Saturday’s home game didn’t go our way on the scoreboard but it felt like a real marker of progress for us. It was the first match of the new year, and after last week’s game was cancelled because the pitch was frozen, it was just great to be back out there. We were treated to a lovely morning for playing hockey too — great weather, even some blue sky, and not overly chilly. No base layers needed!

We lost 0–3 but compared to the 0–8 defeat the last time we played them, this was a completely different contest. From the opening minutes, our improvements were obvious. Individually, players looked more confident — stronger in tackles, better decision-making, and a lot more composure on the ball. As a team, we were far more organized and connected, moving the ball well and supporting each other all over the pitch.

We were strong and determined in defence, and created plenty of chances to add a score of our own in attack. On another day, a couple of those go in - goals are coming! Their goalkeeper had an excellent game and they even needed a defender to make a saving clearance right off the line. It was frustrating not to get a goal for the effort we all put in, but the pressure we applied showed how much our attacking play has developed.

The improvement since the previous meeting at the start of the season is clear. Both the scoreline and the performance reflect how much we’ve grown, individually and collectively. As we start 2026 it definitely feels like we’ve turned a corner, and this was a strong way to kick off Hunters’ new year despite the result.