MENDIP LADIES FIRSTS 1 FIREBRANDS 1

Firebrands brought their own brand of well-drilled, high-intensity hockey to Chew Valley on Saturday, and took the game to their hosts from the outset.

The Bristol outfit’s sharp passing and a high-pressing game kept Mendip on the back foot for long periods of the first half. Uncharacteristic errors in the Mendip defence led to the game’s opening goal, with a Firebrands forward slotting neatly in unopposed from the top of the D with thirty minutes played.

Mendip improved their all-round performance in the second half, with crisper passing and a higher work-rate. This quickly paid off, with a great passage of play down the Mendip right culminating in a goal from forward, Charlene Taylor, who fired in a super shot on the reverse. The final quarter saw Mendip camped in their opposition’s half, but a winning goal proved elusive.

Player of the Match was Maddison Collins, who worked hard in a number of positions. This Saturday, Mendip travel to Taunton C.S. (1.30 p.m.) for their penultimate league game before the festive break.

Carrie Tiley

SOMERSET GRYPHONS 3 MENDIP LADIES SECONDS 0

Mendip Seconds took to the road early on Saturday morning to face unbeaten Somerset Gryphons in Clevedon.

With Vice Captain, Karen Inns, at the helm, Mendip pressed hard from the off and proved worthy opponents. Keen not to be intimidated by Gryphons’ top-of-the-League position, Mendip employed tactics from the training ground to capitalise on short, sharp passing throughout the team to hold possession.

Nonetheless, it was the Gryphons who broke through their opponents’ defence first to take the lead after ten minutes. Mendip fought back, heads high, hungry for an equaliser. Unfortunately for Mendip, lady luck was once again not on their side, when Gryphons took advantage of a loose ball across the D to score their second goal.

The second half saw the Gryphons frustrated, having clearly underestimated Mendip’s potential and tempers began to run high within the Gryphons team and from their coach on the side-line. Mendip remained unfazed, but as the half marched on, they began to tire.

As the pressure mounted, the defence worked hard to interrupt Gryphons’ attacking play, with centre-backs, Sarah Whittaker and Georgia Price, marshalling well. Mendip increasingly struggled to clear the ball out of their half, which resulted in Gryphons scoring their third-and-final goal in the last few minutes of the game.

Next week, Mendip Ladies Seconds will host Frome Seconds. With one point separating the teams in the table, it is a pivotal game for both.

Sarah Whittaker