Slough cruise to victory as Poynt is made

by Mike Haymonds 27 Nov 09

EHL Premier
Brooklands Poynton 1 Slough 2

SLOUGH Ladies reached the mid-point of the season with a 2-1 win over Brooklands Poynton which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

Slough retained third place, eight points behind Leicester, who extended their 100 per cent record with a 6-0 hammering of bottom team Trojans, and Reading who beat Clifton 7-2.

Whatever the result of Saturday’s match with Bowdon, Slough will still be third as they go into the mid-season break.

Slough skipper Fiona Greenham said: “It was a good performance but we should have won by more.”

Slough played a strong first half and scored twice before the half-hour mark.

They continued their ascendancy after the interval but the hosts came into the game in the latter stages, winning three corners, but could only manage a single goal in reply.

Jane Smith, who had missed the last two matches, opened the scoring with a direct penalty corner strike in the 16th minute, the only one of Slough’s five set pieces which they converted.

Ali Lubbock, who scored for the second team the previous day, increased the lead after 26 minutes by connecting with a right-wing cross by Nicola White.

Poynton’s response by Helen Armishaw in the 58th minute came from a switched corner routine.

SLOUGH: Duggan; Nicholson, Strong, Coulson, Bell; White, Greenham, Ball; Bevan, J Smith, Penny. Subs: Harte, Cox, Lubbock. Not used: Filochowski (gk).

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League champions Bowdon Hightown provide Slough’s last opposition before the mid-winter outdoor break tomorrow (Saturday, 12.30 pm).

Bowdon won the Premier title by a 15-point margin, dropping points only in their last game. But they have lost many of last year’s squad and are languishing in eighth place, just above the relegation play-off spot, with only one win from nine games.

They are relying more than ever on former GB and England striker Tina Cullen, who has scored 10 of their 18 goals so far.

Slough lost both league meetings with Bowdon last season, by 2-1 and 1-0, but won the reverse fixture in September 4-3.

Slough expect to have their fullest squad of the season, with the return of Alex Scott – out for two weeks due to work commitments – and teenager Kate Shanahan from injury.

Copy supplied to Slough Express & Slough Observer 27/11/09