The Ladies Mendip Hockey team travelled to Devizes on Saturday knowing they would have a physical encounter with the home team.
Mendip began strongly and started to build patterns of play to test the Devizes defence. Ella Sage, Player of the Match, started brightly, showing her speed and determination to chase every ball. Hayley Young threaded through an excellent ball for Ella and she calmly slipped it past the keeper to take the lead.
Mendip continued to test the Devizes defence with fast attacking breaks from Jasmine Scott, on her debut for the firsts, pairing well with Sage.
Half-time saw a more disciplined Devizes putting more pressure on the Mendip defence. This was soaked up again and again by Cherilyn Carey and Grace Harding on the left, with keeper, Oenone Bodman-Harris, also on her debut appearance for the firsts, clearing her goal line well. But Devizes did manage to get a ball across the D and a well positioned Devizes attacker tapped the ball in to equalise the game, 1–1. Mendip
responded with several attacking runs down the right from Sammy Chivers and April Callow, but neither could find the back of the net. Near the final stages of the match, Cherilyn Carey picked out a high positioned Ella Sage with an excellent long ball and yet again, Ella slipped the ball past the keeper. Mendip needed to defend the lead for the final few minutes, but a questionable umpiring decision awarded Devizes a short corner and this was the opportunity the hosts needed to equalise.
Mendip remain unbeaten going into their fifth league match against Yeovil and Sherborne 2nd XI at Norton Hill School, 1.30 p.m. pushback.
April Callow