Ladies hockey skip unfazed by three narrow defeats

Conference East

Holcombe I 2

Horsham I 1

Horsham Ladies skipper Hannah Simpson says she remains positive despite the side losing narrowly in the league for the third match running.

The run has followed a win and a draw in the opening two games, and the latest defeat, a 2-1 defeat away at Old Loughtonians was typical of their season so far in that the match could have gone either way.

“I’m still very confident, we are playing good hockey and there’s lots of positives in what we are doing,” goalkeeper Simpson said.

“We’ve been trying new things and still getting used to the new players who have joined us so that takes time.

“But at the moment anyone can beat anyone in our league so sometimes it comes down to just the luck of the draw.”

A slow start saw Horsham concede in the opening moments to a breakaway goal. They settled into the match however and played some good stuff to get themselves level before half time, Sam Stares attacking down the line and darting across the baseline, and although her initial shot struck a body in the circle, she powered the rebound beyond the home keeper.

Horsham continued to play well into the second half, enjoyed plenty of the ball and a number of short corners as the ball flashed across goal with no visiting player to turn it home.

Simpson was needed to pull off two point-blank saves, though Old Loughts did find a winner with their second goal on the counter.

This Saturday the ladies host table-topping Holcombe Firsts (1.30pm, BBH pitches).

Simpson added: “They’ve won five out of five so it will be a tough match but we’re confident of getting a positive result.”