Eastbourne Hockey Ladies six points clear at Christmas break

Eastbourne Ladies are six points clear at the top after beating second placed Battersea park.
Eastbourne Ladies Hockey 1st team V Southampton (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-181211-144930008Eastbourne Ladies Hockey 1st team V Southampton (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-181211-144930008
Eastbourne Ladies Hockey 1st team V Southampton (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-181211-144930008

Eastbourne took the lead as Beth Giddings passed to Mimi Wilton who passed to Lauren Johnson to deflect into the goal. Within 10 minutes Tash Gale doubled the lead with a fantastic run and shot from an acute angle.

Great saves from Player of the Match, Vicky Watson thwarted Battersea. Before half time, Lia Cheeseman picked up the ball in the midfield and created a fantastic two v one with Lisa Black, Lisa teed-up Katinka Morris to put the ball in on the back post.

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Battersea replied with a strong counter attack to make the score 3-1. After half time Eastbourne won a corner, Lauren Johnson slapped the ball for a deflection but it took a rebound off the Battersea runners foot and went into the goal.

With the score at 4-2 Battersea piled on the pressure and won many corners. With 10 minutes to go, Battersea scored a corner from a wide pass and deflection.

The final whistle blew and Eastbourne were relieved to win the three points and take a six point lead at the top of the table going into the Christmas break.

After a difficult pill to swallow from their defeat to Wycombe, Eastbourne Men suffered another loss at West Hampstead.

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And it looked like the luck was on Eastbourne’s side with the ball spilling from a save from the keeper where Matt Robinson swooped in and tapped in the games first goal.

However Eastbourne could not hold the lead until half time where a short corner snuck past Adam Cro, who before this had been making vital save after vital save.

The half time whistle went at 1-1 and it was safe to say this was not Eastbourne’s best half of hockey. The second half started and Eastbourne were immediately on the back foot with some uncharacteristic miss placed passes from players at the back.

And before long an attempted tackle on the base line resulted in a penalty stroke being awarded to West Hampstead. Which was calmly slotted away to make the game 2-1 to the visitors.

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This seemed to get the Eastbourne players to switch on and they started piling on the pressure. Which lead to a couple of golden opportunities to make the game level which were not converted.

And it was from a counter attack by West Hampstead that brought them the third and final goal of the match to shatter any chances of a comeback for the home side and 3-1 the game finished.