Bretforton Ladies 6 Leominster Ladies 2
West Clubs Women’s Hockey League North Division
AFTER seeing the previous weekend’s match postponed, Bret Ladies were itching to return to action and they did so in style as they triumphed in their first game of 2016.
Bretforton started the game with great energy and determination and were rewarded with an early chance to score after Julie Hall was fouled by the keeper and awarded a penalty.
The flick was calmly converted by Sophie Hamilton who put the home team in front after just five minutes.
Bretforton continued to pressurise the Leominster defence and a battle in the area resulted in a short corner from which a fantastic shot from Hamilton at the top of the D was deflected past the keeper by Hall to make it 2-0.
Switching play around the pitch, a fantastic ball from Emma Lowe into the D gave Hall another chance to cause problems for the visitors and a scramble in the area allowed her to slip the ball past the Leominster keeper and make it 3-0.
Leominster were unlucky not to get themselves on the scoresheet shortly afterwards when a short corner goal was only prevented by some great keeping by Lily Harrison-Perkins.
The home team increased their advantage towards the end of the first half when a brilliant solo run from Tessa Lewinton gave her all the space she needed to get herself into the D and fire home.
The visitors increased the pressure on the Bretforton defence and were rewarded with another short corner and this time the strike at the top of the D was harder to defend and a deflection saw Leominster score their first goal just before half time.
Bretforton were in no mood to allow the visitors back into the match though and in the second half they regained the momentum thanks to a strike from just inside the area by Lisa Workman which made it 5-1.
The visitors struck again with a deflected shot from the top of the area from a short corner, but Bretforton had the final say when a ball into the area from Lowe gave Alice Cook the chance to shoot with her back towards goal, firing the ball past the Leominster defence and into the back of the net.
Player of the match was Dani Cox for her hard work in midfield and her determination to spread play and keep up the morale of the home team.
The match ball was sponsored by Damon Hall Art Studio.
On Saturday Bret visit leaders Westberries 2nds.