L1: Staines 1 Reading 3
By Reading Hockey Club • Mar 18th, 2007 • Category: L1, Match Reports, News| Slazenger EHL National South Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Staines | 1 (1) | (2) 3 | Reading |
| Lindsey Inaman 1 | Alex Smith 6 Emily Malden 30 Kirsty Reeman 63 |
||
Staines are the only team to have taken points from Reading at Sonning Lane this season securing a 2-2 draw in December. They were determined no doubt to be the first team to beat Reading but the Blues were determined to hold onto their unbeaten record. After their tight defensive game last week Reading went back to their bad habits and returned to passing the ball to the opposition in the first minute again, gifting Staines an early opener.
Once again though it didn’t take Reading long to reply and get back on level terms. This time it was player of the match Alex Smith who despatched a crisp shot to bring Reading level.
For long periods of the game the hockey was rarely pretty. On a hard, sandy and dry pitch it was hard to find you footing and generate the ball pace Reading thrive upon but they started to get their passes going. Reading were able to enjoy long periods of possession as Staines were playing a very deep press. At one point there were 21 players in the Staines 25 with only Reading keeper Helen Marsden left out of the fray.
Breaking down a packed defence is always a difficult task and more so when it is difficult to gneerate ball speed. Claire Kerr and Erin Ruxton pulled out their bag of silky skills again and prised open the Staines defence, but Staines have some experienced heads in teh centre of their defence and the final ball was too often lacking from Reading.
Eventually Reading did take the lead after winning a short corner with Emily Malden finishing off a left slip move.
The second half saw much of the same. Staines had to come out of their shell a bit more now they were behind but Reading still enjoyed long periods in control of the ball trying to find away through. It was competitive but hardly scintillating hockey. After soacking up some late Staines pressure when they home side finally started to commit players forward, Reading extended their lead on 60 minutes after a fine short corner strike from Kirsty Reeman that looped perfectly over the keeper.
Reading successfully extended their unbeaten run and now have just one more game left at home to Woking next Saturday at 12pm. Woking are 3rd after a thumping 7-1 win over Southampton. Reading will have to work hard for one more week and find one more good performance within themselves at the end of this long season if they are to finish with a flourish and prevent their local rivals souring their celebrations.
Squad: Helen Marsden, Kirsty Reeman, Alice Margerison, Alison Pope, Emma Kavangh, Alex Smith, Emma Thomas, Anna McGlaughlin, Becky Odlin, Claire Kerr, Abi Harper, Ali Omell, Erin Ruxton, Emily Malden
Management: Mani Kochar, Emma Gibbings, Fi Holmes
Noisy Away Crowd: The lovely Taff, Chris and a trio of Mums
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