South Nottingham Ladies Hockey 1sts get a big win on the road against Worksop

South Nottingham Ladies Hockey XI at Worksop thought they had bitten off more than they could chew as a powerful Worksop took the game to them.

The team held out against the initial onslaught and came back strongly, winning the game 5-0.

Elizabeth Turner was able to handle the opening minutes with Worksop peppering her goal line, and she stopped their attacking efforts with her excellent goalkeeping.

She was aided by Sophie Atkinson stepping up as Sweeper to handle attacks with finesse.

In the midfield, Caroline Brackenbury cleverly kept dragging opposition players out of position to open up opportunities for her teammates.

Her ground speed, ball skills, and acceleration were awesome to see as she began to make an impact on the game.

Brackenbury and the other midfielders began to pin back Worksop, but Worksop was always dangerous on the breakaway.

Ruby Ryan on the right wing broke the stalemate by drilling in a superb cross to Evie Bates who blazed it past the Worksop keeper to open the scoring.

Sammy Markwick arrowed a cunning through ball to Becky Humphris whose strike was magical.

She juggled the ball with the full face of her stick and reverse-flicked it past the keeper to make it 2-0.

Sophie Atkinson and Elizabeth Turner then had their work cut out in defending their goal but succeeded against what at times seemed almost overpowering odds.

Brackenbury then swerved and dummied, made a break, and slipped through an unbelievable pass which Becky Humphris converted to make it 3-0.

Sophie Runciman on the left wing slipped a pass inside to Brackenbury, who found Bates, who passed it to Humphris.

An unmarked Humphris made it 4-0 and secured her hat-trick.

Rachael Gripping stepped up after a penalty was awarded and her shot rattled the Worksop backboard.

Soon after, at 5-0, the final whistle blew.