JOYCE SPOILS DEN BOSCH PARTY
Netherland’s “Hoofdklasse” weekend Round-up and photos from john coxon
Goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek, fresh from the World Cup finals played a major part , along with her Laren team mates in spoiling Den Bosch’s , (last seasons’ Hoofdklasse champions) big weekend party.
Joyce is the Netherlands new first choice goalkeeper and this was Den Bosch’s first home defeat in three years. This, only the second game in the new Hoofdklasse season, co-incided with a big weekend festival at the Oosterplas lakeside club, who were celebrating the opening of their impressive new hockey complex, making it the largest concentration of hockey facilities in the Netherlands. Den Bosch already boasts in excess of 2500 members and 134 teams. There are 485 “Minis” ( players aged 6-11) , 1100 youth players ( under eighteens, and 1050 senior players. The club site has been transformed with seven new pitches (three wet astros and four sand based ) and all built horizontally “stacked “ in line to save space , a new “ Marc Lammers Plaza”, playground, Boules Courts and homework facility and an all new clubhouse. The club is supported by an army of volunteers backed by quality professional staff. A spanking new club website has also been introduced.
In what was a replay of last year’s Hoofdklasse final , Den Bosch had much of the possession and numerous chances but the first half the game was full of mistakes from both teams with them both apparently struggling to get used to the bounce of the brand new pitch. Joyce Sombroek was the real hero of the day and was dubbed the “ Rock of Gibraltar” by one commentator. Sombroek foiled five penalty corners from the awesome drag flicker Maartje Paumen. A sixth was to ricochet against the crossbar. Juliette Hentenaar put Laren ahead on 38 minutes and the first half ended with no further score. The frantic second half had Den Bosch struggling to get back in it until on the 58th minute in very controversial circumstances a very questionable penalty stroke was awarded. Sombroek could not keep out the formidable shot from international drag flick specialist Maartje Paumen although she was inches away from saving it. Kim Lammers put the game out of reach with only six minutes left on the clock .
Perhaps because of the weekend festivities, the loss did not generate widespread annoyance or disappointment in the Den Bosch camp where there was an atmosphere of "let them enjoy the win , we will get them in the return match." The coach , Raoul Ehren , somewhat churlishly I thought , saw the win as a “stolen ” as if his team gave them the win rather than Laren deserving it. “We had a handful of chances and short corners left we didn’t convert “ , he said, "That's really the only thing we can complain about ,that we did not score.” “I enjoyed this afternoon," he continued, "I've seen great attack, good defensive work, all I wanted. And a lot of players have reached their top form today. We were much better than Laren.”
It should be remembered that Joyce came to Laren from a lower league and had in fact only made four appearances for them in what was her first experience of top level hockey and yet she was deemed to be so naturally gifted that she was preferred over the legendary Amsterdam keeper Floortje Engels for international duties. Thus she played a prominent role in the World Champions Trophy games at Nottingham and especially at Rosario, Argentina for the World Cup.
Joyce declared that she was thrilled after the 2-1 win . "For me and for a number of girls the first time that we have beaten Den Bosch and also on their field. It is important that we have overcome this hurdle. We will continue to grow as a team because we have only had two weeks together so far." Sombroek foiled five penalty corners by Maartje Paumen. A sixth splashed against the crossbar. Speaking of the penalty flick that beat her , Joyce continued “"The push shot from Paumen is so hard. So hard to get on to it but, we met when the Dutch national team were in training for the World Cup during four weeks this summer. That has now worked in my favor. We are aiming for the playoffs, then definitely the championship. We'll see how far we get! “
Where top England clubs will no doubt be missing their International team mates, ) most notably Leicester and Reading) occupied in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games, the Hoofdklasse, the Dutch equivalent of the Premier division, started the new season two weeks back with all internationals available to play for their top teams since Netherlands national training begins later this month following an extended rest period for the international squad.
Elsewhere, Amsterdam went down 2-0 to SCHC (where retired Dutch international Janneke Schopman is the new coach ) with goals from Argentine international Soledad Garcia and Claire Verhage. Retired multi- capped international and former Amsterdam captain , (now coach at Den Haag’s HDM ) , Miek van Geenhuizen, helped her new team beat nieghbours Klein Zwitserland ( who recently lost gifted international, Naomi van As to Laren)
2-0. Germany’s international star Tina Bachmann gave Oranje Zwart a 1-0 win over HGC. Rotterdam drew with Kampong, and last season’s bottom finishers Hurley beat Amsterdam’s next door neighbours, Pinoke, 2-1. with both Hurley goals scored by Dorith Claushuis.
