Ladies 2nds Vs Loddon 1

Saturday 4th January 2020

Empresa Norfolk Women’s Hockey League Premier Division

Broadland II   3     Loddon   1

Broadland determined to avenge their embarrassing defeat at the start of the season kept Loddon at arms-length for most of the first half but conceded after 15 minutes when Ruth Yallop, unmarked at the top of the circle was allowed time to get her strike away.  Emma Piddock in the Broadland goal got her stick to the rising ball but unfortunately the ball dropped behind her and into the net for the opening goal.  Broadland upped their game and continued to press and with little time left to the half found the back of the Loddon net through their captain Holley Becker who had wormed her way through the Loddon defence into a shooting position.  A mis-cued clearance by the Loddon defence midway through the second period together with some swift passing between the Broadland forwards saw the home team take the lead when the ball arrived at the stick of Nikki Baker on the left.  Baker calmly picked out Becker unmarked in the centre of the circle, who with consummate ease stroked the ball into the away sides net to put Broadland ahead.  Loddon responded with some promising runs and attempts and a number of penalty corners but Broadland’s defence were  equal to the task.  Another poor hit out from the Loddon defence let in Verity Becker who with the sharpest of finishes smashed the ball into the visitor’s net to seal the victory for Broadland a few minutes from the end of the game.