Mike
Haymonds reports on Slough Ladies 30 Feb/March 1
Slazenger
EHL Premier
Slough (2) 3 Chelmsford (0) 1
Poynton (1) 1 Slough 1 (0)
SLOUGH
LADIES produced under-par performances against two teams in
the bottom half of the table but earned four points to maintain
their slim hopes of a runners-up slot and a place in Europe
next season.
Slough moved up two places to fourth, five points behind Olton
and four behind Leicester with a game in hand on both, who
they have still to play.
On Saturday Slough had an early warning that bottom club Chelmsford
would be no pushovers when their goalkeeper Sarah Ellis had
to make full-stretch saves from two of the visitors’
first three penalty corners.
It took Slough 21 minutes and five corners for them to realise
that employing direct shots at keeper Lynsey Warren would
be an unsuccessful route.
The deadlock was broken when Jane Smith’s sixth strike
looped into the net from the stick of Alex Scott and the same
ploy 12 minutes later saw a Lauren Penny deflection increase
their lead.
Slough’s best two open play chances of the first half
fell to Penny while Chelmsford’s only other opportunity
saw Kate Maxey fire wide.
Ellis again came to Slough’s rescue after the break
at the visitors’ fourth corner but she was given no
protection when a long ball put Libby Knifton clear and she
finished with aplomb.
Scott and Smith were off target before Smith gave Slough a
two-goal cushion on the hour, drilling home their 11th corner.
Two more set pieces brought no reward for Slough and Ellis
made a fourth crucial intervention, denying Knifton with a
stick save.
Poor finishing and failure to convert any penalty corners
contributed to the draw at Poynton.
For the opening 20 minutes Poynton were on top and scored
in the ninth minute through a rebound goal by Phillippa Jones.
Eventually Slough got into the game and dominated the second
half with South African Lauren Penny equalising in the 47th
minute with a fierce shot from the top of the D, her 10th
league goal this season.
SLOUGH (v Chelmsford): Ellis, Harte, Cox, Bell, Scott, Greenham,
Nicholson, Ball, Bevan, J Smith, Penny. Subs: Cordier, Coulson,
Wimshurst.
(v Poynton): Bowe for Cordier.
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