by Jo Price
Result: Hotshots 8 Potters bar 0
After the washout of the previous week Hotshots were eager to get back on the pitch and look to extend their winning streak. Our opponents had been on the end of some heavy defeats and we were looking for the chance to play some good hockey and add to our goal tally. During the first quarter we had all the possession but their defence ‘parked the bus’ in their defensive circle and we got bogged down in our right attacking quarter. When we began swinging the ball to the left we found more success and a fast surge from Liv R down the left wing opened the play and enabled Lottie R to get on the scoreboard. We had opted to play with eleven outfield players which proved a good decision as our back line were not called into action very often. Moments of good passing and some creative moves produced two more goals during the first half. This would have been a good time for transferring around the back to create more space but we did not employ that option often enough. However, with continued forward pressure we were rewarded with two further goals going into half time 3-0 up.
To begin the second half we made a few positional changes with guest player Kim BL moving to the forward line (having touched the ball twice in the first half) and Jenny H, also under-used, moving to a more attacking position. Guest player, Olivia J, attacking from LB creamed the ball from inside the circle and was ready to claim her first goal when Karen L decided to make sure ,,by deflecting the ball into the roof of the net. Our opponents were now tiring and goal number five soon followed. Midway through the half injury struck when top-scorer Ella ‘Dynamite’ Duthie went down in the D when a PB defender trod on her foot as she checked her direction and we had the dampener of seeing her carried off the field. X-rays later showed a damaged ankle ligament, sadly sidelining her for 4-6 weeks. Ella has been a major contributor to the HS success this SL season and we all wish her a speedy recovery.
We finished the game with an 8-0 win. Well done to our goal scorers for persisting with the press. Three for Lottie, two apiece for Karen and Megan L and one for Ella. Not the best hockey we have played but plenty of goals and none conceded- so all good!
🏑 winningstreakmaintained