ASHFORD 1st XI 2 v WEST HAMPSTEAD 2nd XI 0

11/10/09
West Hampstead 2nd XI provided the opposition for Ashford Ladies 1st XI at Short Lane on Saturday, when the Red & Blacks were playing their second league game of the new season.
Ashford welcomed back young defender ELINE SIBIA to the squad after illness and they were without experienced striker SHARON McGLINLEY, otherwise they were at full strength. Coach MANDY WAIN has been working hard with the squad in training on basic skills and good team work, and it showed as the whole team combined well and produced some exciting fluid hockey from the very start of the game. Each player seemed to have an extra yard of pace from last week’s game and they were all working hard for each other. NICKY BENEDICT in midfield was creating havoc for the visitors with her skilful probing runs, whilst defenders LOU DOUGLAS, EMMA HYNES, ELINE SIBIA, SOPHIE SMART, skipper PHIL WORSFOLD and goalkeeper SAM GRANT dealt easily with the few attacks the visitors tried to make. Young midfielders KELLY TAYLOR and ANNA PROTHEROE were also playing some very creative hockey down either flank, whilst ANNIE NEYTON was as speedy and as thrusting as ever. Up front squad newcomer LUCY UTTLEY was showing her lightening speed and skills, whilst JACQUI BASHFORD was perpetually probing and gathering as always. Not surprisingly, the Red & Blacks soon took the lead and it was defender LOU DOUGLAS who opened the scoring, when she slap hit the ball into the net to score her first ever goal for Ashford from a well worked short corner routine. Further good team work put Ashford clearly on top and another goal for the Red & Blacks followed shortly before half time and it was a brilliant one. Defender EMMA HYNES picked up the ball wide on the Ashford 25 yard line and delivered an excellent sweeping through ball to LUCY UTTLEY near the half way line. In one swift movement, LUCY controlled the ball and sped past the oncoming defender and accelerated goal wards, neatly by passing another defender and around the advancing West Hampstead goalkeeper to calmly slot the ball home and put Ashford deservedly 2-0 up.

The second half saw Ashford continuing to control the play, with all the team still combining well, playing some simple, but very effective hockey, and creating numerous chances. However, try as they might, despite gaining many short corners, the Red & Blacks were unable to add to their goal tally. The visitors then belatedly created a few chances of their own, but Ashford keeper SAM GRANT sprang into action to cope with them easily. In the final quarter of the game, the Red & Blacks again turned on the style and finished on a high note by again dominating play. The Red & Blacks nearly got a third shortly before the final whistle, and LOU DOUGLAS her second goal, when she cracked a screamer of a shot from a short corner, but was blown up for dangerous play. KELLY TAYLOR was voted Player of the Match, with several players getting votes as the whole team had performed very, very well and coach MANDY WAIN was extremely pleased with their display. Next week the Red & Blacks travel to Hammersmith to face early League leaders PHC Chiswick 1st XI at the West London Stadium and they will be hoping to continue to play with the flair, skill and confidence displayed on Saturday.

Team: S. Grant (GK), E Hynes, S.Smart, J.Bashford, P.Worsfold (Skipper), L. Douglas, A. Protheroe, E. Sibia, K.Taylor, N. Benedict, L.Uttley, A.Neyton