Unfortunately for Carrick Ladies they haven't had much of a chance to try their winter woollies out yet this year as the weather has played havoc with their 2008 match schedule.

However they did eventually return to the pitch last weekend, and they did so in style.

Not only did they notch up a 6-1 win, they also sported their brand new set of Samurai team shirts thanks to local sportswear supplier, Overplay Sports.

For the past number of years Carrick's distinctive shade of jade green has featured strongly throughout the province's busy hockey scene, but the club had been finding it difficult to source any supplier capable of replicating their exact colour into a more modern design.

"We were delighted to find the solution right here in our own back yard when John Anderson of Overplay Sports in Carrick directed us to their prestige Samurai range," explained club chairperson Norman Wilson.

"Thanks to Overplay and Samurai, our entire first XI squad now has brand new high performance playing shirts which we're extremely happy with.

" We intend to trial the shirts for the remainder of the season and, if everything's OK, we'll then think about rolling out the new design to the entire club.

"We're particularly pleased to be able to support a Carrickfergus based supplier as the club is itself indebted to a wide range of businesses and individuals in and around Carrick who have helped us financially over the past number of years.

"Just because we're based centrally in the town and called Carrick Ladies doesn't of course mean we can expect unqualified respect and support from the people of the town.

"We know we have to earn this, and we've worked very hard over the past few years to establish and promote ourselves as a strong and successful home based club promoting home based talent.

"Thanks to the efforts of our players and officials, and the generosity of the people of Carrickfergus, we now believe we're a force to be reckoned with in Ulster hockey."

That certainly is the case for Carrick Ladies with their home record speaking for itself.

Wilson continued: "Nobody comes to us expecting an easy match. We launched our league and cup match sponsorship programme four years ago and since then our three UWHU teams have between them played a total of 108 sponsored home matches at Carrick Leisure Centre.

"Of these we've won 79, drawn 13, and lost only 16. I'd challenge any other similar sized hockey club in the province to demonstrate a better home record. So hopefully we've given our sponsors value for money over the past four years and we're doing our utmost to maintain this excellent playing record.

"Our senior club is always fully subscribed and our flourishing junior club, run in partnership with Carrickfergus Borough Council, is simply bulging at the seams with young girls hoping to break into the senior club via our U-12 and U-14 league programmes.

"Our four team and cup sponsors McKenzie Metals, Penrose Roofing, James Bowman Hairdressing, and Carrickfergus Glass Company have all supported us loyally over many years and we're totally indebted to them for their ongoing assistance.

" Match sponsors have also supported us enthusiastically and this season we've already received sponsorship from Barn Social Club, B & J Builders, C S Tyres, Carrick Gas Services, Carrick Pet Stores, Deborah Yea Partnership, D P Flashings, Leathem's Newsagency, Meadow Cars, Ulster Bank, and Victoria Hot Spot.

"Like most hockey clubs these days, we live a hand to mouth existence each and every season. It's become extremely expensive to fund a full playing season especially when all our hockey, both training and matchplay, is played on a synthetic pitch hired from our local council.

"But we're proud to say we've never once failed to make ends meet and we've successfully funded every single fixture and training session since we took on this commitment."