Mike Haymonds reports on Slough Ladies March 14

Slazenger EHL Premier

Slough (2) 4 Olton & W Warwicks (3) 5

SLOUGH Ladies’ hopes of a runners-up spot and a place in Europe next year were ended in this season’s second nine-goal match with Olton.

But, whereas Slough won the first meeting in November by 6-3, this time the Midlanders consolidated their own second place with a one-goal victory.

Thanks to a hat-trick of stunning strikes by veteran Jane Smith and a close-range effort by Alex Scott, Slough clawed back two- and three- goal deficits but the equaliser eluded them in the final dozen minutes.

Slough are six points off second place but, with two games left – against champions Bowdon and fourth-placed Leicester – any realistic chance has gone.

Slough skipper Fiona Greenham said: “We paid a heavy price for poor defending."

“Although they had more possession, we created more open play chances and it was pleasing that we scored four goals against such a good side.”

Olton opened the scoring in the second minute from a penalty corner second-phase when Scottish international Emma Rochlin scored from close in.

Smith was denied by the visitors’ keeper Mags Rees after a solo run from half-way but she made amends after 13 minutes, finding the net from a tight angle.

But the visitors regained the lead in the 20th minute when Holly Chipman deflected home a Rachel Walker corner strike and they went two up five minutes later through a Lucilla Wright reverse-stick shot from a narrow angle.

Ashleigh Ball missed a good chance with a weak shot from the top of the D but Smith pulled a goal back after breaking clear and launching a screamer into the far corner.

Louise Bevan was denied by the keeper before Slough goalie Sarah Ellis made three crucial saves - at Olton’s fourth corner, then from Wright, followed by a full-stretch stick save from Kerry Thompson-Moore at a sixth set piece.

Two minutes after the interval Olton’s lead was 4-2 when Emma McCabe deflected in Wright’s shot and on 43 minutes a double switch at the visitors’ seventh corner gave Naomi James the chance to fire past an unsighted Ellis.

Slough won their only corners – three of them – in the second half and the last two brought goals.

In the 53rd minute a second phase move saw Mandy Nicholson drive to the backline before pulling the ball back for Scott to force it home.
Five minutes later Smith completed her hat-trick, lobbing over the keeper into the roof of the net.

It was Slough’s sixth defeat of the season, all bar one by the odd goal: a tale of what might have been.

SLOUGH: Ellis, Harte, Cox, Greenham, Bell, Nicholson, Bowe, Ball, Bevan, J Smith, Scott. Subs: Penny, Coulson, Wimshurst. Not used: Filochowski.