Confidence was high, optimism was flowing, and everyone politely pretended not to think about how much Bishops Stortford would want something back from this one.

The squad assembled minus two important contenders. Aaliyah was away on her much-anticipated trip to Germany, no doubt preparing for her own international Gladiators challenge, while Kirsty was heroically holding the fort with ballet transport and mum duties — an event that makes The Wall look fairly straightforward.

An early start tested both legs and enthusiasm, delivering a proper Hang Tough moment for the squad. However, morale was instantly boosted by Assistant Coach Josh turning up in support, despite having his own 6pm pushback game under the lights later that day. Commitment levels worthy of Atlasphere. Energy levels… still loading.

From the opening whistle, Broxbourne burst out like contenders sprinting into The Gauntlet. Chances came early and often, and on another day the game might have been wrapped up quickly. Unfortunately, following the Christmas break and last week’s postponed match, the team briefly took part in Almost Scoring, an event not officially recognised by Gladiators.

Once everyone remembered what sport they were playing, the passing game clicked back into life. Grace, Isla and Olivia drove forward with purpose, feeding Hannah and Cerys with some excellent through balls. Fixy powered down the wing like she was chasing points in Powerball, linking up neatly with Isla and keeping Bishops Stortford constantly on the move.

When Stortford tried to break through the middle, they were met by a defence firmly set to Eliminate. Lauren and Tors stepped in confidently to intercept passes, while Tara controlled the back line from centre back, pushing attackers wide and away from danger like a well-organised Pyramid defence system.

The first half became an impressive demonstration of how many parts of a goal can be hit without scoring — posts, crossbar, side netting — a full Hit & Miss masterclass. Still, Broxbourne kept pressing, clearly winning the Duel even if the scoreboard refused to cooperate.

A brief moment of drama arrived during a Bishops Stortford short corner when the ball bounced off the post, but Emma reacted sharply to clear the danger, completing her own one-woman Atlasphere escape. The defence quickly worked out the short-corner routines and shut them down efficiently from then on.

Half-time arrived at 0–0. Not ideal, but given the dominance, it felt more like being paused halfway through The Wall rather than falling off it.

Josh and Tara led the team talk, praising the passing and delivering some very clear coaching advice. Everyone listened carefully… including Tara, who shortly after managed to do exactly what she had just told everyone else not to do. This resulted in a loud, good-natured apology to Josh that echoed around the pitch — a textbook Gladiators Confessional moment.

Bishops Stortford started the second half strongly and took the lead after an unfortunate error, with the ball trickling over the line. It may well have been helped over by our own keeper…

Luckily, Ladies 3s are very comfortable in comeback mode.

From defence to mid to attack, the play built superbly and Stortford found it hard to keep up with the pace of passing.

Then the hard work paid off…

A fantastic ball from Laura allowed Hannah and Cerys to link up brilliantly, with Hannah providing the assist for the equaliser.

Soon after, ‘Angry Alice’ entered the arena and delivered a stunning through ball to Olivia — the sort of pass that belongs in the final round of Powerball and not in a Ladies 3’s match— resulting in another well-taken goal from Cerys.

With the lead restored, Broxbourne turned the pressure up again. Rocket passes flew through the pitch from Tors, Lauren and Tara, slicing through Stortford like contenders charging up The Travelator.

Grace, and her incredible footwork showcased her silky skills, spinning and gliding past defenders as if she’d installed her own Pendulum. Laura and Sharon added more energy with intelligent runs, ensuring Bishop’s Stortford stayed firmly on defence until the final whistle.

When time was finally called, Broxbourne had secured another hard-earned win. A strong team performance, plenty of laughs, and a full afternoon of Gladiators-level effort.

Post-Match Awards (Presented in the Arena):
Player of the Match: Grace, for her silky skills and complete refusal to be tackled.
Donkey Award: Tara, for expecting everyone to do as she says… not as she does.
Champagne Moment: Alice, for that pass. Still under review by Gladiators officials.

Mens 3s vs Bishop's Stortford 3 - 3-3 draw
Goal scorers: Wyatt, Harrison L & KP
Assists: Wyatt, Harrison L & KP
Player: Bourkey
Donkey: Cranners

The game of two halves

Brox mens 3Xl returned to action at home again, on Saturday, against local rivals Bishops Stortford. BS were sitting 2nd in the league 1 point ahead of us in 3rd, so there was all to play for. With the sun glaring down on the pitch, a complete contrast to the prior weeks icy cold conditions, the lads led out to warm up by El Capitano Si. Not the best of warmups with everyone miss firing in the traditional shot box.

Before push back even happened, questions where being asked about keepers changing kit colour, and BS not having an away kit. Apparently all their teams share the only one yellow kit that they have. Which their 1s had commandeered for the later pushback. We concluded it was more like, men being men, that it was probably sitting in some smelly kit bag. Umpire Mark was taking no nonsense and we managed to get started.

There was a lot of jostling between both squads for the ball in the first 10 minutes, trying to gain a foothold in the game. BS registered the first shot on goal with a 1on1 break away, thankfully Si managed to deflect the shot wide. A couple of BS shorts were also dealt with before Brox started to turn the screw maintaining an insane amount of the ball. The back four commanded by AJ and Russ dictated play alongside midfield maestro Hugh.

The first goal came after a sloppy touch by a BS midfielder gave Brox a sideline ball. Quickly taken, an aerial was thrown into the D which found Wyatt, who controlled it "questionably", looking promising to score he squared it for Harrison charging forward who did score firing low hard and true. 1 - 0

With full press being applied, Brox found themselves deep in the midst of BS defenders faces. Their only route out was to try long balls down the line, which was easy picking for the Brox midfield and defenders.

Brox second came following a period of some slick, quick fire passes, which eventually found Harrison in space, who breached the 23. KP made some space in the D, to take full advantage of a slipped pass to him and fired on the reverse. The goal was helped by a deflection on route, by a BS defender. 2 - 0.

The half time whistle was approaching fast. With persistence Brox found themselves with an opportunity, or 3, to convert short corners. The BS defensive unit standing strong for 2 of them. The injection on the 3rd was wayward of stopper Russ, however KP took control firing in a low shot, which rebounded to Wyatt to turn it in first time on the reverse. The sound of the backboard now becoming a familiar noise.

The fairy tale half came to an end. Brox 3 - 0 Bishops Stortford.

The halftime team talk was quick, full of positive energy - remain calm on the ball, play like we were floating around the pitch... or so we thought...

BS had other ideas for the second half. The fairy tale coming to an end and a chance of going 2nd in the league squandered. Brox played the 2nd half like they had never held a hockey stick before and allowing the unthinkable comeback.

The first of the half, was the luckiest goal of them all. A BS defender used his foot in his own D to stop the ball, then played it through the middle to an attacker who faked around AJ and out paced Russ to find himself 1 on 1 with Si. After a fluffed shot the ball somehow managed to find the goal. So instead of a short being awarded to Brox, BS was back in it 3 - 1. Stu made his feelings known.

The BS 2nd goal was very similar to the first. A breakaway play from sloppy possession. Not much to remember about this goal, apart from our midfield and defence being slow to react to on rushing attackers and the attacker's strike bouncing and hitting the backboard. 3 - 2

Brox suffered and endured quite possibly the worst 35 minutes of hockey ever seen since the creation of the game. With 10 minutes to go, the devastation continued. AJ picked up a knock to the head in a 50/50 collision with the smallest and skinniest BS player. Having landed awkwardly on his shoulder, he was left sidelined for the remainder of the game.

BS who were now playing like it was a training game delivered the Hammer Blow. Another breakaway goal, completing the dream comeback and an equaliser for the 3-3 draw. The initial 1 on 1 strike was saved but the BS striker was quickest to the rebound and lifted the ball into the net.

A last minute short for BS was dealt with by Brox preventing a complete turnaround.

70 mins, 35 minutes each way, literally gave meaning to the term - A game of two halves. Opportunities taken, mistakes made and a wobble in composure.

M.o.m - Bourkey (having the sense to observe and not be part of a dreadful 2nd half)

D.o.d - Cranners (having played so well in the 1st half, decided in the 2nd that his stick was useless and his feet worked better).

Ladies 2s vs Bishop's Stortford 2 - 7-2 win
Goal scorers: Meg S x4, Paris x2 & Charlotte
Assists: Baz, Sue, Sophie, Meg S, Charlotte, Gemma & Isobel
Player: Evie
Donkey: Gemma

Diary of a Rollins girl
Jan 17th 2026
It’s been a big week, I have big life choices to make. Do I give fireman Henry a chance or do I just go with the safe option, number 6! The date was ok, he picked me up and took me to golf, I was doing ok, sneaked a hole in one but then things went downhill. Henry beat me! Can’t have that, I can’t be bad on the hockey pitch every week and then lose at golf too. My thoughts just kept floating back to the dreamboat that is 6! I mean fireman paid for dinner and treated me like a princess all night but as someone who is more troll like I struggled with this! Anyway maybe I will give him a chance, who wouldn’t want to slide down his pole, but we will see how my weekly FaceTime goes with 6!

Anyway enough about me! It was a big game on sat, we were facing local rivals Stortford and after losing to them last time I really wanted to win, it would be great to tell the boys how well we did! The first time we played Stortford my captain Gemma (who is also my role model and hockey hero) let me play in midfield, maybe she will give me a chance again! We started in the changing rooms where we had our team talk, this is my favourite part of any game as I get to listen to Gemma, I just hope that one day I can be as inspirational as she is, I have a long way to go but I guess I can keep dreaming! It turns out I have to play in defence again but I am allowed up for short corners and dragging out is my best (and possibly only) skill.

After a quick warmup the match started. It didn’t take long for us to take the lead, new girl Meg S played a lovely pass into Charlotte who slotted it away. It was only a few minutes later when Welsh dragon Sophie made a lovely run down the right and got her second assist in two weeks by passing the ball into another newbie Paris. The goals just kept on coming, Sue passed the ball to Paris, who causally dribbled the ball past a couple of defenders and tomahawked it into the goal. Sue is a defender and I just wish I could get assists like her. We had a slight mishap and let in a goal but it was 3-1 at half time. Sue gave me some advice at half time about how to get an assist when playing in defence and hopefully I can take this on board.

The second half was all about Meg really, she decided that she didn’t fancy letting anyone else score because she was just going to smash it out herself! Her first goal was a beaut reversie from a Gemma assist (bloody legend) and then a cheeky Isobel assist set her up for another. Then when we were 5-1 up my opportunity came, we had a short corner! This is when I can get my chance to shine! I passed to Charlotte, if she scored this is the moment, I know she could do it! But Meg said no, she wants a hat trick and tapped it in on the post. Then to rub it in another defender Baz stepped up to assist Meg for her forth. We accidentally let in a goal and the match finished 7-2.

A lovely 3 points for the badgers and an amazing performance from everyone. I got fined a lot for being so indecisive about fireman Henry and number 6 but I still can’t make up my mind. I decided instead to go and watch the men’s 1’s where I checked out the oppo’s number 6, I liked him! He got a card and I love a dangerous man! Maybe he is rubbish at golf and will make a better date, I gave him my number but as I left that pesky team hoe Vic ‘Casper’ Boulton was sniffing around so who knows. Another week of dates before I make sure I am hot for hockey against Bedford, I just hope I can finally get and assist, I know I will never score but an assist will do.

Mens 4s vs Harpenden 4 - 3-2 win
Goal scorers: Paul Stapes x2, Trev
Assists: Kieran, Rich & Trev
Player: Trev & Rich
Donkey: Luke, Andy & Ryan

This 2:30pm home fixture for the Broxbourne 4's was always going to be a tight contest, going by recent results against Harpenden. 2 very tight games last season and a 1 - 1 draw earlier this season at their place, set up what was going to be a fiery match.

Brox were again able to put out a healthy squad of 16, allowing for frequent changes, to keep the team as fresh as possible for the battle ahead.

With the weather very much different to the week before, the stage was set

Slight pre match concerns, with losing an umpire an hour before push back. AJ's injury picked up in the earlier 3's game, put him in doubt, however, Digger jumped in to the rescue and offered to assist KP with the adjudicating

Only the 1 change to the starting line up with Oakley making a comeback in place of Andy Bourke, who had kept the 3's bench nice and warm in the earlier game, before heading off to watch a shambolic football fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Staples Snr and Jnr were again kitted out with the usual psychedelic leggings.

With the away team winning the toss, Broxbourne started the game.

Some great early composed passing from Broxbourne, and attempts to break down the opposition !

Eventually the deadlock was broken on 12 minutes, some great forward movement and a shot from Rich Mellor headed goal bound - only for Paul "The Poacher" Staples to make sure with a tap in
1 - nil Brox
Broxbourne held their own and created chances, as well as keeping Harpenden out - despite their efforts.

DOD nominee moment in the game - While attending to his bleeding hand, skipper Moorhouse was approached by Kieran O asking if he had a spare shirt, as his was found to be having the afternoon off in the tumble dryer at home ! Without a moments thought, Captain pulled off his shirt and handed it to Kieran to squeeze on - this left Jason with just a Broxbourne blue Underlayer to see out the rest of the game ! Constant banter from the side lines confirmed that the underlayer was doing Moorhouse no favours at all and that this attire should never be repeated !

A pretty even game ended 1 - 0 at half time to the home team who edged it on chances

A positive team talk and an intake of energy drinks, set Brox up for more of the same in the 2nd half.

Although the 2nd half started pretty much the same as the 1st half did, Harpenden were putting more pressure on the Broxbourne defence.

The old saying "game of 2 halves" was definitely starting to look a reality, especially in the 42 min, when disaster struck. Harpenden pulled one back. A complete miscommunication in the Broxbourne defence, who appeared to usher the ball into our own goal following pressure from Harpenden. The game was stopped for a few minutes while the umpires decided what went on ! Both teams pleading their innocence and argued claims for who hit the ball last, however a goal was awarded - 1 v 1 game on

The visitors equalising goal certainly affected the Broxbourne mojo - and the home team were struggling to get back to the way they played in the 1st half

Harpenden hit a 2nd goal in the 58th minute

A deep breath and a reassuring call from Trev Mellor gave the lads some belief and composure to get back into this game as it was far from done

Broxbourne were getting into the opponents half more and attacking the goal in the hope an equaliser would come

The hard work paid off in the 65th minute, when Paul Staples pulled Broxbourne level. A collection of short corners fell in our favour and the goal was converted with an assist from Trevor.
Trevor had received the ball from a firm injection by Kieran P
This particular penalty corner was won by hard work and pressure from Symon Prentice. A green card for the opposition was given out for frustration and back chat to KP

A couple of injuries in the 2nd half - a frustrated Danny G having to call it a day after picking up a strain to his quad and multiple scuffs and grazes to others in the team

The game again was looking like it was going to end in a draw, but in the last few minutes another string of short corners were forced by Broxbourne

The winning goal came in the 70th minute. A short corner injected to Trevor, followed by some passing back and forth, before that sweet sound of the back board being struck by a shot from Trevor

The home team were victorious finishing the game 3 - 2

Fantastic character from everyone today

Very Proud Captain again.

Ladies 4s vs Letchworth 4 - 1-1 draw
Goal scorer: Jo
Assist: Jen
Player: Jo
Donkey: Ella & Rachael

Broxbourne and Letchworth dusted off the Christmas cobwebs and eased their way back into competitive hockey with a close, good-natured battle that ended in a well-earned draw.
With mince pies only recently replaced by mouth guards. Broxbourne enjoyed spells of neat passing and pressure, while Letchworth were more than happy to spoil the party, defending stubbornly and breaking forward whenever the chance appeared.
Chances came and went at both ends, helped along by goalkeepers who clearly hadn’t skipped their festive fitness plans. Broxbourne pushed hard as the match went on, earning a handful of corners and plenty of hopeful shouts from the sideline, but Letchworth refused to budge. Late on, Letchworth nearly stole it on the counter, only for Broxbourne to pounce back and keep things level with an excellent sprint from Jo.
In the end, a draw was probably the most sensible outcome for a first game back after Christmas — competitive enough to feel like proper hockey, but friendly enough to remind everyone why they missed it. Both teams will be glad to have shaken off the holiday rust and got back to doing what they do best

Mens 1s vs Bishop's Stortford 1 - 2-1 win
Goal scorers: Josh & Iain
Assists: George & Ed
Player: Joe
Donkey: Stan

Broxbourne claimed a hard-fought 2–1 home victory over Bishops Stortford, a result made all the more pleasing by the return of star man Stan Mason from injury. The win moves Brox up to 8th in the table ahead of next week’s clash with Bedford, a well-drilled mid-table side.

Brox started brightly and controlled much of the first quarter. The opening goal came courtesy of Josh Chapman, who drove into the right side of the D and fired a ball across goal. While our attackers were still considering their options, a Stortford defender reacted far quicker, expertly dispatching the ball into the top right corner. Josh is, unsurprisingly, claiming it. Brox 1–0 up.

As the game progressed, control remained but the overall standard and quality began to dip, with both sides struggling to find fluency.

The second goal was pure theatre. Ed, our silky midfielder, unleashed a ferocious reverse-stick tomahawk straight at the keeper. The sheer power sent him flying backwards and into the goal, leaving the ball to fall kindly to Ian – our record signing from Old Loughts – who tapped home before sprinting away in celebration, loudly singing the Scottish national anthem for reasons still unclear.

Stortford pulled a goal back after being awarded a penalty flick, following a penalty corner where the ball struck our captain’s foot on the line. The flick was converted, setting up a tense finish.

Brox saw out the closing stages well, managing the game to secure three valuable points and keep momentum building as attention now turns to Bedford next week.

Away Fixtures

Ladies 5s vs Letchworth 5 - 5-0 win
Goal scorers: Milly x2, Daniela, Katie H & Shannon
Assists: Tess x3 & Sarah BA
Player: Katie H
Donkey: Tess
Cards: Tess (green)

Thanks to Tors persistently badgering Bryony to return to hockey she eventually brought some new astros, found most of her kit (no skort), dug out the stick and made her Badgers come back. A most welcome addition to our team, hurrah.

Letchworth are 4th in the table, and we’d lost 1-4 at home to them earlier in the season. However, our last match in December had seen an improvement in play and commitment so we were in a positive mood, even though our fitness had taken a nosedive due to the Christmas festivities, but hopefully Letchworth had similar issues.

Within 3 minutes we’d scored our first goal, a cross across the D from Tess was deflected into the goal by Shannon. Similes all round. We were controlling most of the play. We were awarded a short, which Katie injected to Tess whose shot was saved by the keeper, but Katie was in the right place to tap in our second goal, more smiles. This was good, but we’ve been here before only to lose, so don’t get too excited! The second half continued with more attacks and goalmouth action, Milly scored after picking up a clearance from the keeper after Tess’s shot. 3 nil, this was beginning to feel good and still we dominated Letchworth. Daniela finally found the net after some misses. Surely, we were OK now. Milly then put in the 5th goal to make sure of the WIN, our first of this season.

Letchworth’s centre mid had a very strong hit which she regularly fired into their D. Teagan had a great game, intercepting many of these hits and distributing the ball cleanly to our mids and forwards to change defence into attack.

Strong defending by Lorraine, Fran, Tess and Bryony, some saves by Hannah and the inability of their forwards to stop the ball and shoot on target gave us the first clean sheet of the season.

The other notable event of the match was a green card for Tess, her first ever, and, as she said she’s been playing a long time!! For the whole match there was a battle of the centre mids, both very determined and strong on the ball. This eventually came to a head, so the umpire gave both players a warning. 2 minutes later the same thing was happening so cards were issued.

A great game, enjoyed by all, including our long-suffering supporters. We’re still 11th but now only 6 points behind 10th. So, more wins required but a fantastic start to 2026. Onwards and upwards.

Ladies 1s vs Dereham 1 - 2-0 win
Goal scorers: Em x2
Assist: Nads & Martha
Player: Lara
Donkey: Vic
Cards: Em (green)

*Smooth operators take the 3 points*

The long road to Dereham meant that mandatory car snacks, playlists and a post-journey trip to the spa were required. Party rings, 7 diet cokes and 3 bananas were consumed with the precision of a well-executed warm-up drill, and that was just Bench.

Em levelled up her pre-game routine by testing out her new stick grip and acupuncture pillow - fresh out of Gemma Wilkinson’s textiles classroom - while Vic proudly revealed a neatly shaved ankle, setting the tone for a day all about being silky smooth.

Shaved ankles (or full legs for some), good as new achilles and coach Az sadly left behind following mid-term feedback that his vibe score needed improvement, we were ready to go.

From pushback, Broxbourne glided across the pitch. Passes were slick, movement was clean, and Dereham struggled to keep hold of our momentum, much like trying to grip a bar of soap in the shower.

The game saw Broxbourne complete a polished performance, with balls from the back line smoother than a brand new shaver and the midfield unit sliding through the opposition. But the star of the shave show was Em, whose pre-game routine paid off in spectacular fashion. Taking both goals with excellent strikes on goal and cutting through the defence with ease.

Despite spending half of the game on the wrong end of the whistle or the astro turf collecting grazes like souvenirs, Em kept things razor-sharp - apart from a green card which we can only put down to jealousy for being so sharp on the ball.

In goal, Lily made several crucial saves (some say as smooth as a freshly shaved ankle) to keep a clean sheet, ensuring Dereham left without so much as a nick.

Player of the match was awarded to Lara for her work rate and distribution softer than shaving foam. Notable mention for Darcy in her first appearance for the 1s this season and never missing a beat (or patch).

The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 win and a thoroughly clean performance all round. Post-match, the team gathered in the steam room for a well-earned full body massage (and armpit shave), possibly the most memorable part of the spa trip.

Jackie P and Brownie checked us out of the short but sweet trip to the Norfolk spa, except captain Ellie who had a date with her more moderately temperatured shower for a full leg shave ready to impress Stan later that evening.

All in all, a silky smooth away day victory for Broxbourne that even Gillette would be proud of. Sometimes, it really does pay to shave the margins.

This win sees us rise to second in the table, facing top of the table Bedford in next week’s fixture.

Mens 2s vs Bishop's Stortford 2 - 2-0 loss
Player: Fordy
Donkey: Jack

The 2’s Sink (Again), But With Flair

The Badgers arrived at Stortford with a heroic bare eleven after Captain JP took himself out of the squad by sustaining a mysterious domestic injury and spending the day in A&E. Commitment levels: 10/10, availability: 0/10. The badgers did however welcome the return of veteran goalkeeper Fordy following his 10 year hiatus from the club

Shockingly, we started well. Lance smacked the post instead of the net, Baller was denied by a keeper who suddenly decided he was Courtois with a stick, and for a brief moment we had hope. Sadly, hope is a dangerous feeling.

Stortford scored from open play and we collectively remembered why we’re flirting with relegation. Halftime.

Second half kicked off and it instantly became a contact sport. Challenges flying in, tempers rising, umpires experiencing hallucinations involving feet that definitely didn’t exist. After several short corners awarded via vibes and imagination, Stortford made it 2–0.

Satwick decided yellow was his colour of the day and collected two. No one knows what the first was for. The second was for the heinous crime of speaking to his own teammate. Jail for that man.

Final whistle. Stortford win. Spirits bruised, dignity questionable.

MOTM: Fordy – great to have you back, please don’t leave again. Guaranteed action here
DOD: Captain JP for injuring himself in his own house before the game. Scenes.

We go again Saturday at 16:30 at the Den vs Royston. With JP hopefully repaired and Angus not on loan to the Ones, we may even stand a chance. No promises.

Mens 5s vs Saffron Walden 8 Dev - conceded by Broxbourne

Sunday 18th January

Home Fixtures

Mixed vs Hampstead & Westminster - 7-2 win

Away Fixtures

Women's O45s vs Amersham & Chalfont - 3-1 loss

Coming up this weekend

Saturday 24th January

Home Fixtures - Sponsored by 147 Waste Clearance
10am - Ladies 5s vs Stevenage 5
11.30am - Ladies 2s vs Bedford 2
1.15pm - Mens 1s vs Bedford 1
3pm - Ladies 1s vs Bedford 1
4.30pm - Mens 2s vs Royston 1

Away Fixtures
10am - Ladies 4s vs Stevenage 4
1.15pm - Mens 4s vs Bedford 7
1.30pm - Mens 3s vs Southgate Adelaide 1
2.30pm - Ladies 3s vs Berkhamsted & Hemel 2

Annual Badger Quiz
Join us in the club room starting from 7pm for the annual Badger Quiz organised by Gemma Wilkinson & friends.
This year's quiz will be fundraising for the Mount Vernon Marie Curie Research Wing Trust in memory of former club member Annie Strachan.
£5 per person, teams of 6-8 recommended.
We look forward to seeing lots of past & present members there for another successful quiz evening.