Despite a flying start to the season, it looks as if Olton & West Warwicks are unable to live with the top sides in the Women’s Slazenger EHL Premier Division. This morning they were sitting in second place behind Bowdon Hightown, who they had recently played to decide the lead. But they now slip to third after this afternoon’s encounter with Slough. Slough’s Lauren Penny had opened the scoring and then added a second in the first half, with evergreen Jane Smith giving Slough a third. Olton’s Rachel Walker led the charge in a late first-half comeback, scoring twice in six minutes, but the revival was short lived. In the second half, a third from Lauren Penny and a second from Jane Smith put Slough 5-2 ahead. Lucilla Wright briefly closed the gap to 5-3 but a penalty stroke award to Slough, converted by Alex Scott, gave Slough the final word. 6-3 to Slough.
Olton’s defeat allowed Bowdon to increase their lead at the top to five points. Bowdon’s Tina Cullen and Sally Walton scored the only two goals in their match against Trojans. Leicester, who seem to be struggling to find their form this season, move up one in the table after their 1-0 win over Clifton. Abi Harper the scorer there. Canterbury have lost the drawing habit and found the scoring habit with their third win of the season, this against Ipswich. Chelmsford, propping up the Premier Division, were probably grateful for a fairly modest defeat this afternoon. Helena Roberts managed to score a first half equaliser in their match against Poynton but Helen Armishaw’s second half goal for Poynton was the decider.
WOMEN’S SLAZENGER EHL PREMIER DIVISION: 1. Bowdon 21 pts (+16), 2. Slough 16 pts (+15), 3. Olton 15 pts (+14), 4. Canterbury 13 pts (+10), 5. Clifton 10 pts (-1), 6. Leicester 8 pts (+1), 7. Trojans 7 pts (-2), 8. Poynton 6 pts (-6), 9. Ipswich 4 pts (-17), 10. Chelmsford 0 pts (-31).
The re-arranged match between Men’s Premier Division Beeston and Bowdon, postponed from last weekend because of a waterlogged pitch, ended 5-3 in Beeston’s favour, Beeston’s scorers being Martin Jones, Adam Dixon, David Griffiths (2) and Mohammed Nadeem. With all sides having played six matches, Beeston’s win pushes East Grinstead into fourth, with Beeston occupying the third place vacated by them.
In the women’s East Conference, second placed Barnes slipped up when they visited Old Loughtonians, losing 4-2. However, the top of the table remains unchanged. By virtue of their win, Old Loughtonians move up from seventh to fifth. Things are tight near the top of the North Conference, as can be evidenced by the effect that a 1-1 draw had when Beeston went to Liverpool Sefton. Beeston drop from second in the table to fifth. Leaders Loughborough Students put six passed Sunderland Ladies in their 6-1 win away. In another high scoring match, Durham Uni scored eight in a 8-2 win at home to Doncaster. In the West, the top-of-the-table clash between leaders Birmingham University and second placed Firebrands ended emphatically, with the student’s Anna Coppel scoring four in their 7-0 win. Firebrands now slide down to fourth, their place being taken by Sutton Coldfield, who won 3-1 this afternoon in their match against Swansea.
