GMP men and mixed are constantly looking for new players for competitive and friendly tournaments running throughout the year, if you are interested contact PC 4267 MARKHAM
National Hockey Championships, Leeds 21st & 22nd May 2011
GMP again took a team to Leeds to defend their title at the National Hockey Championships in Leeds. With a bare 11 they started well against the Met drawing 1 -1 before a couple of mistakes by the old man at the back resulted in a defeat in the second match. Due to his incapacity to run anymore and poor control, Rick Markham was pushed up front where he could do less damage to his own team, BUT NOT THE OPPOSITION, as two goals in 1 ½ games before his removal, to allow a late arrival to play, nearly led to the team qualifying for the cup. At the end of day 1 GMP failed on goals scored to qualify for the cup, and had to settle for the plate.
On day 2, with more players the star old man was allowed to sit on the sideline, mainly as he could no longer walk properly, and without his finishing the team lost the first game1 – 0, before rallying for the remainder of the day, but finished 3rd in the Plate competition, again on goals scored.
Following so closely from the PSUK tournament finals, the team did well to put out a team which managed to compete, only half of the teams concerned managing to attend both competitions. A good overall performance which would have led to a totally different position with one more goal!
PSUK cup finals, Leeds 6th & 7th April 2011
The first semi final of the PSUK cup saw GMP again drawn against the might of the PSNI, victors in the tournament for as long as most can remember! The game started with both teams probing away and several GB colleagues pitting their wits against each other in close fought personal battles. This continued for most of the first half until the PSNI eventually scored twice in the latter part of the half to lead 2 – 0 at half time. GMP came out confidently at the beginning of the second half, but this only lasted a matter of minutes before the PSNI scored again and the flood gates opened! GMP had a couple of opportunities to score but failed to convert their chances whilst the PSNI seemed to be able to score at will with some brilliant and one or two bizarre goals to leave the final score a resounding 10 – 0 victory to the impressive PSNI.
The 3/4/ playoff between GMP and West Mids saw West Mids change things around tactically from their semi final defeat against the Met, and GMP bolstered by a couple of players not available for the semi final, The early encounters were evenly matched with GMP scored first, followed by a West Mids equaliser. GMP then dominated the rest of the half scoring two goal to leave the score 3-1 at half time. West Mids went back to their more familiar line up in the second half which they then dominated with GMP seemingly content to sit deeper, allowing West Mids to score 2 further goals and even more chances to take the lead which they somehow missed. Yet again with 5 or so minutes to go West Mids conceded a goal to give the game as GMP converted a penalty corner. West Mids had one last chance to equalise from a penalty corner of their own as the final whistle went, but yet again the routine failed and GMP saw out the victory 4 – 3 to finish 3rd in the competition for the second year running.
The tournament was again won by PSNI who defeated the Met 5 – 2 in the final..
PSUK HOCKEY FINALS 2011
Leeds University Sports ground, Headingley, Leeds
Wednesday 6th April 2011
Semi Finals
Cup - 1400hrs
PSNI v GMP
West Midlands v Met
Thursday 7th April 2011
1200hrs
Cup 3rd/4th Play off
1400hrs
Cup Final
Anybody wishing to come along and support is more than welcome!
We are always looking for any player of any ability to join both the mens and mixed sections, new to the sport or haven't played since school! If you are interested contact PC 4267 Rick MARKHAM
PSUK Mens Hockey Tournament 2010/11
The tournament this year is taking the same format as last season, unfortunately in more ways than one. The North England group including GMP consisted also of North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, however due to operational commitments South Yorkshire and Derbyshire were unable to raise a team to compete in the group stages, leaving GMP and North Yorkshire to “Battle it out” for a position in the Cup and Plate sections for the final stages of the tournament.
The game took place on Monday 15th November 2010 at the Leeds University pitches. Again due to the increasing pressures of work in the current climate, GMP attended with only 10 players, one of whom has been TRYING to retire from playing for 2 years! We also took along our ever reliable umpire, Bob Berrington.
The game started in bright sunshine and this seemed to motivate the GMP team, and warm the joints of the old player, and midway through the first half GMP took a 1 – 0 lead, which they managed to hold for around 10 mins until a misunderstanding in defence gifted North Yorkshire an equaliser. Despite a couple of excellent saves by Paul Carroll in goal, North Yorkshire then pushed forward and scored an excellent goal from a penalty corner to leave the score at 1 – 2 at half time.
As the second half started the temperature dropped and the condition of the pitch deteriorated, as did GMP morale as North Yorkshire scored again to make it 1 – 3. GMP then began attacking more intelligently, having several opportunities but managing to miss the target on a regular basis, before an excellent strike by Chris Palmer, the hardest chance he had, brought GMP back to 2 – 3. In the last few minutes GMP were awarded a penalty flick when a penalty corner strike was stopped on the line by a defenders foot. Mark D’Souza deposited the resulting stroke into the right of the goal, and at 3 – 3 GMP had escaped defeat, JUST.
Due to the freezing pitch and thus safety concerns, the game was decided on penalty flicks rather than extra time, each team taking five. Despite captain Julian Scarsbrook managing to miss the target by some distance on his effort, heroic saves by Paul Carroll ensured GMP progressed to the cup semi finals, winning the penalty shoot out 3 – 2.
The semi finals and finals will be played at the Leeds University pitches on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th April 2010 and players and supporters are invited to come over, any new players especially, so Rick Markham can finally retire, for the team sake!
GB Police team
Following the GB trials in Manchester on 26th October 2010 the following GMP officers will be involved in the team this season to play RAF, Civil Service, Navy and Army in the new year:-
Rick Markham – Assistant manager
Mark D’Souza – Coach
Julian Scarsbrook - Player
2010/11 dates for your diary
Oct 2010 British Police Trials, Manchester
Dec 2nd 2010 Cleveland Mixed, Middlesbrough
Feb 2011 British Police v RAF and C Service, RAF Halton.
March 2011 British Police v Navy and Army at Portsmouth
April 2011 PSUK Mens Cup/Plate finals
July 26th & 27th 2011 L&B Mixed, Edinburgh
Mens/Ladies National Tournament .
National Police Hockey Championships 2010
On the weekend of 21st and 22nd August 2010 GMP men competed in the annual Police national Hockey Championships at Leeds University in the main tournament of the Mens season outside the annual PSUK cup which runs over 9 months!
With a reduced number of teams competing this year, GMP played five games on the Saturday, beating Sussex 1 – 0, Met 2 – 1, North Yorks 2 – 1, L&B Peelers 2 – 1, and losing 2 – 1 to South Yorkshire.
This year the ladies were competing at the same venue for both days and the atmosphere around the pitches with 17 teams, men and women all relaxing together in the sun, made for a very friendly atmosphere, although the games on the pitch continued to be very competitive.
A Saturday night of fancy dress “Nursery rhyme characters” in the students union, followed by the first game on Sunday morning soon brought about a return to reality, although a 1 – 1 draw with Strathclyde was enough to put us through to the cup final and another game against Sussex.
The final was a longer game than those throughout the weekend, and after we took a 2 – 0 lead, Sussex came back to make it 2 – 1 at half time. The second half was an equally competitive although goal less period and led to GMP winning the Championships for the first time in 11 years after total domination of the 1990’s when we won it 7 times!
The Presentation evening at the Village Hotel was a resounding success, a good time being had by all, Police Officers from throughout Great Britain who have found friendship through sport, in this case hockey.
LONG MAY IT CONTINUE.
Edinburgh Mixed Hockey 2010
On Monday the 26th July a contingent of GMP officers travelled up to Edinburgh to compete in the 22nd Annual Lothian & Borders Mixed Hockey Tournament, GMP having competed in 20 of those events over the years!
Due to the limited availability of players and a few last minute cancellations, we were only able to raise half a team, so, on arrival combined with Warwickshire to provide a sociable if not strong team!
On the Tuesday and Wednesday we played a total of 13 short (20 min) games in the blazing sunshine, not winning many of them, but certainly winning the hearts of the excellent umpires, including our own, Bob Berrington!
The social sideline to the event consisted of an evening meeting up and chatting in Clermeston, Edinburgh, an evening at Cargo, a club in central Edinburgh, and a presentation evening on the final night, our combined team winning the “fair play” award for our on the field efforts.
As the highlight of the annual Mixed Hockey calendar, this event never disappoints and is run with an amazing degree of organisation – I’m sure we get the only week of sunshine in Edinburgh each year!
GMP wins The Celtic Cup, PSNI Mixed Hockey tournament!
A team of Police Officers and friends representing GMP, travelled to Northern Ireland over the weekend of 22nd and 23rd May 2010, to compete in a mixed hockey tournament.
The event, organised by the Police Service of Northern Ireland sports hockey section is a bi annual event and took place at the excellent facilities of the Lisnagarvey hockey club at Hillsborough, near Belfast.
12 teams from 10 different forces from around the UK participated over two days of friendly but competitive hockey.
Finishing top of their group after the first days’ matches, GMP managed to maintain their good form into the second day of competition against the top seeded teams from day one.
Their last match of the weekend proved decisive, a 1 – 0 victory over Strathclyde, giving GMP an unassailable points total, and making them outright winners of the Belfast cup!
The emphasis in mixed hockey is as much social as it is competitive. If you are interested in playing please contact either PC Rick Markham or DS Paul Carroll for further info. We are currently looking for more players who are interested in touring, the more the better!
PSUK MENS HOCKEY 2009/10
This year’s competition took a slightly different format to past years with the teams split into Regions in an attempt to increase the amount of hockey played whilst reducing the cost and time off implications.
GMP was in a group including North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire, and it was decided by the group to play all the games over 2 days in Leeds. Having been beaten by the weather on the first arranged dates, the teams met at the end of March, however operational commitments prevented Derbyshire and Leicestershire from attending.
In the first game GMP outperformed South Yorkshire, running out 5 – 1 winners in an unusually quiet game between two teams who know each other well. The second game against North Yorkshire proved more difficult, however after a close fought game GMP emerged 2 – 0 winners and qualified for the Semi finals of the cup against the other 3 group winners, PSIN, Staffordshire and Met.
Due to logistical problems, and at 6 weeks’ notice, the finals of the PSUK Mens Hockey competition took place at The Armitage Centre, Manchester on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th April 2010, hosted by Greater Manchester Police. The format of the finals is a two day event involving eight teams, four in the Semi Final of the Cup and four in the Semi Finals of the Plate. On the first day the Semi Finals of each section are contested, followed on the second day by the two finals and 3rd/4th play off matches, all followed by a presentation meal which on this occasion was held at Greater Manchester Police Sports and Social Club, The Hough End Centre.
PSUK Mens Hockey Cup finals
The first semi final of the cup competition saw GMP play PSNI, two teams who have met regularly in the recent history of the competition. With some slick passing, PSNI scored two quick goals in the first five minutes which totally unravelled the GMP game plan and put GMP on the back foot. The rest of the half was a more even affair with both sides creating chances but neither managing to score, however the damage had already been done. The score at half time remained 2-0, a story of the first five minutes. In the second half, GMP had to come out and attack which inevitably left gaps at the back. This was expert exploited by PSNI who again managed to pick up two quick goals in similar fashion to the first half, effectively ending the match as a contest. In some end to end stuff in the last fifteen minutes, both teams traded two goals each but PSNI were deserved winners 6-2.
In the second semi finals the Metropolitan Police played Staffordshire Constabulary. Two evenly matched teams fought well for 70 minutes playing some fast flowing hockey and an even first half ending at 2-2. Into the second half the Met again opened up a two goal lead, Staffordshire pulling one back before the Met extended their lead again and going on to win the game 6–3 and go into the final against PSNI.
The third place play off between GMP and Staffordshire appeared evenly matched and attacking play from both sides led to an open game. Staffs managed to take the advantage mid-way through the first half with some good passing play and neat finish to lead 1 - 0. GMP continued to create chances of their own and late in the first half managed to convert their first short corner to end the half 1-1. In the second half GMP managed to take the lead from some good advantage play that led to the side breaking down the right wing and passing the ball past the keeper. As Staffs pushed forward in an attempt to find an equaliser, some good counter attacking hockey meant that GMP sealed the match by catching Staffs short at the back on the break, getting a third goal and hanging on to win, 3-1.
In the final the Met took on a very strong PSNI. The game began with the PSNI pushing hard to open the scoring however a resolute Met defence held firm before eventually capitulating, as GMP had done, under the sustained pressure of a very good team. The PSNI ending the game as 5-1 victors, again worthy winners of the competition,
Due to be update very shortly........
Over the weekend of 22nd and 23rd August 2009 GMP mens hockey team competed in the National Police Hockey Championships held in Leeds. On the initial day GMP competed in the group stages, winning 4 and drawing 2 games, resulting in finishing 3rd on goal difference in a very tight group behind Cambridgeshire and eventual winners South Yorkshire.
The second day started well with a victory over Strathclyde in the Plate semi final. The plate final proved a game too many in a busy weekend and GMP were defeated 3 - 1 by North Yorkshire to finish runners up in the Plate. In the cup final South Yorkshire defeated Sussex, and the wooden spoon was won by Derbyshire.
In the ladies competition, which unfortunately GMP were unable to raise a team to compete in, the cup was won by the Met, the plate Northumbria and the wooden spoon Derbyshire.
An excellent weekend of hockey and social events including 14 teams from throughout England and Scotland in both a mens and womens sections- 28 teams in total.
Any players of any standard are most welcome for mens and Mixed teams which compete throughout the year in many tournaments, it is social as well and newcomers are always included!!
For further information please contact Rick Markham by email: Richard.Markham@gmp.police.uk