South Notts Hockey Club Ladies 1sts, based in Bingham, reach 100 goals as they remain unbeaten

Captain Eleanor Wallace led the South Notts Ladies 1sts from Bingham out against local rivals North Notts from Worksop intending to maintain her team’s unbeaten record this season ­— and succeeded.

In the absence through injury of Elizabeth Turner, 14-year-old Evie Bates pulled on the keeper’s pads.

Evie kept a tight control of her D area throughout the tightly contested game that finished 5-1 to South Notts.

South Notts opened the scoring with Caroline Brackenbury speeding in to the left to the far post and crisply tapping in a loose clearance.

South Notts’ leading goal scorer Becky Humphris sped in and scored a fast breakaway goal to make it 2-0 inside eight minutes ­— the 100th goal of the season for the side.

Becky then added a second to make the score 3-0.

The game settled into an attritional attack and counter-attack game and, despite the scoreline, North Notts looked capable of a fightback.

However, the South Notts’ defence of Eleanor Wallace, Jo Shaw and Freya Beaumont held firm and Bates made some superb saves.

By half-time, Caroline Brackenbury had scored another to make it 4-0.

In the second-half, Rose Cartwright sped from midfield to rattle the North Notts’ goal backboard and make it five for her team.

A momentary lapse of concentration led to a breakaway goal for a North Notts consolation.

South Notts have scored 103 goals so far this season and conceded only ten.

Coach Euan Temple said: “There are four matches yet to play, why not aim at a goal difference of 100?”

Captain Eleanor Wallace added: “Our forwards were shining stars; but without the capable and imaginative support of our midfield and defenders, our forwards would have had fewer brilliant passes enabling them to score the number the team has.

“It has been a real team effort by every player throughout the season.”

There was also a five-star performance from South Notts Men’s 1sts, who had a 5-0 win over Newark thanks to goals from Harry Beedham (2) Matthew Robinson (2) and Finlay Collins.

The men’s 2nds lost 7-0 to North Notts at Worksop after failing to capitalise on their chances.

Top played second as South Notts Men’s 3rds took on Boots 5ths and it was the league leaders from Bingham who won 4-1.

Elliot Dixon opened the scoring for South Notts but Boots struck back quickly.

Captain Stuart Croston then scored two and Graham Cotterill added another to seal the win.

Croston has scored in every match he has played in this season, scoring 36 goals from 14 matches.