Tavistock Ladies 1st XI 5 Plym Valley 1 WITH this being a crucial match for Tavistock it was essential that they played well throughout the game. A victory would secure promotion and winning the league. Tavistock seemed to dominate the game from the start and good attacking play from Becky Lamb and Robynne Honey secured Tavistock an early short corner. A good ball fed out from Laura Stapleton allowed Honey to take the strike and it was Stapleton that picked up the rebound ball to score the first goal. Sarah Barratt and Laura Armstrong were linking well and were able to feed the ball around the back of the pitch to the defence in order to switch the ball play. Armstrong scored the second goal with a well timed strike past the keeper. Tavistock's defence were rarely troubled but Fiona Dunn, Jo Gaspar and Lisa Butler kept strong and tackled well when the opposition did threaten. Nikki Woodroffe was pairing up with Lamb to create some good two touch hockey. Numerous short corners were awarded to Tavistock but the ball could not find the back of the net. The third goal came from Honey as she took the ball into the 'D' and slipped it past the keeper. Julia Firth was battling well in the midfield and when Judy Miller came onto the pitch she goal hung to look for any ball that she could swipe into the goal. An early ball to the opposition allowed them to score seconds before the half-time whistle. Captain Fiona Dunn told the team in the team talk that more goals were needed in order to give the team more breathing space on the pitch. Butler, who was having a good game, linked more with Barratt and Stapleton, who was tackling well in the midfield. Miller found the back of the goal to secure the fourth goal for Tavistock. Lamb and Honey continued to work well and Armstrong was giving some good calls across the top of the 'D'. It was Armstrong who scored the fifth and final goal of the match. The team had really worked hard and kept their cool and so when the final whistle went it was with much relief and excitement that Tavistock Ladies 1st XI Hockey team had won the league and secured promotion next season into South Division. l This week Tavistock play their last league match against Bude away at noon.
