Harlequins Ladies Hockey Match Report

Harlequins(3) 1 - Ashton 5

Munster Division 3

Sunday 20th February 2005

Scorers: Pamela Deacon

by David Egner

Quins started this game slowly after a poor warm up and players turning up late. From the whistle Ashton were clearly more prepared for the fight ahead and attacked straight off. A period of continued pressure followed from which they won numerous short corners and were eventually awarded for their efforts by a goal, albeit and easy one considering Quins had their centre forward in goal! (Due to Karen Olden being unavailable due to a school cup match midweek!). However this spurred the Quins guard into life and an excellent passing move between Eleanor Flood and Kerry Horgan, just back from abroad, set up Pamela Deacon who finished the move clinicaly with a powerfull slap shot, sending the keeper the wrong way. Quins were clearly tired indicating a lack a fitness in the ranks and Ashton once again made them pay for some poor defending scoring their second.

Half Time Quins 1 Ashton 2

After half time Quins made some positional changes, with Christine Turner (suffering from flu) being given a break and replaced by Nicola Buckley, who was more than able to keep up with the Ashton forwards. Nevertheless, as Quins attacked more and more to get back inot the game, they were punished on the break for overcommitting men (women if were to be politically correct) forward. 1 -3! What happened next, actually happenes quite a bit in sport but is still hard to believe! When Quins re-centered the ball after the third goal, Ashton stole the ball REALLY CHEAPLY and headed straight for goal where they slotted ball past keeper once more. This effectivly killed the game off and Ashton scored a fifth to seal the victory.

In credit to the Quins girls they didn't give up and in fact they had their best period of pressure when 5-1 down. They pinned the Ashton defense in and kept them their for 5-6mins, constantly winning the ball, and attacking once more.

In the end this was a much more open and different game to the one played between the two teams last week which ended 1-0 in ASHTONS favour AET, which was much tighter in midfield and hard fought. To be fair the better team one on this occasion, but any team that rights off the Quins girls on the basis of this result could wish they didn't, as this team is unpredicatable at best!

Final Score Quins 1 Ashton 5

Team: Eileen Collins (GK), M.Jerymn, N.Buckley, L.Barber, G.Ambrose, Y.Slyne, O.Higgans. C.Power, C.Burgan, C.Turner, A.Turner, E.Flood, P.Deacon, K.Horgan

Coach: David "Chief" Egner