BRIDGWATER 0 MENDIP 4

Mendip secured a fourth-place finish in the Central Division with a comfortable away win at Bridgwater on Saturday.

Mendip took the game to their opponents from the outset, and opened the scoring when Hayley Bullock slotted cooly home from close-range after a penalty corner. The pace of Mendip’s attacking play kept Bridgwater on the back-foot, with Maddy Collins and Jasmine Scott running rings around their opposite numbers. Scott doubled the lead before half-time, latching on to Collins’s cross to score.

The second half saw Mendip move further ahead. Player of the Match, Liv Taylor, making her first-team debut, showed great determination to find the back of the net after a goal-mouth scramble. Taylor then put the icing on the cake with an excellent reverse strike from the edge of the D to make it four.

Mendip now take a break from League hockey, with a semi-formal Summer League planned from May, before the new season begins in September.

Carrie Tiley

MENDIP LADIES 2nds 1 CHEDDAR 2

On a day that was more suited to a trip to the beach than a game of hockey, Mendip faced fourth-placed Cheddar in their final game of the 2018/19 season.

Only a win would do, and finally, after weeks of perseverance, the points were forthcoming.

In the first half, Cheddar looked the stronger side, spending a lot of time in their attacking half. But thanks to Mendip’s incredible defence, led by Player of the Match, Sarah Whittaker, there was no way across the goal-line for them. Kate Penn and Olivia Collins worked tirelessly, and right-wing-back, Katie Browning, covered the line skilfully, travelling with the ball and feeding the forward line.

The second-half whistle signalled a new start, and Mendip came out firing on all cylinders! Within minutes they were awarded a penalty corner, which saw Captain, Jackie Browning, shoot, collect the rebounded ball from the keeper and shoot again to put her team a goal ahead.

In a pivotal moment of the game, Cheddar were awarded a penalty flick. Mendip’s keeper, Oenone Bodman-Harris, made the save of the match, diving into the left-hand corner of the goal to ensure the Cheddar score-line remained on the starting grid.

A fantastic season finale for Mendip, which saw every player give 100%. Thanks to Karen Holliwell and Paul Woolway for umpiring.

A special mention for Karen Inns who, after thirty years of hockey, is hanging up her boots. Her dedication and commitment to the sport has been second-to-none, and she will be missed!

Sally Stanford