Okehampton Columbines 0

Tavistock Ladies 5

THIS hockey local derby opened with Tavistock heavy on the attack through the strong play of Jo Gaspar and Emma White.

Okehampton started positively enough with Jane Jones and Nett Collett fast into their tackles to snuff out the Tavistock attack.

Tavistock?s Susannah Boulle and Laura Stapleton worked hard through midfield and supported by Fiona Dunn were able to push the team up the pitch and be a threat to Okehampton.

Lisa Butler ran her socks off on the wing and made some excellent strikes across the D.

Emma White scored the first goal. The ball was hit into the D by Steph Mills and White took a dominant strike at the keeper.

Once Tavistock scored Okehampton lost self-belief.

The odd times they did make an attack Tavistock had it covered and Sandra Collar and Zoe Viggers worked hard to stop the ball from being switched over to the right of the pitch.

Boulle took the ball into the D and made the score 2-0.

Tavistock were awarded a short corner and again White was able to get on the end of the ball and slip it easily past the keeper.

Boulle was a formidable player whom the opposition were struggling to get past. That, coupled with the strong play of Mills and Stapleton, saw the midfield on top form.

Columbines produced better passing and team-play in the second half. Jo Stephens was influential in the middle and Jude Grant had a solid game when she came on after half-time.

Forwards Jo Moppett and Kelly Cooper made incisive runs, but had little opportunity to score.

The second half showed a shaky start for Tavistock but keeper Soozi Baggs made some excellent saves.

White scored her hat-trick as again the ball was fed into the D by Stapleton allowing White to outwit the goalkeeper and slot it into the net.

A short corner was awarded to Tavistock. The ball came out to Stapleton who took a shot and it was rebounded. Gaspar played the rebound over to Butler who was in the perfect position and scored.

Tavistock finish this season?s league hockey in a respectable third place out of ten teams.

Player of the match: Susannah Boulle.

This week Tavistock play a non-league match against Bude Second XI at Bude at 12.30pm.

This week, Okehampton?s last game in the league is at home against St Agnes.

l On Saturday morning Columbines hold their annual coffee morning in Okehampton Church Hall.