Bretforton Ladies 2nds 6 Gloucester Ladies 4ths 1
West Clubs Women’s Hockey League Severn Division Two
TEENAGE ace Lucy Cole was in sublime form as she scored a fantastic hat-trick to inspire Bret Ladies 2nds to victory on Saturday.
Bret were eager to clinch a fourth successive league victory and ten minutes into the game some fine play from Alice Cook and Ness Dufty in the midfield caused Gloucester to concede a short corner from which Lucy Cole injected and Andrea Cole stopped for Ness Dufty who fired the ball into the right-hand corner for the opening goal.
Defender Launa Beddis made a great run from inside her own half to find Cook perfectly positioned in the D to sweep the ball in for Bret’s second.
Some lovely play from Hannah Dufty on the right wing and Jess Eaves up front resulted in a another short corner and Lucy Cole grabbed her first goal from an attempted clearance as she swept the ball in.
Deb Slatter, still a bit rusty after a long lay-off, then made a great run into the D and her shot on goal was tapped in by Lucy Cole on the left post.
Bretforton, in a commanding position of 4-0 up at half time, did suffer a lapse in concentration at the start of the second half as Gloucester showed great determination to muscle through the defence to pull a goal back.
This wake-up call spurred Bret on and player of the match Lucy Cole sealed her hat-trick with a superb deflection from a hard hit cross by Cook.
In the last five minutes Cook scored Bret’s sixth goal as, with the keeper off her line, Cook neatly flicked the ball into the net.
Bretforton remain in fourth place – behind third placed Chipping Campden on goal difference – heading into Saturday’s visit to second placed Cheltenham 4ths.
The match was kindly sponsored by S D M Tiling.