EH PREMIERSHIP HOCKEY POYNTON V CANTERBURY 25TH OCT 2008
Report and photographs from John Coxon
Canterbury set off early morning Saturday for the long haul North, to a miserable grey and rain swept Bellevue, to take on local side Poynton Ladies. They must have been eager to break their worrying run of draws. The local players, who were perhaps still stinging from a narrow defeat by former lower league rivals, Trojans, would be looking for the form that enabled them to come back from being 2-0 down to beat Leicester recently and didn't want a third defeat in a row.
Poynton started so well playing attacking, attractive hockey and meeting the Kent side in every department. England senior, Olympian Mel Clewlow, was on the pitch as player this time (rather than coach on the touchline) perhaps included in the squad to give stability and experience where some key players were unavailable for duty.
The way Poynton started made the likelihood of them falling back into the relegation zone unlikely. Despite a sustained high pressure run at the Kent side in the first half, it was Mel Clewlow who finally opened the scoring, perhaps somewhat against the general run of play, from a short after 21 minutes. Nic Hill then levelled the score two minutes into the second half to record her first goal in the Premiership. The game stayed level until midway through the second half when Mel once again put away a clinically executed short in the 53rd minute which keeper Michelle Thomas was disappointed not to keep out. Worse was to come when Canterbury scored again. Poynton remained fiercely competitive in the cold and wet despite trailing and yet seemingly finding it increasingly difficult to get in the opposition's D. They had a number of short corner chances throughout the game but were less successful than the Kent visitors at converting. Tantalisingly, with just an agonising-to-watch minute left on the clock, Jules Butterworth hit in her first goal for the club but the whistle blew denying Poynton a chance to snatch a point.
This may have been Poynton's third loss in a row but there were many positives for them to take away.They certainly played better hockey than they did against newcomers Trojans. The younger players continue to develop and impress, displaying a maturity that defies their years. It seems likely that striker Kate Maltman's broken collar bone should be healed in a couple of weeks thereby strengthening the squad earlier than had been anticipated. After next weekend when there are no Premiership games (to make way for the EHA Cup games) , they take on Clifton, once again at Bellevue.
There was good humoured relief for the Kent girls as they shared tea at Longsight Cricket Club. The players joked that the break in the run of draws and first win of the season was down to the Mum and Gran of one of the players being on the touchline for the first time having travelled over from their home in Blackpool! Mel Clewlow was typically gracious in victory after the game noting the way Poynton had developed in terms of fitness, cohesion and professionalism in comparison with the local side's debut game with them in the Prem last year where , although eventually narrowly beaten Poynton , with a smaller squad, had come so close to a draw.
This win sees CHC up to fourth in the table sharing seven points with Trojans and Clifton,but Leicester just a point above Ipswich. A number of leading premiership sides continue to have a difficult run this season struggling with enforced changes in personele. Chelmsford crashed to Slough 4-0 and languish bottom of table and are having to rebuild their much depleted squad (that narrowly avoided relegation last season) and have yet to get a point. England star ,Chloe Rogers, had left them to join Leicester who drew on their previous meet with Ipswich when, despite being on top most of the game, failed to get the killer goal and were beaten last weekend by 2nd in the table Olton. Ipswich too have had major problems and their string of four draws was broken with a much needed point against recently promoted Trojans who are now fifth in the league. Ironically it was a goal from Captain Vic Sandall , her first since May 2006, which broke the jinks and it was in fact Ipswich's first win in outdoor hockey since November 10th 2007 , (against Canterbury)
Former Canterbury and England GK , Becky Duggan went Westward (relocated with a change of jobs) and joined Trojans and, as well ,Canterbury must be missing Crista Cullen and Kerry Williams through injury and leading scorer Hannah McLeod as well as Anne Panter (currently taking time out for some world travel) and not forgetting Helen Richardson's move to play in Holland.
With no Premiership hockey next weekend it is ironic that Poynton will be on neutral but mercifully local ground , Brooklands Hockey Club ,and will meet Leicester ( so soon after that shock Premiership victory against them) in the EHA Cup. Should be a cracker with a point to prove for both teams.
Photos of the Poynton Canterbury game on johncoxon.com.
(Thanks to Poynton player Jane Ambler for match details.)
