Ladies 2s
Matches
Sat 03 Feb 2018  ·  Division 2
Phoenix Reading Hockey Club
Ladies 2s
N Ashcroft (1'), (15'), (21'), (37'), J Greener (20'), (39'), (51'), C Browne (45')
8
2
Oxford Ladies 5s
Ladies 2's beat Oxford Ladies 8-2

Ladies 2's beat Oxford Ladies 8-2

Jackie Batten-Lincoln3 Feb 2018 - 17:13
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P&R Ladies 2's 8 - 2 Oxford Ladies 5's

P&R Ladies 2's put on an attacking masterclass today to pile on some much needed goal difference and grab all 3 points. After a couple of weeks of struggling to find the net, the side seemed to find their 6th gear after being promised champagne if they got to 3 goals in the first half!

Naomi Ashcroft started the goalfest getting her 1st in the 1st minute of the game to settle the nerves, and claim the pint that Captain Jax offered to the first goalscorer of the game! Just to make sure the pint was hers, she got her 2nd on 15mins after a driving run from Heather Boulton gained 30 yards of territory, then a layoff to Caitlin Edgar down the wing found her in some space to send the ball into Jess Greener who then let it run through to Ashcroft to slot home.

5 minutes later Jess Greener got her first after her shot in the D was turned into her own goal by an Oxford defender. P&R's 4th came a minute later, Naomi Ashcroft again popping up at the right time to slot home at the left post to send P&R 4-0 up after 21 mins.

Despite 4 goals against them Oxford weren't without their chances and the game looked full of risk as P&R powered forward but left some big gaps in midfield. The scoreline at half time looked like it should have been very one sided but both Pam Saker and Lucy Plummer at the back had done more running than either of them wanted to do!

The second half started with the same frantic pace and once again Naomi Ashcroft was in the right place with 2 minutes played after Jess Greener missed her shot but the ball rolled beyond her to find Ashcroft in space and able to slot home for her 4th of the game. Greener got on the scoresheet 2 minutes later after some more great team play from Cleo Browne and Mandy Wilton won the ball back in midfield, and the score was 6-1. Oxford recovered a goal a minute after the restart to get back to 6-2 with only 40 minutes played.

Maisy King, Gen Porter and Laura Hodder were all actively involved in getting the attacks underway and as asked at the beginning of the game the half backs were always available and involved in the attacking play. Cleo Browne got the 7th of the game on 45 minutes, another goalbound strike which was turned into their own net by an Oxford defender.

Jess popped up with her hat-trick and the final goal of the game to make it 8-2 on 51 mins played after yet more great attacking play from Heather Boulton at right inner. The game settled down for the final 20 mins and although there were no more goals there were more chances for the oranges to go further ahead. Oxford Ladies kept battling to the end despite the scoreline and Jo Coate was made to make some clearances in the second half aided by Plummer and Saker at the back.

The win should give the team some much needed confidence and boost their goal difference ahead of a difficult match next week against Oxford Hawks 5's. Next match on the 10th is away at 10am at Hawks.

Match details

Match date

Sat 03 Feb 2018

Kickoff

13:00

Competition

Division 2

League position

3
Phoenix and Ranelagh Ladies 2s
9
Oxford Ladies 5s
Team overview
Further reading