WIN 14 FOR LEICESTER
It was not the season's most fluent performance but a 3-0 win over University of Birmingham meant a 14th League win from 14 for Leicester who remain 10 points clear of the chasing pack with just 12 more points up for grabs this season. Lauren Turner's high quality first half goal, rounding the keeper before slipping the ball home, was all Leicester had to show for near total domination of the half. Turning around 1-0 down the Students did much to frustrate Leicester throughout the second period and Leicester's two late goals from a Crista Cullen Penalty corner and a Lucy Brown deflection were most welcome to kill off the Students' hopes. A slight lethargy about Leicester's performance was excusable given that several of the side had played three uncapped matches against Ireland in the previous week, matches that brought the Leicester girls up against club teammate Emma Clarke, reportedly Ireland's best performer in the games. (GB won all three matches).
On Sunday the same group of players had to rouse themselves for a home Cup quarter final against South Premier leaders, Surbiton. The Surbiton girls, coached and coaxed along by former international, Helen Grant, never gave up and scored two second half goals to take a little of the shine off Leicester's 6-2 win. Some of Leicester's goals were very classy, notably a reverse stick rocket from Kerry Williams and a brilliantly placed flick shot from Chloe Rogers. The win puts Leicester into the semi-finals on the last weekend in March, the match brings the Birmingham University side back to Leicester Grammar School. The other semi sees Helen Richardson's Reading side as likely winners against Trojans.
This Saturday, Leicester faces a tough English Hockey League task with a trip to joint second placed Slough. The Berkshire side won 8-1 at Trojans to stay in the chase and would be delighted to cut Leicester's lead to 7. Veteran Jane Smith is in good goal-scoring form and Leicester's back division will need to be on its mettle to keep her out.
Leicester 2nds produced a battling performance after their long trip to Matlock Baileans ground in Wirksworth. A 3-3 result was the outcome, keeping Leicester 2nds in the top half of the table and slightly denting Matlock's title ambitions.
Leicester 3rd's hopes of winning Leicestershire Premier received a double boost at the weekend when the side beat Charnwood-Sileby 8-1 (with Sandy Yeates getting a hat-trick) and Half Century beat Ashby 1-0. The 3rds take on the 4ths in midweek in a re-arranged match.
The 4ths played well with just 10 players against Loughborough Students 5ths before eventually losing 4-3. At 2-1 up the side's concentration when some Students' supporters, very much the worse for wear at 9 in the morning turned up and began directing some pretty foul language at the players, especially the 4ths. With several juniors in the side this was most unwelcome and unsettling. Eventually the Loughborough umpire was prevailed upon to get rid of them. Leicester's goals were scored by Jo Wyeth, Abbie McArthur and Abi Williams.
Leicester 5ths battled hard against a more experienced Melton 2nds. Taking a good 1-0 lead thanks to Hope Senior the youngsters were pegged back late in the first half. A very even second half saw the sides share the spoils in a 1-1 draw.