Ladies 1s: Indoor EHL Weekend 1

Reading gained promotion to the Indoor Premier EHL in style this weekend with a flawless 6 wins to take them top by 8 points before the final 2 matches next weekend.

Reading 4 – Harleston Magpies 1

Reading 5 – Sutton Coldfield 4

Reading 4 – BHE 1

Reading 2 – Old Loughts 1

Reading 9 – Aldridge 2

Reading 2 – Sevenoaks 0

Squad: Lisa Wooding, Clare Appleton (Captain), Claire Kerr, Becky Odlin, Amy Bryant, Sarah Ellis, Emma Lee-Smith, Alex Smith, Emily Malden, Lex Kearns, Liana Smith, Emma Thomas.

It was a shaky start for all teams as indoor playing cobwebs were blown out, and lungs and legs adjusted to the high tempo. But Reading hit the ground running against Harleston Magpies, and from the first ‘no-messing-about’ crunching tackle from Alex Smith, they set the tone for the weekend, recording a solid 4-1 win.

Their second game saw them take on experienced midlands outfit Sutton Coldfield, fielding amongst a number of good players, the eternally youthful and tactically troublesome hockey legend, Jane Sixmith. It was already flagged as a key game to win and Sutton were well organized and tough to beat. Reading found themselves behind in the second half, but worked had to level the score at 3-3, before finding the net twice more to take their total to 5, Lisa Wooding, Emma Thomas and Emily Malden among the scorers. Sutton responded, grabbing a 4^th, but were unable to penetrate a stubborn Reading defense before the final whistle.

The final game on Saturday was against a physical and determined BHE. Reading weren’t prepared for the contest (and elbows in the back) they were given and tiring legs and heads showed as they noticeably took their foot off the gas. After some scrappy and disorganized hockey, the score was 1-1 at half time. But BHE couldn’t maintain the pressure and some hard work up front resulted in 3 goals to take Reading’s tally to 4 at the final whistle.

Reading’s second crunch game of the weekend was at the unsociable hour of 10.30 am on Sunday morning against an experienced and skilful Old Loughts side. Despite second helpings of shredded wheat (Ok beans, bacon and hash browns) at the hotel, Reading were unable to convert their pressure for much of the match, struggling to be clinical in the final 3^rd.  The Old Loughts ‘keeper did her best to get sent off, giving away 2 penalty strokes – the first of which was calmly converted by player/coach Wooding, and the second, taken by Claire Kerr was controversially judged not to have crossed the line after it rebounded off the corner of the sideboard, inside of the post. Definitely one for the video referee.  Old Loughts soon responded with an equalizer, however in the end it didn’t matter as Reading snatched a winner in the final minutes to take 3 points.

With reflexes and hand-eye co-ordination thoroughly rejuvenated over a lunch-time ping pong tournament, (Mr Gareth ‘Taff’ France, it is safe to say, had a misspent youth) Reading came out bright eyed and bushy tailed to meet a struggling ex-Prem side Aldridge in their penultimate game of the weekend. They were no match, and it was goals galore as Reading found their form, breezing past them 9 -2. Liana Smith found the net twice, as well as Emma Thomas and Becky Odlin amongst others (whom I my have forgotten).

A win in their final game against a strong Sevenoaks side would assure promotion and Reading put mind over aching limbs to turn out a performance of the weekend, keeping their shape and pressing high until the final whistle. Reading had the better of the chances before half time but some solid defending from both teams meant neither could break the deadlock. The tables turned when Reading won a penalty corner in the second half and up stepped Emma Lee Smith, whose presence at the top of the ‘D’ (let alone her goal tally in the tournament) strikes fear into the hearts of the most hardened indoor defenders.  She made no mistake, powering home a lethal drag flick past the keepers left foot and a trembling post players right kneecap.  And with just a few minutes remaining on the clock another penalty corner gave her the chance fire off another to make the score 2-0. A tired Sevenoaks didn’t have much left to throw in the dying minutes, despite solo efforts from the speedy Cathy Gilliat-Smith, and as the final whistle blew Reading celebrated an unbeaten weekend and promotion to the Premier League for 2011.