Reading’s 100%, and undefeated, record went by the wayside as a result of their away defeat at the hands of Leicester in the Investec Premier Division. Both sides saw strong play through their right hand sides with Sam Quek for Reading and Anne Panter for Leicester putting in notable performances.
Leicester’s Lucy Brown broke the deadlock in the first half to give her side a lead which they held at half time. Reading struck back with two goals in three minutes through Rebecca Halle and Liana Smith before Crista Cullen stole the show. Cullen scored from two – almost – consecutive penalty corners the first equalising Liana Smith’s strike in the 44th minute and the second restoring their lead three minutes later. It was an important win for second placed Leicester who clawed three points back on leaders Reading.
EuroCanterbury travelled to bottom placed Cannock and heaped further woe on a West Midlands side that has yet to muster a point this season. Sarah Kerly struck twice in the second half to help her side to a 5-0 victory. Cannock’s failure to score marked their third game without a goal; they have scored just three in eight games this season. Clifton dropped to fourth as a result of their surprise 4-3 defeat at Sutton Coldfield and EuroCanterbury’s win. Clifton found themselves three goals down at half time; Sarah Mills had opened the scoring after just three minutes and Jane Sixsmith followed that up with a brace before 17 minutes. Clifton, however shell shocked, fought back with an Els Mansell double that Zoe Leach added to in the 65th minute.
Sutton Coldfield, not prepared to settle for a point, had Vicky Woolford to thank for a 67th minute winner that brought their third win of the season, just a point separates them from their current position of ninth and sixth place. Bowdon Hightown drew level on points with sixth placed University of Birmingham following their 7-4 victory over Birmingham. It was the third time that Hightown has won this season by three or more goals and three of their seven came from the evergreen Tina Cullen, her third hat-trick of the season.
Sally Walton added a further two for Hightown with Fay Nash and Natalie Wray also contributing with a goal each; the bad news though, is that they will have to cope without captain Nicky O’Donnell for several weeks after she suffered what looked to be a hamstring injury. It was a tough defeat for University of Birmingham who had recovered from a three goal deficit after 15 minutes to go in tied at half time. Slough’s third win came against Olton & WW, a result that keeps the Berkshire side ahead of Sutton Coldfield by a point. Lauren Penny scored twice for Slough for the second match running as they recorded their first back to back wins this season. Despite taking an early lead through Denise Marston-Smith, Olton & WW were ultimately overrun by Slough, trailing 3-1 at half time, and running out 5-2 losers.
Surbiton and St. Albans sit tied at the top of Investec Conference East following wins for both sides again this weekend. Surbiton rifled four past Oxford Hawks during their sixth victory this season with Becky Merchant scoring a brace. St. Albans’ Samantha Archer scored twice to earn three points for her side in a hard fought home victory over Ipswich. Five of St. Albans’ wins this season have come by scoring two goals a statistic that speaks volumes of their defensive unit.
Maidstone moved three points clear of the relegation play-off place thanks to Rachel Thompson’s last minute winner over bottom side Horsham. It was Thompson’s second of the game after her first had been equalised by Amanda Hilsdon. Although it was a positive result, Old Loughtonians’ 2-2 draw with Chelmsford saw them lose ground on safety; having twice taken the lead the Essex side will be disappointed to have been unable to hold onto a win. Sevenoaks’ fifth win of the season, a 3-0 triumph over Harleston Magpies, means they occupy third place just four points behind the leaders.
Beeston regained the top spot in Investec Conference North despite being held to a 2-2 home draw by Loughborough Students. Former Loughborough player Nikki Ward opened the scoring for Beeston before Holly Brown equalised for the visitors in the 30th minute. Beeston led at half time thanks to Hannah Wraith’s strike, but were undone when Giselle Ansley converted a penalty stroke in the second half to equalise and earn a share of the points.
Wakefield Bradford remains level on points with Beeston, in second, but with an inferior goal difference following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Brooklands Poynton. Heather Stafford’s second minute opener for Wakefield looked like setting them up for a sixth victory this season but Brooklands Poynton threw a spanner in the works with goals from Helen Armishaw and Lindsay Rachubka in either half. Durham University occupy fifth spot just two points behind Beeston at the top. On Saturday, Durham registered a 4-1 victory over Doncaster with Cherry Seaborn netting a hat-trick. Bottom side Northampton Saints fell to their eighth straight defeat away at Whitley Bay and Tynemouth also by a 4-1 scoreline, Susan Davidson scoring twice for Whitley Bay.
Springfields and Liverpool Sefton shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw that saw Liverpool Sefton come from two goals down, Bethan Hardiman scoring the equaliser in the 64th minute.
Buckingham dropped their first points of the season in Investec Conference West after being held to a 4-4 draw by Isca University. Isca University’s Claire Thomas completed her hat-trick in the 64th minute to level the scores at 4-4 and earn a late draw for her side.
Swansea’s Alexandra Naughalty and Abi Welsford scored in either half during their 2-0 win away at Exe whilst Gloucester City and Team Bath Buccaneers took a point apiece in their 0-0 draw. It was Team Bath Buccaneers second goalless draw in a row. Firebrands moved three points clear of bottom side Staines, their defeated opponents, thanks to a 6-3 victory. Georgie Field scored a hat-trick for Firebrands to help earn their second win of the season. Trojans’ also gained their second win of the season 4-0 away at Barnes Hounslow Ealing. Charlotte Cox put Trojans into an early lead before Sally Gibson added a second shortly before half time. Rebecca van Berkel and Emma Teague added goals in the second half to see Trojans score more than three goals for the first time in 2011/12.
RESULTS
Saturday 12 November
Women's Premier Division
Bowdon Hightown (3) 7 - 4 (3) University of Birmingham
Tina Cullen 10 37 41 - F PS F Jenna Woolven 20 - F
Sally Walton 14 43 - F F Liz George 22 55 - F F
Fay Nash 15 - PC Jo Turnbull 27 - F
Natalie Wray 40 - F
Cannock (0) 0 - 5 (3) Canterbury
Sarah Kerly 5 27 - F F
Natalie Seymour 13 - PC
Lucy Hyams 64 - PC
Kirsty Chambers 69 - F
Leicester (1) 3 - 2 (0) Reading
Lucy Brown 11 - F Rebecca Halle 38 - F
Crista Cullen 44 47 - PC PC Liana Smith 41 - F
Olton & West Warwicks (1) 2 - 5 (3) Slough
Denise Marston-Smith 4 - F Alex Scott 19 - PC
Holly Chipman 45 - F Louise Bevan 22 - F
Lauren Penny 31 60 - F PC
Nicola White 62 - F
Sutton Coldfield (3) 4 - 3 (0) Clifton
Sarah Mills 3 - F Els Mansell 44 61 - F PC
Jane Sixsmith 9 16 - F PC Zoe Leach 65 - F
Vicky Woolford 67 - PC
Women's Conference East
Chelmsford (0) 2 - 2 (0) Old Loughtonians
Loren Sherer 47 - F Rosie Macpherson 43 - F
Julia Butterworth 63 - F Emily Defroand 60 - PC
Maidstone (1) 2 - 1 (1) Horsham
Rachel Thompson 11 69 - PC PS Amanda Hilsdon 29 - PC
Sevenoaks (2) 3 - 0 (0) Harleston Magpies
Nicola Lloyd 11 - F
Jet Van Zalen 31 - F
Lucy Wood 63 - F
St. Albans (1) 2 - 1 (1) Ipswich
Samantha Archer 12 37 - F F Faye Curran 21 - PC
Surbiton (1) 4 - 1 (1) Oxford Hawks
Izzy Sheldrake 12 - F
Becky Merchant 50 65 - PC PC
Vicky Bryant 68 - F
Women's Conference North
Beeston (2) 2 - 2 (1) Loughborough Students
Nikki Ward 11 - PC Holly Brown 30 - F
Hannah Wraith 32 - F Giselle Ansley 45 - PS
Brooklands Poynton (1) 2 - 1 (1) Wakefield Bradford
Helen Armishaw 27 - F
Lindsay Rachubka 38 - F
University of Durham (1) 4 - 1 (0) Doncaster
Cherry Seaborn 16 41 58 - PC F PC
Libby Sherriff 63 - F
Springfields (2) 2 - 2 (0) Liverpool Sefton
Emily Adams 14 - F Sarah Ingham 43 - F
Holly Stringfellow 15 - F Bethan Hardiman 64 - F
Whitley Bay and Tynemouth (3) 4 - 1 (1) Northampton Saints
Gabrielle Foster 7 - F
Julie Hope 8 - F
Susan Davidson 17 48 - F PC
Women's Conference West
Barnes Hounslow Ealing (0) 0 - 4 (2) Trojans
Charlotte Cox 8 - PC
2011-11-14
