Eating Turf #5

05 ISSUE

ALL THE SPORTS, ALL THE TIME

Surf and Turf: HOCKEY, Badminton, VOLLEYBALL and more

REGULARS

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REGULARS

ISSUE 5: 8 NOVEMBER '13

CONTENTS Mutero’s

Olympic Dream

p10

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Match Reports

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Coach Demans Netball Discipline

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Double break sparks mutero’s olympic dream

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Eastleigh fear for fleetwood fitness

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Moffitt injury key in solent defeat

Design: Nathan cleal/Adam Storer/Adam Woodgate 3

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ROUND-UP

Match Men’s basketball suffer Report defeat and a key injury basketball

Joe Thomlinson

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olent Men’s Basketball team slumped to a 75-88 defeat at the hands of UWE after key man Antonio Moffitt sustained a bad ankle injury in the third quarter.

UWE came out of the blocks quickly with a succession of three pointers by captain Aistis Keliauskas as he looked to stamp his authority on the game.

However, some silly fouling by the away side allowed Solent chances back into the game, which they gleefully accepted from the free throw line.

From the first tip off Solent had looked to hit long range three pointers, a tactic that would come back to haunt them as the audacious shots often missed.

Solent grew into the game however, mainly through Moffitt, who began to dictate play and attack the hoop.

The American managed five successful lay-ups sending the Solent team in 22-15 up at the end of the first quarter.

When the second quarter got under way Keliauskas took the game by the scruff of the neck and the Bristol Academy Flyers player forced Solent into fouls.

UWE took the advantage from the free throw line despite calls of poor refereeing from Solent coach Sylvain Donneaud.

With the away side ruthless from all corners of the court it was no

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Antonio Moffitt sinks one of his four free throws

surprise that when the half time buzzer sounded Solent were losing 37-42.

Donneaud vented some of his frustration the way of the officials at half-time, claiming that calls were not going his side’s way.

Despite the dubious decisions, it was crucial that Solent came out 4

battling in the third quarter after such a poor second.

However, the team’s struggles were compounded when Moffitt took a heavy tumble and was carried to the sidelines by his teammates in visible pain.

With Moffitt out of the game and Lukas Aleksandravicius growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of movement ahead of him, UWE’s advantage grew.

The home side’s audacious three-point efforts were in vain and the Bristol side pulled further clear ending the third quarter in the lead, 58-65.

It would require a gargantuan effort to turn the score around in the fourth quarter and Donneaud was keen to get the players going with a roaring team talk.

With the coach’s words ringing in their ears, Solent came out with fire in their eyes and quickly pulled the score back to 65-66 after four minutes.

But, with such a high tempo style deployed in order to force a come back, the home side began to flag and they struggled to mark the dynamic UWE attack.

As Solent struggled, Keliauskas killed the game by slowing play down and hitting some superb three pointers.

When the final buzzer sounded Solent’s unbeaten run was over and UWE had pulled away to win the game 75-88. 

ROUND-UP

Match Player shortage sees Report Solent lose in Cardiff

Women’s basketball

Adam Storer

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olent’s women’s basketball were defeated 71-52 at Cardiff Metropolitan University, after starting with only one girl on the bench.

American guard/forward Ashlee Trebilcock did her best to close the gap for the visitors with her 20 points for the match.

However, it was Cardiff’s very own American who stole the show for the home side, as J. Jenkins top scored with 24 points.

Solent were always going to struggle being outnumbered 2:1, especially as Sophie Knight was drafted into the team on Tuesday, having not had a single training session with her new team-mates.

And this showed, as Solent were always behind to the home side, also known as the Archers, after going 22-6 down at the end of the first quarter.

The Archers continued their dominance going into the second quarter, with Great British international and captain Stephanie Collins disrupting Solent’s offence and proving deadly on the counterattack.

Jenkins was particularly deadly with her three-point attempts for Cardiff, as they finished the firsthalf 47-14 to the good.

Yet, Trebilcock kept Solent in it, netting eight of their first-half points, whilst Welsh internationals Melanie Curson and Megan Jenkins

also chipped in.

Following the break, Solent played a lot more fluently, and started to peg Cardiff back, narrowly losing the third quarter 18-13, to leave them trailing by 38 points.

And the visitors put in an exceptional final quarter to close down the gap, despite lacking the players.

“they clearly won the numbers game today”

Coach CJ Lee is thrilled with his teams perfomance

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Solent needed three players to play the full match, as they won the final quarter 25-6 to close the deficit to 19 points.

Trebilcock added another 12 points in the second half, as she played the full 40 minutes.

Club captains Curson and Jenkins also played the entire game, as they contributed with 15 and eight points respectively.

Coach CJ Lee was full of praise after the final buzzer, following the long journey to the Welsh capital.

“I’m proud of the performance the girls put in today,” said Lee. “We learnt a lot about ourselves and our ability to keep playing right to the end of the game, even when the win isn’t within our reach.”

Whilst Solent slip down the table, Cardiff climb to top spot with the victory, with Lee believing they are one of the best teams in the Premier South division.

“UWIC have without a doubt one of the strongest starting fives in the league,” he added.

“Five players don’t make a team, but they clearly won the numbers game today.”

The defeat means Solent have lost both of their away games, which they will be hoping to change when they head to London to face first-game opponents King’s College.

However, they next face Exeter in their own backyard, at St Mary’s Leisure Centre next Wednesday.  // EATING TURF

ROUND-UP

Match SOLENT comeback to Report beat winchester

Women’s Rugby

Gift Ngubane

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olent’s women’s rugby team held off a second-half fightback to return home 15-10 winners over Winchester University in their first Western 2A match of the season.

Solent came flying out of the blocks, dominating possession deep in the Winchester territory without giving the hosts an opportunity to get into the match.

Despite their supremacy, Solent could not capitalise on their quick start as a mixture of good Winchester tackling and, on three occasions dropping the ball over the try-line, stopped them from getting on the score sheet.

Second-row forward Leah Ison decided to take matters into her own hands by skilfully dodging a series of weak tackles to open the scoring.

Another powerful surge from Ison helped establish a well-deserved ten-point lead.

But the windy conditions proved difficult to cope with and full-back Honor Evans could not convert either try.

Outside centre Sophie Phillips piled on more first half misery for the deflated Winchester side by breezing past three players to score an easy try. Solent’s dominance and quick style seemed too much for the home side.As Solent were looking destined to take all the three points back down the M3 to Southampton, the rejuvenated home side had

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other ideas.

From the offset in the second half, Winchester looked a different side. Inspired and motivated, they heaped the pressure on, enjoying plenty of the ball in Solent territory.

Their persistence paid off when full-back Maisie Elshaw broke through a blanket of Solent players to squeeze over the line and score.

Fly-half April Clarke could not

Coach Chris Banks watches on

convert the try but a comeback was on the cards.

As Solent tried to restore their authority, they suffered a setback when talisman Ison was carried off after sustaining a leg injury.

Solent appeared to be in shock and were noticeably tired and their errors were being exploited by Winchester.

A darting run from Clarke through the heart of Solent’s defence allowed her to score an unconverted second try for Winchester.

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Only being five points from equalising, the home side must have felt they were about to grab at least a draw from the match when winger Elshaw outpaced the Solent defence near the sideline.

But that glimmer of hope was short-lived when a match-saving last-ditch tackle from Evans, sent Elshaw into the touchline.

Evans’ challenge epitomised her performance. She was an influential presence with her yard-gaining runs from deep and her solid tackles.

In the dying moments, she had a try disallowed after a lung-bursting run from just inside the Winchester half. But it had no bearing on the result as Solent held on to run out worthy winners.

This victory takes Solent up to third in the league and leaves Winchester two places below.

Next week, Solent will face bottom club Newport women and captain Alice Bowerbank said: “I’m looking forward to next week. It will be against one of our main rivals, so it will be good to win it.” 

The girls discuss tactics

ROUND-UP

Match boss cunliffe stays at Report home as solent exit cup football

James Bell

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olent’s football team are out of the BUCS Conference Cup following a 2-1 defeat away at Bournemouth.

Solent were without their ill manager Dominic Cunliffe and struggled to find their normal rhythm on a windy day in Dorset.

Solent started brightly and went ahead after six minutes. A corner was only half-cleared and striker Jesse Waller-Lassan struck a fierce half-volley through a crowd of players and in off a post.

Solent were unable to capitalise on their early lead and could not create any other clear-cut chances as the Bournemouth third team started to get back into the game.

Solent appeared to have scored a second goal after 30 minutes. A slick piece of passing saw the ball worked to midfielder Sam Byles whose long range strike was parried into the path of captain Sean Bartlett.

The skipper slotted the ball home only for the linesman to put up his flag at the last moment.

This misfortune was then

compounded just five minutes later when Bournemouth forced an equaliser.

Just like five minutes earlier the goal was shrouded in some controversy.

Bournemouth’s goal scorer Nathan Hall appeared to be in an offside opinion and, with the linesman’s flag up, all the Solent players, including goalkeeper Matt Phillips, stopped allowing Hall to put the ball into the empty net.

The referee waved the linesman away though and allowed the goal to stand to make it 1-1 at the interval.

Both sides started the second half slowly with few chances of any note in the first 15 minutes. But with an hour gone Solent switched off and Bournemouth punished their opponents.

Hall was involved again for the home side, breaking clear on the right and fizzing a low ball to the unmarked Ben Malling at the back post.

Malling had the simplest of tasks in tapping the ball past the stranded Phillips who was clearly unhappy

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with his side’s defending.

From here Solent, with the wind now at their backs, started to throw everything at the Bournemouth defence.

Waller-Lassan was at the heart of all the best moves and, alongside skipper Bartlett, they started to force Bournemouth deeper and deeper towards their own goal.

Bartlett chipped over when in a great position but it was not the two strikers who had the best chance at the end.

Defender Oliver Goddard had got forward for another Solent corner and, following a goalmouth scramble, the ball found its way to him.

Goddard’s header was cleared off the line and despite huge protests from all those in Solent red the linesman did not give a goal, clearly saying to the referee that the whole ball had not crossed the line.

With that came the full time whistle and Solent will now have to pick themselves up for their Hampshire League clash against East Cowes on Saturday. 

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ROUND-UP

Match solent's cup win was Report childs play

women’s hockey

Samuel Wells

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livia Childs scored four goals as Solent women’s hockey marched into the last 32 of the Western Conference Cup with an emphatic 8-2 victory over Bournemouth University second team.

Childs stole the show with her four goals, including a first half hat-trick, as Solent made the short trip down the south coast one to remember.

Charlotte Watson also scored a superb hat-trick while Lexi Gutschow chipped in with the other goal to round off a sublime allround team performance.

Victory means Solent must conquer Bath when they face their second eleven at the end of the month in the next chapter of their cup adventure.

Having scored three or more goals in their last two games, Solent manager Chris Gittens encouraged his team to come out fast from the first whistle, and they did exactly that.

It took only three minutes for Childs to put Solent ahead, adding the finishing touch to an excellent run and pass from Watson.

Having darted down the touchline and weaved through several challenges en route to Bournemouth’s semi-circle, the outcome was inevitable when the ball was squared to Childs.

The home support and coaching

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team were visibly stunned by the speed of Watson.

Early dominance saw a host of chances go begging for Solent, captain Rowena Wickett failing to convert from close range as she stumbled in an attempt to send the ball goal-bound.

It wasn’t long however until Childs doubled both her own and Solent’s tally and then added her third.Goals from Watson, who once again demonstrated her pace and a cool head, and Gutschow meant Solent went into the interval five goals to the good.

The message from manager Gittens was for more of the same.

A comprehensive victory would not only send out a message to Solent's rivals, but also give the girls a mental edge going into this league fixture in several weeks' time.

As the wind and cold raised another level, so did Team Solent.

After losing her marker, Childs cut inside and sent the ball into the bottom right hand corner from the edge of the D. Within minutes however, Bournemouth dusted themselves down and Dutch striker Lizet De Groot fired in two goals in quick succession to make it 6-2.

The wind was with Bournemouth at this stage and their hopes of a comeback were high but when, in the closing stages, Watson scored almost a copy of her first goal, the match was effectively over.

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Solent's defence wait idly for action

The play was evenly balanced until Watson completed her hattrick with seconds remaining to complete an 8-2 slaughter.

Preparations for Gittens' squad continue for the small matter of a local derby against University of Southampton women's third side.

Solent will be looking to inflict their local rivals a first loss of the season and to be hot on their tail as midseason approaches. 

FEATURES

Coach Hinson demands netball discipline Olivia Walters

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espite beating Exeter 43-37, Solent struggled to hold off the opposition during their first cup match of the season - to leave coach Valda Hinson fuming.

“I was us to play clean netball,” she said after a narrow victory laden with fouls.

“It was difficult but they made it hard for themselves. They were 14-7 up in the first quarter and then they just panicked and let Exeter get back into the game.”

Solent and Exeter played an aggressive game with both sides being pulled up for numerous transgressions of the rules.

Hinson made it clear she was unhappy with the discipline of the Solent girls.

She said: “I want us to play clean netball; I made it clear to the girls that I don’t want that kind of game.

“That’s not the sort of netball I coach and I don’t want to see it.

“They are very skilful players and should not be using their bodies. They don’t need to play like that.”

Although she believes the squad is very strong this season, Hinson feels her girls need to apply pressure on their opposition and not allow them to get so close She said: “I said to them at the beginning that a loss is not in the equation today and they agreed but at the end of the day it’s what they do on the court.

Hinson joked: “They need to stop doing this because they are giving me palpitations.”

The absence of captain, Emma Nash was apparent by a lack of authority on the court,

“That’s not the sort of netball I coach and I don’t want to see it”

Solent showed their frustrations all too often.

Hinson said: “Having someone missing does make a difference, especially when it is your captain.

“It’s almost like they get rattled with each other and then let the other team in.

“We don’t need to do that. We are a very capable team and just need to keep the ball safe.”

Despite the worryingly close score, there was some exceptional play from most of the girls including Goal Shooter Jess Colwill.

“She makes all the difference. She’s got lovely height and great ball skills and that gives the other girls great confidence,” said the coach “The new girls were very good and had a lot to do because it’s hard going into a game like that.

“I would like to have got more girls on the court but when it’s so close you can’t make too many changes.

“They girls are obviously pleased that they won and, of course, they should have won.”

With a win in the Western Conference Cup under their belts Solent move into the last 32 and will take on Cardiff Met 4th team on November 27 to battle for a place in the 16.

Solent will now turn their attention back to the Western 2A league as they prepare to take on local rivals and leaders, University of Southampton on Wednesday, November 13.  9

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FEATURES

Double br Mutero’s Ol F

ollow the heart or follow the head?. Team Solent student Joel Mutero had to choose between his heart and his feet in making the most crucial and life-changing question of his young life.

Basketball or volleyball?

Mutero faced an agonising decision after breaking both his ankles in a basketball match, a sport for which he held high ambitions since the Solent star was seemingly destined for the National Basketball Association.

But Mutero knows better than everyone about life’s unexpected little dramas, explaining his path into volleyball was by accident.

“I didn’t really have a choice really when I started. You always were told to take up a sport at boarding school, actually either forced you to take up a sport or join a club.

“So I thought I’d take up basketball. And then once I was playing, I became the captain until I had an injury. I broke both my ankles.

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“During the rehabilitation, one of the volleyball coaches saw me practising and thought I had a good vertical jump. And I then joined the volleyball club and started progressing from there.”

Despite his introduction to the sport being something of a freak nature, Team Solent volleyball star Joel Mutero has used his hidden talent to drive himself towards fulfilling his boyhood dream by competing at the Olympics. The 2016 Games in Brazil is firmly within his sight.

Second-year student Joel endured an incredible debut campaign at Southampton Solent University, taking the Southampton and District Volleyball Association by storm after being crowned league and cup champions, carding an astonishing 14 victories from their possible 15 league fixtures.

The 21 year-old Hounslow-born star hopes his spell in Solent’s volleyball set-up can propel him on to the international stage and with regards to the university’s success last season, Mutero is on his way to making those aspirations become a reality.

“Hopefully we can remain top

FEATURES

reak sparks lympic dream

Dan Church

of the league this season and the students’ cup.

“But my ultimate ambition is obviously the Olympics, probably 2016 in Brazil. Hopefully I can get chosen for the Team Great Britain development squad and get into the team in a few years. That would be incredible.”

The business and IT student was based in Nottingham before leaving for the south coast, further expanding his volleyball career.

Towering Mutero enjoyed stints at Nottingham Rockets and London Polonia before instantly cementing his place inside Solent’s first-team fold. His first-year accomplishments didn’t come as such a shock.

“Everyone was working so hard, so I thought we might do it. As the season progressed we only lost one game out of 15. ‘’We had a few international players, which helped us. But we just put in the effort, more than everybody else.”

That dogged work rate has seemingly been applied again to the start of this year’s campaign, with Team Solent undefeated after their opening two league matches.

Their first-ever draw sparked

controversy at St Mary’s Leisure Centre after an extraordinary 6-6 result against Roke Manor B, before seeing off local rivals Southampton 2-0.

Next are Winchester Eagles and Ordnance Survey Joes on 15 November for the level-headed Mutero, who reiterates his sole aim for the season is retaining Solent’s silverware. His ambition of competing at the Olympics is part of a much bigger ambition.

Scheduled for another three years of study at university, Mutero is praying an extended run in Team Solent’s set-up can make his dream come true.

There’s no doubting Joel Mutero possesses the skill and ability to accomplish his ambition. It’s just about whether he choose the right dream.  11

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FEATURES

Eastleigh fear for Fleetwood fitness

Star striker Stuart Fleetwood is a major doubt as second-placed Eastleigh head into their home encounter with Farnborough at the Silverlake Stadium.

David Sillifant

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ormer Charlton and Luton frontman Fleetwood, 27, suffered a shin wound in a challenge which saw Mitchell Nelson sent-off in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Sutton United.

Fleetwood managed to play on but it was not until physio Andy Cook looked at the injury at half-time that he realised he could not continue.

With Tuesday’s Conference South trip to Gosport and Saturday’s FA Trophy third qualifying round trip to Maidstone looming, Spitfires boss

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Richard Hill was not sure on his prospects.

Hill said: “The stitches are due to be in for between seven and ten days.

“He’s not been able to get involved in any impact, contact or anything so we’ve given him the week off training.

Cooky’s given him a programme to do at home.”

Winger Romone Rose is also doubtful after tweaking his hamstring in training, but striker Jai Reason is back after serving a onematch suspension.

Hampshire rivals Farnborough arrive in ninth place following a summer of uncertainty caused by financial problems.

But under the guidance of manager Spencer Day, the Yellows have exceeded gloomy expectations.

Former Wycombe and Swansea midfielder Scott Donnelly’s banged in nine goals, while ex- Swindon Town and Torquay winger Lloyd Macklin and Elvis Hammond, a Premier League striker at Fulham, are in a squad with considerable Football League experience.

Farnborough’s away form has been a concern after only picking up five points from six matches on the road.

But they came from 2-0 down to draw at Maidenhead United on Tuesday night.

Southern Premier strugglers AFC Totton are left without a game this weekend as Corby Town are in FA Cup first round action at home to Dover.

In the Sydenham’s Wessex League, high-flying Sholing face third-bottom 12

Fawley looking to make sure they don’t slip up against The Oilers who haven’t won in eight league games.

In a bid to arrest the slide, Fawley boss Colin Lane has reduced training to one night a week after just nine players combined turned up for last week’s sessions.

A frustrated Lane said: “We had a good meeting after the Bemerton game last week and I’ve told them that we’ll go down to one night and that everyone’s got to turn up.

“I can understand if they have jobs before training, but not when they’re missing it to walk the dog or whatever. From now on we’ll be doing a two-and-a-half hour session on a Wednesday or a Thursday.

“We’re not a million miles away but we’ve got to start competing for the 90 minutes.”

Meanwhile Sholing are enjoying life after voluntarily dropping down from the Southern League South and West due to financial issues.

From 13 league games they’re unbeaten on 35 points, and although they’re one point behind Newport IoW they have four games in hand.

If Sholing prevail on Saturday then they will be eager to learn the result of Newport’s trip to third placed Winchester City who have just announced that AFC Totton’s FA Vase winning coach Paul Masters has joined as assistant manager.

Blackfield and Langley could go second if they beat mid-table Christchurch and Winchester and Sholing slip up. 

FEATURES

Moffitt injury key in Solent defeat Solent Basketball coach Sylvain Donneaud believes his side missed Antonio Moffitt towards the end of their 75-88 defeat against University of the West of England.

Lewis Hancock

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he key guard sustained an ankle injury during the third quarter and Donneaud feels he could have put UWE on the back foot.

“Antonio is a great attacker,” he said.

“He’ll attack the hoop and be aggressive to it all the time; he’ll get fouled and put the other team in a bad situation in defence.

“We definitely missed him towards the end of the game.”

UWE coach Guy Coles viewed the situation differently and gave recognition to the other members of the Solent squad.

“You can see he’s an energy player and he’s very athletic,” Coles said.

“I’m not sure we missed his presence but that’s credit to the other players Team Solent have got.”

Moffitt was rested by Donneaud in what turned out to be a very frustrating second quarter.

Solent only scored three points without the American on the court and several decisions against the hosts led to an animated Donneaud remonstrating with the referees at half time.

He said: “The game was getting more and more physical.

“They had a couple of a call which

we didn’t get on our side but that’s just a small detail.”

Donneaud was aware of some of the threats his West Country counterparts may possess, but found difficult to maintain the skills of UWE’s Aistis Keliauskas.

“We tried to have a plan against him,” he said.

“We were struggling in the second quarter and I think he scored a little bit too much.”

Donneaud added: “We did a better job in the second half but we stepped down in defence.”

Coles considered his side to be much more than just Keliauskas and praised his players for their efforts.

“He might be the glue but I wouldn’t say he was a standout player,” he said.

“I think everybody contributed today and that’s why I’m so pleased with the result.

“Sometimes when you have to leave early you can start the game and not really be ready, but we came out, were aggressive from the start and I think we had the right mindset.”

Team Solent’s next match is an away trip to Bournemouth on Wednesday 13th November.  13

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