Ladies 1st XI Vs Dartmouth

Dartmouth Ladies 0

Okehampton Ladies 7

Okehampton Ladies First team were up with the larks for a long drive down to Kingsbridge to play Dartmouth Ladies. Arriving early the team were not best pleased to find the pitch still frozen and a delayed pushback!

Once underway, it was a hesitant start as both teams tested their footing and the ball skimming dangerously along the icy pitch. However, it was Okehampton who found their rhythm first and with some nifty stickwork from Jo Moppett, opened the scoring for the visitors.

Dartmouth were eager to get back in the game and put some good balls through to their fast forwards. The solid defence of Nicola Stoneman, Amanda Sim and Nicky Pedrick dealt swiftly with the threat and moved the ball back up the pitch.

After a period of possession from Okehampton, passing the ball competently through the midfield and forwards, the ball found Anna Speak perfectly positioned on the post to slot home her maiden goal for the Firsts.

It wasn’t long before the home side were putting pressure on and causing trouble in the D for Okehampton, forcing some shortcorners. Stand in keeper Carol Taylor making some decent saves to prevent Dartmouth from converting.

The visitors were able to sneak in one more goal before half time as Jo Moppett and Laura Parsons linked well, slicing through the home defence with some ‘one two’s’ for Moppy to score her second, making the score 0-3 at the break.

Dartmouth started the second half with determination but with the ball secured by the tireless work in the midfield by Sophie Whiteley, Laura Parsons and Louise Weller they were unable to penetrate and find a way through.

Okehampton were soon on the attack again and won a short corner for their efforts. Moppy slipped the ball to Kim Davey who fired the ball into the back of the net.

Okehampton were reduced to 10 for a couple of minutes as a green card was shown for what the umpire perceived to be a deliberate foot! The home side pushed forward to capitalise on their numerical advantage but despite Dartmouth’s best effort, and with Ailsa Gibb shoring up the defence, they were not to be rewarded.

The visitors were now playing some great team hockey with slick, accurate passing and support play securing two more goals from Hannah Whiteley. Speak providing the support for Whiteley’s first and deftly finishing her second on the post, from a slip pass from Davey on the end of a Moppy cross.

The final whistle saw Okehampton close with a clean sheet 0-7 to the good.

Okehampton Ladies First team are at home next week, with a 3.30pm push back against Dart 2.