Arran 8
Hillhead 5s 1
Women’s West District 4th Division
Arran Ladies Hockey Team played at home against the Hillhead 5s with a healthy squad of 11 players and three substitutes last Saturday. Torrential rain and hail may have soaked the players prior to push back, however, the team remained positive and spirits ran high.
With Captain Lynda Fenton leading from midfield, she was supported by returning player, Jenny Crockett and the ageless Susie Murchie. Suzi Haddow was back as goalkeeper and had the very experienced Cat Galbraith as sweeper. Marie Craig, Anne Watts and Dawn Lyle completed the defensive line. Ladies coach Lorraine Hewie, Delyth (Del) Mair Jones and Mia Walker were the attacking forwards.
The young high school ladies from Hillhead were quick to show their practiced skills with controlled passing and spirited runs towards the Arran goal area. However, Lynda, Jenny and Susie were waiting for them. Jenny plucked the ball from the end of her opponents stick and sent it flying up the pitch to Del, whose strong and accurate shot found the back of the net seven minutes into the game. The next goal was a great effort between Lorraine and Del who, once again, whacked the ball into the net from Lorraine’s super cross D pass two minutes later. Del then went for goal once more in the last few seconds of the quarter, but it was a well placed deflective tap in from Mia which took Arran 3-0 up.
The second quarter started with subs Kayla Hewie, Kaitlyn Haddow and Jenna Cook coming onto the pitch in mid-field and forward positions. Two minutes from the whistle, Jenna took advantage of an opportunity to collect a pass half way up the pitch then sprint into the Hillhead attacking 23m area, leaving defenders behind her. Running into the shooting D and with one super swinging hit, spectacularly walloped the ball into the top corner of Hillhead’s net. A short time later Arran were awarded a short corner penalty for a foul and Del got her hat-trick by slotting the ball past the keeper a mere six minute later. Battling back and defending strongly the Hillhead team did manage to keep the Arran Ladies from increasing their 5-nil lead.
The second half started off with a renewed battle for the ball. The young visitors put their all into pushing their team players into Arran’s attacking area. A powerful shot at Arran’s goal saw attackers and defenders all determined to get the ball. After a few pressured tries to score, which Suzi repelled away from the goal line with accurate footwork and swift stick clearances, Hillhead’s number six, Cara Gray, aged only 15, found the gap, kept her cool and shot the ball into the Arran goal. Her efforts elicited a huge cheer from her teammates and later she was also nominated as player of the match for the Hillhead team, by the Arran Ladies.
The remainder of the game went in Arran’s favour. When receiving another short corner penalty, Lorraine was able to use her impressive stick skills to put the ball past the keeper with a reverse flick. Susie Murchie then demonstrated how the take a perfect short corner strike when, mid way through the final quarter of play, she tapped the ball into the D and sent a deadly accurate shot straight into the Hillhead goal. Finally, not content with a hat-trick of goals, Del Jones took a sprint down the pitch, passing two defenders as she tore into the shooting D. Spotting her point in the goal she swung her stick and scored her fouth goal of the game, just before her tired legs gave out and she finished with a spectacular forward roll. Del’s goal took the final score to 8-1 to the Arran Ladies.
The team received a warm welcome from Brodick Golf Club when they arrived for the after match team chat and cold drinks and hot food which was provided by The 19th Hole.
Lynda announced that Del had been voted player of the game by the visitors for her superb performance on the pitch, as did her own teammates who nominated her dame of the game too. Pauline Reid was thanked for umpiring the game on behalf of the team.
The next fixture for the Arran Ladies will be an away game tomorrow (Saturday) against Stewarton Garnock in Kilmarnock with a push back at 1pm. Any supporters who can make the game will be very much appreciated and warmly welcomed.
