Report and pictures from John Coxon
EH Premiership Womens' debutants, Poynton, managed to stay up last season after struggling at the bottom throughout most of the series whilst seasoned teams like Chelmsford had to win a play off to stay up. Bowdon Hightown were one of Poynton's last games last year and were ,whooped , against the odds, in a thrilling local derby game with a wonderful victory, richly deserved. Bowdon were full of excuses for the beating they took but they played the price for complacency against a team that are so gutsy , so never say die, and richly deserved the win.
When Poynton played previous high fliers, Leicester, in one of their first matches of this season, they went down in the first half by two goals but bravely came back with incredible spirit, beating them, in the end, convincingly, and showing their real class with an eventual comfortable win against a team who would always expect to be in the top four. It had to be noted that the match report on the Leicester website was a tad patronising, lamenting a loss against " lowly " newcomers that dammed the Manchester side with convenient and self congratulating feint praise that irritated. Consistent highfliers,Bowdon , flattered to deceive , taking on Poynton again, this 27th September, and beating them 3 -1, having got two cheap goals early on from penalty corners. In the latter stages of the first half, Poynton threatened and closed Bowdon down but in the second half, struggled and couldn't make it back despite a consolation goal.
Next up , last weekend , newly promoted ( their previous rivals from the lower league ) , Trojans visited Bellevue after a very long journey North and took a somewhat flattering 2-1 win with ex England , ex Canterbury's Becky Duggan in nets . Poynton were without leading goal scorer Kate Maltman who broke her collarbone in a university game midweek ( and will be out of the game till Christmas you'd expect) and had the frustration of watching on the sidelines. The first half was "woeful" according to Poynton stalwart Jane Ambler . "Poynton barely had a look in" , she remarked , and Trojans needed to do very little to take a 2-0 lead from two short corners early on.
The second half was better for the home side but the Southampton team defended well and kept Poynton down to a handful of chances and in the end the home side struggled for possession. Cath Linaker did give them a lifeline with her first league goal from a short corner midway through thesecond half but in truth Poynton " never looked like winning or even stealing a point", according to Jane . As an observer of the game , knowing the Manchester side's potential, it was hard to see them go down to the Trojans after that extraordinary victory against Leicester and it is my guess that Trojans are going to struggle in this league and Poynton should finish mid table this season if they play full tilt every game. Ironically, on Sunday Poynton moved safely into the third round of the EHA cup with a 5-0 defeat of Springfields. Goals came from Sinead McCartney (2), Linaker, Helen Armishaw and Rebecca McGuiness.
Elsewhere in the Prem last weekend some former greats are really struggling with seasoned members retiring , other commitments and blooding new players. Wonderful Ipswich , for example, wallow after three defeats, second from bottom above former greats Chelmsford who seem all over th palce at presnt . Ironically reforming Ipswich have Leicester and newcomers Trojans next. Currently Olton and Bowdon have won all three of their first games and Clifton 2 out of three with Leicester one win out of three and yet former high fliers , Slough, surpringly with just one out of three victories. Canterbury have just three draws and are currently , just above Poynton so it really is a roller coaster for teams this season and there are no certainties.
Poynton travel south to Upton Court Road next to take on Slough and the following week we see them at Bellevue taking on Canterbury. Olton, Slough and Bowdon Hightown seem reliable and stable but with regard to all the rest there is everything to play for. More pictures from the Poynton Trojans game at johncoxon.com
