Ladies League Hockey 4/4/09
Middlesex Premier
HAMPSTEAD & WESTMINSTER 2nd XI 4 v ASHFORD 1st XI 1
For their final League game of the season, Ashford ladies 1st XI had to travel once again into London to take on the newly crowned League Champions, Hampstead & Westminster 2nd XI. The Ashford squad was minus key regulars EMMA HYNES, STACEY KENWARD and NICKY BENEDICT, and coach MANDY WAIN welcomed back Kiwi defender KIM FRY and brought up youngster LUCY UTTLEY to complement her squad of players. Anticipating a hard game against the all conquering Champions, the Red & Blacks played a new formation of five in midfield in a W formation, with a lone striker and one wide player up front. In almost summer conditions, Ashford started well on the slightly bumpy water based pitch. The extra midfield players bedded down quickly to their new roles and the opposition were finding it hard to break through. Hampstead and Westminster did however gain a short corner fairly early on in the game which they struck wide of the post. The Red & Blacks were playing some good attacking hockey as well though and the home team were finding it difficult to deal with and were unsure who they should mark to stem the flow of the Red & Blacks attacks. After fifteen minutes play the speedy and exciting skills of the Red & Blacks youngsters LUCY UTTLEY and KELLY TAYLOR saw them combining well and breaking through the Hampstead & Westminster defence on the half way line, to set up “on form” striker LIV YOUNG on the 25 yard line. LIV controlled the through pass well and drove into the circle and calmly slotted the ball home past the advancing keeper to put the Red & Blacks deservedly 1-0 up. Not surprisingly the home team hit back with venom, but defender KIM FRY and goalkeeper SAM GRANT defended resolutely when one of their forwards found herself with a chance almost on the Ashford goal line. Ashford nearly went two up after twenty two minutes of play when LIV YOUNG again showed her prowess in front of goal, but was just unable to get her feet round to finish the move off. As half time approached Hampstead and Westminster secured an equaliser from a well worked short corner and then on the stroke of half time went somewhat undeservedly ahead by 2 goals to one following a good through ball.
The second half saw Ashford again on the attack, but after five minutes of play the home team got a breakaway goal to go 3-1 up. The Red & Blacks kept going though and shortly after, a beautiful strike from a short corner by JACKIE PARSONS went only a fraction wide of the near post. As the game progressed the heat and pressure from the home team began to tire Ashford and with five minutes left of the game Hampstead & Westminster got a fourth goal to make the final score a somewhat flattering 4-1 to them. Although Ashford didn’t gain any points from the game, it was a solid performance using the new formation and they can be pleased with their sixth position in the League out of eleven teams, which is an improvement of the eighth position they finished in last season. Unfortunately the successful squad will be losing two regular players before next season with LIV YOUNG departing for University. In addition, long time star player JACKIE PARSONS is threatening retirement from the game she has played and graced with style and an abundance of skill since her formative years. They will both be missed and difficult to replace in many ways.
Team: S. Grant (GK), E. Sibia, J.Bashford, P.Worsfold (Skipper), A. Protheroe, K. Fry, J.Parsons, L.Young, K.Taylor, L Uttley, S Smart, A.Neyton, T Holland
