Hockey: Chichester ladies take centre stage against Eastbourne and Salisbury

The Chichester ladies' fourth team / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Sussex Ladies div one

Chichester hosted second in the league confident in their ability – and prompelt chalked up another win.

From the whistle Chichester were on top, getting in front of the Eastbourne players and turning defence into attack.

This resulted in Juste Balkyte scoring after great work through midfield.

Marking was excellent and chasing back to snuff out any chance of the visitors scoring. Chichester were awarded a penalty stroke midway through the half as an Eastbourne defender had stopped the ball with her body and stopped a sure goal.

Tracy Austin stepped up to take it but the keeper saved well.

Kath Mundy and Alex Hurd in midfield gave the forwards Lindsay Hauxwell and Balkyte opportunities to increase the score and Chi’s second came from Hurd before half-time.

Chichester continued to pass well and though the opposition tried to put the Chi defence under more pressure Kate Woods, Vicky Oliver-Catt and Jackie Baxter dealt with it.

Chi were awarded a penalty corner which resulted in Oliver-Catt striking the ball from the top of the D with great venom. Balkyte, with her great positioning on the pitch, scored her second.

As the players got tired, the visitors got a consolation in the last minute.

Chichester: Julie Abson, Tracy Austin, Jackie Baxter, Vicky Oliver –Catt, Kate Woods, Kath Mundy, Alex Hurd, Lois Rice, Juste Balkyte, Lindsay Hauxwell, Gabby Crisp, Elise Bennison.

Chi Ladies IV 2 Salisbury IV 2

Chi were upbeat from their win the previous week but had a scrappy start and showed a lack of fluidity.

Saying that, Chi did dominate the first 15 minutes with Mandy Clark and Kelly Lillywhite strong against the Salisbury defence.

Chi’s formation seemed to lose structure, allowing Salisbury space to run with the ball and their quick passing didn’t allow Chi to have time to reshape.

Chi found themselves 1-0 down at half-time even though the defence had been working hard.

A great interception from Clark saw her run at the Salisbury defence and from a short corner, her perseverance paid off for the equaliser.

Again, Chi let Salisbury run with ball and this resulted in them taking the lead. This spurred Chi on and a quickly taken free hit found player of the match Lillywhite, who battled to score the equaliser from prone on the ground, having flicked it over the goalie’s glove.

Chi Ladies: T Austin; Cruttenden; N Johnson; H Johnson; Cox; Ashton; R Austin; Homer; Howarth; Whittington; Clark; Lillywhite.