Hockey ladies bounce back with four-goal victory (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Hockey ladies bounce back with four-goal victory

10:00am Saturday 9th March 2013 in Sport

BASINGSTOKE Hockey Club Ladies bounced back from a 1-0 defeat to London Wayfarers with a fine 4-0 victory over Wanderers at Down Grange last Sunday.

The hosts opened the scoring, Alexa Kearns finding the net with a skilled reverse stick shot, and the score remained 1-0 at the break.

The lead was doubled when debutant Tara Stone passed for Zoe Blagbrough to fire a ferocious shot into the right hand corner and Basingstoke then added two further goals.

Good work from Catriona Bausor set up the first for Kirsty Kent, while the final goal came from a short corner, Kearns bundling the ball over the line from close range.

The ladies’ second string secured a 1-1 draw at home to Southampton, both goals coming in the second-half. Basingstoke opened the scoring, Sarah Warwick crossing for Sharon Holden to net but the visitors levelled in the final minutes.

The third team won 3-2 away at Romsey, who opened the scoring in the first-half – Basingstoke hitting back after the break.

Jenny Rust set up Jo Lockyer to level the scores and the same player’s second put the visitors ahead for the first time. Romsey equalised but Rust secured the win with a clean strike.

The fourths secured a 2-0 home win against Aldershot and Farnham. Lynda Day gave the hosts the lead early in the second-half and a well-timed deflection by Georgina Smith completed the win.

The over-35s bowed out of the England Hockey Investec Over-35s Plate at the quarter-final stage, going down 4-1 to St Albans. Basingstoke were three down at the break and conceded a fourth before Rust claimed a consolation goal.

The men’s first team won 2-1 at home to City of Portsmouth. Basingstoke took the lead just before half-time, when Ben Shaughnessy deflected a cross past the goalkeeper and while Portsmouth replied after the break, Mark Smith’s excellent solo run and strike earned the hosts victory.

The team then travelled to Market Harborough, in Leicestershire, for the quarter-final of the England Hockey Vase.

Shaughnessy created the opening goal for Grant Rouse and Ryan O’Hearn then scored twice, the first a superb flick. The home side pulled one back before half-time but Shaughnessy restored the three-goal cushion after the break and a late penalty flick was little consolation for the hosts as Basingstoke won 4-2.

The second string claimed an excellent 5-1 win away at Havant. Two Alex Miller penalty corners gave Basingstoke the half-time lead and while Havant pulled a goal back after the break, further goals from James Halle-Smith, Tom Arnold and Jaques Lourens settled the game.

The thirds won 2-0 at home to Andover. Some good early defending set up the win and goals either side of half-time, the second from Cameron Saint, sealed victory.

The Vikings took on rivals Yateley and struck first through a short corner strike from Adam Neighbour. Yateley levelled before the break and then gained the lead. Eliot Boyd swept home at the back post to equalise but Yateley scored late on to seal the game 3-2.

The men’s fifth team lost 6-0 to Portsmouth Sharks.