduate Olly Smart has joined East Grinstead, signing with the Sussex based Premier league team after playing a number of seasons of BUCS and league games with the Nottingham University club. His last season was at Premier league level so the side and Olly himself will obviously be looking to compete for 1st team hockey as he builds off EDP selection for U23s. 

With Richard Curtis having established himself as first choice, after his move from Holcombe, it will be interesting to see how management manage the two goalies and who wins the battle for the 'number 1 shirt' this season. 

Transfer news: Seager-Green joins Wimbledon

Another England Hockey league transfer saw Taylor Seager-Green join Wimbledon HC. Having finished his degree at Exeter, where he was the first-choice goalkeeper, the former Surbiton starter will now be competing for playing time with league veteran James Bailey.  

Taylor was benching at the Euro Hockey League and will presumably be biding his time until Bailey retires and moves on, freeing up the number 1 spot at the club. The GB U23 goalie was involved in the Young Ones tournament during pre-season and will probably be "chomping at the bit" to get playing time. 

With Wimbledon taking part in the Super Sixes event, Seager-Green's experience playing for Surbiton indoors should also give him another opportunity to impress the management team at Wimbledon. 

Goalie transfers: Foxall-Smith joins Bath

An interesting transfer in the England Hockey leagues has seen Robert Foxall-Smith switch from Brooklands MU to Team Bath Buccaneers. Rob made his debut for the National Premier league side and was their starting goalkeeper for the majority of the season as the team adjusted to new players within the squad and against tough opposition, being dominated in games against Surbiton and Wimbledon. 

Bath are obviously looking to push for promotion this season, hoping that Rob's playing experience will give them an edge and shore up their defence in a division that has already see high scoring games from the likes of Southgate (under Kwan Brown's leadership) and Old Loughtonians (newly promoted into South 1) run away with games; Southgate having already won two games with a score line of 7-1 to their advantage. 

Rob has also taken up a coaching position with the Ladies at TBB, making the most of his playing experience and tactical knowledge to add to his resume and coaching experience. 

Images courtesy of SITTL: 

Sports images through the Lens | Sevenoaks v Team Bath Buccaneers (sittl.co.uk)

 

Goalie transfers: Maz joins Surbiton

Obviously old news, but newsworthy as England's no. 2 Jason Mazarelo has joined Surbiton and will be helping them compete for the title and European hockey. With Harry Gibson having retired, Surbiton bolster their goalkeeping depth with the former Loughborough Students goalie, strengthening their defence with an up-and-coming goalkeeper who will be competing with Ollie Payne for international playing time. 

Maz made his home debut for Surbiton against East Grinstead, achieving a clean sheet, and will obviously be looking to get many more clean sheets during his time with the club. 

England GK James Mazarelo Signs for SHC | Surbiton Hockey Club (surbitonhc.com)

Ore starts against Oxted

Surbiton played away against Oxted this afternoon and interestingly Ore Ogunlana started for the squad for the second time in a row, having started against Holcombe last week. Surbiton have recently stacked out their goalkeeping department with the addition of Alex Tooney from Richmond and look like they will be rotating a larger squad with 3 goalies like they did previously when Jack Tranter signed with them (Jack having played at Durham last season). 

Ore has a lot of indoor experience, having taken the indoor team to the finals in the most recent Super Sixes but has only managed a couple of outdoor fixtures when he joined the side after university. Ore himself played at Durham whilst at university, competing with Ollie Payne for starts.

It will be interesting to see how the squad rotation works for the season and how much Harry plays this season, given his potential international commitments next year. Competition between all 3 goalkeepers should keep them all sharp and push them to be their best, when selected. 

It will also be interesting to see if any other club sides go with . Hampstead and Westminster have seen rotation between Toby and Ore's brother Lekan after Toby struggled with concussion symptoms after colliding with a Surbiton player two seasons ago with a knee to the head.

Ore didn't have too much to do, with Surbiton picking up the pace after a close affair in the first half, running out 5-2 winners, with Oxted not testing him as much as they would have liked.

Curtis starts for EG

Last weekend saw Richard Curtis start for East Grinstead, as expected, against Oxted in their first game of the season. Brought in over the summer, the expectation would be that, as an experienced starter in the Premier league with Holcombe, he would be the first choice for the season. Sam Lloyd will therefore be second choice now and will compete for game time with him. 

It will be interesting to see how things pan out over the season (which is being played in a different format due to the international games in 2022 clashing with scheduling and player availability), given that the competition between goalkeepers on the training ground, will only serve to see both goalkeepers push themselves (and each other) to bring out the best in themselves.

Apologies for the potato camera but this was all I could manage with my usual camera out of action...

Richard Curtis joins EG

East Grinstead have added to their goalkeeping depth with the signing of South African goalie Richard Curtis from Holcombe. 

Curtis has played for a number of seasons in the England Hockey League and is a tall, agile and athletic goalkeeper capable of making sublime saves at the top level of the game in England. He comes across as a goalie who makes big saves but sometimes struggles to re-focus after conceding and has seen some mismatched results because of it. I think if he works on his focus, confidence and ability to wither the storm (i.e. when Holcombe's defence struggled), he could be a really formidable goalkeeper. With Rassie Pieterse retiring after the Tokyo Olympics, South Africa's management should really consider him in their development plans going forward. 

Presumably Ollie Payne will be back with Holcombe for the club season after his achievements making the Olympic squad over the summer, hence the reason for Curtis seeking a move for more regular game time, having previously played full time at the Kent based club. 

Curtis joins Sam Lloyd who played in last season's Covid-hit schedule and has also recently represented Scotland over the summer in international competition. 

It will be interesting to see how the goalie battle works out and who takes the number 1 shirt and runs with it this season for East Grinstead.