Picture: Cathy Gilliat-Smith takes to the air as Cindy Botha scores Canterbury's third.We had barely settled down to watch this match and Canterbury were two up. Facing bottom place Chelmsford in this Slazenger EHL Women’s Premier Division clash, Canterbury found the going easy in the first half, with a hat trick of goals from South African Cindy Botha and goals from fellow South African Jenny Wilson, Cathy Gilliat-Smith and Mel Clewlow. Chelmsford stiffened their defence in the second half and a string of good saves from Lynsey Warren kept the scoreline down to a respectable figure. A penalty stroke by Canterbury towards the end of the second half failed to make it to the goal line, but minutes later Cathy Gilliat-Smith scored her second to give a final score of 7-0 to Canterbury. A dismal result for Chelmsford at the end of a damp and dismal afternoon. Lyn Bollington’s presence on the sideline just served to remind us of how many players have either retired or deserted the Essex club, who now seem hopelessly anchored at the bottom on the table.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Bowdon maintain their three point lead at the top by beating Leicester 2-1. An early goal by Bowdon’s Fay Nash was cancelled out just after the break by Vanessa Hawkins but, with 12 minutes of play left, Nadine Merabi scored the winner. Olton & West Warwicks, who recently relinquished the lead to Bowdon, stay in touch with a 1-0 win at Trojans. Bowdon exile, Ashleigh Ball, was on the score sheet when Slough played host to Ipswich. It was a visit that Ipswich may prefer to forget, as they went down 8-1 from goals by Ball, Alex Scott, Lauren Penny, Natalie Bell, and a hat trick by Jane Smith. The scorer for Ipswich was Emma Lee-Smith. Clifton stay within range of the top with a 4-2 win over Poynton, during which Cat Savage missed a penalty stroke for Poynton. Clifton’s Carys Hopkins scored a hat-trick, with Fleur Horner being Clifton’s other scorer. Poynton’s scorers were Jane Ambler and Helen Armishaw.
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION: 1. Bowdon 18 pts (+14), 2. Olton & West Warwicks 15 pts (+17), 3. Slough 13 pts (+12), 4. Canterbury 10 pts (+8), 5. Clifton 10 pts (+0), 6. Trojans 7 pts (+0), 7. Leicester 5 pts (+0), 8. Ipswich 4 pts (-14), 9. Poynton 3 pts (-7), 10. Chelmsford 0 pts (-30).
East Grinstead and Reading meet tomorrow and the outcome may decide who leads the men’s premiership. In the only men’s EHL match today, Cannock were held to a 2-2 draw, which gives Cannock a one point lead over chasing East Grinstead and two points over third placed Reading.
In the Women’s Conferences, Reading, Barnes and Southgate won their matches this afternoon to maintain their first, second, and third places in the East Conference. Loughborough Students who are leading the North Conference could only draw 0-0 against Durham University, allowing Beeston to slip into second place ahead of Durham. Three goals by Eleanor Ward, all from penalty corners, gave them a 3-2 victory over Belper. Beeston, University of Durham and Belper, are all on 10 points, separated by goal difference. There were no less than three hat-tricks in University of Birmingham’s 14-1thrashing of Aldridge in the West Conference. Their scorers were Sophie Bray (3), Liz George (3), Alys Brooks (3) Sarah Page, Claire Mackinder, Anna Coppel, Susie Gilbert and Jo Turnbull. Birmingham have a three point lead over second place Firebrands, who beat bottom-of-the-table St Austell 3-1 this afternoon. Cannock, who are current third were held to a 0-0 draw when they visited Exe.
Our main web site, www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk will have images from this afternoon’s match between Canterbury and Chelmsford from tomorrow.
