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8th March 2006
Swansea equal top after
winning
10 goal thriller
Continued from 'home' page...
Premier Team -
English Hockey League
11th March - v Maidstone ( A ) 4 - 6 WIN
On a very cold
March afternoon both teams produced a most exciting game that
delivered a plethora of goals.
Swansea was once
again first out of the blocks securing a penalty corner in the
3rd minute. Robyn Wilford deflected a first time shot by Carys
Hopkins over the Maidstone goalkeeper and Swansea were one up.
As all football commentators say ‘a team is most vulnerable
shortly after they have scored’ and true enough Maidstone drew
level almost immediately from the restart. In the 7th minute a
breakaway saw Sarah Sloane force the Maidstone keeper into a
fine save. Five minutes later Swansea were ahead again when
their second penalty corner of the match saw Gwen Thomas deflect
a shot by Ella Rafferty into the goal. Swansea continued to
press forward and in the 22nd minute a drag flick PC from Sarah
Sloane once again called the Maidstone keeper into action. In
the 28th minute a fine piece of individual skill saw Maidstone
draw level with an open play goal. The score remained 2-2 at
half time.
With the sleet
starting to fall the second half followed a similar pattern to
the first with Swansea securing their 5th PC of the game in the
37th minute this time the keeper prevented Carys from securing
her first goal of the game. Penalty corners followed in the 38th
and 39th minute and it was from this corner that Robyn once
again deflected a shot from Carys over the prostrate Maidstone
keeper. The game became more physical and a couple of green
cards were awarded to the home players. In the 49th minute Nia
Fowler’s silky skills, which had been causing Maidstone problems
all afternoon, proved too much and after Nia had a superb run
into the circle a deliberate foul resulted in Swansea being
awarded a PS. Sarah Sloane walked up and with an air of supreme
confidence easily netted Swansea’s fourth goal. Three minutes
later the fighting qualities of Maidstone were in evidence when
they scored their third goal from open play. The game continued
to be keenly competed and Maidstone’s over physical play
resulted in yellow cards being issued. Swansea continued to make
their dominance pay and in the 56th minute from a PC, a shot by
Ella was deflected by Nia but the keeper saved it only for her
to see the ball in the back of the net when Claire Halliday
pounced on the loose ball. Swansea’s sixth goal was Claire’s
second when a great piece of hassling by Carys saw her win the
ball on the half way line and then pass a great side line ball
for Gwen to run onto commit the last defender and then pass to
Claire who coolly and calmly put the ball into the net past the
advancing keeper. With the score 6-3, if Swansea were to believe
that Maidstone were dead and buried they were mistaken and
credit is due to the battling spirit of the home side when they
scored their 4th goal in the 65th minute.
A fair sized crowd
saw a keenly competed game with both teams determined to play a
fast open and exciting game of hockey. Just what was needed on
this very cold afternoon in Kent.
For information regarding the Welsh Hockey Union,
please contact
Chris Brewer on 02920 573940
or email
[email protected]
Please note: Information
published in news stories was correct at the time of
publication. Information, circumstances and data may have chance
since.
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