EH Womens Prem Round-up 28th Nov 2009 Leicesters 10th Win on the trot

EH Womens Premier Division Round-up Saturday 28^th November 2009 Report and photographs from John Coxon

High flying Leicester kept up their 100% record in the EH Womens Premier division this weekend with a convincing 4-0 home win over Brooklands Poynton thus opening up the gap at the top of the table to a clear five points and incredibly with only four goals scored against them in ten games. Crista Cullen put away a penalty stroke after just five minutes into the game and then netted a short corner three minutes later. Poynton held on gamely until first Hannah Macleod scored in open play at the 55minute mark and then Lauren Taylor sealed the win on 63 minutes again in open play.

Second placed Reading could only manage a draw 2-2 against this seasons fellow newcomers, University of Birmingham. Helen Richardson opened the scoring for Reading on 14 minutes with their Midlands opposition coming back 7 minutes later courtesy of a well struck penalty stroke from Jo Turnbill. The Brummies fought back and later moved ahead on 43 minutes with a fine field goal from Sophie Bray. It took a while but late on 67 minutes Emma Lee-Smith scored from a penalty corner preventing her team suffering only their second defeat of the season and gratefully taking the draw. Brooklands Poynton had a tough weekend altogether having first to take on ,and falling, to unbeaten runaway leaders Leicester and then travel on South to Clifton for their re-arranged match going down 2-1.

The 2009-2010 season has been a bit of a nightmare for champions Hightown thus far (having to rebuild with the loss of eight players this summer) and they suffered their sixth defeat of the season from Slough but the signs are that they are growing in confidence (despite being overtaken, Sunday, by Clifton and so going second from bottom), having held it together when Slough, now third in the table, had gone ahead by 2 goals after some twenty minutes , hanging on in , and then with stalwart Tina Cullen , late in the second half, for a second week, making the point with another fine goal . Canterbury struggled a tad and couldnt manage to add to their lead given to them by the evergreen Mel Clewlow from a penalty corner on 14 minutes and must have been glad to scrape three points against bottom of the table Trojans struggling for survival having yet to win a game and stuck on a single point and a carrying a crushing -30 goal difference.

Thats it for this half of the season with Prem clubs now involved in the England Hockey Indoor League and main Prem action outdoors resuming on the 6^th of February.

Weekends Womens Prem Results

EH Women Premier Division Table Standings 29^th Nov. 2009