Petroc two

OKEHAMPTON ladies’ third team hosted a strong Dart two side on Saturday in this league fixture. Dart had been relegated from Petroc one league at the end of last season so were used to playing a fast, flowing game.

Initially the teams were evenly matched with Viv Weatherington and Sandy Houston pushing up into the visitor’s circle but the smart Dart defenders prevented any goal scoring chances.

Dart began to settle and their mixture of youth and experience combined well. They began to pass the ball accurately around the pitch finding gaps in the Oke team. Their first goal came after a great save from Oke goalkeeper Ella Kaye deflected on to an Oke defender; the ball fell directly into the path of a Dart player, who popped the ball into the net.

Oke’s younger players stepped up to the challenge with defenders Sophie Mugliston and Emilia Bazeley soaking up the pressure and marking tightly. The home side were unlucky to concede a penalty corner just before half time. Dart converted this into a goal with a cannon ball like strike, precisely hammered into the corner of the goal.

Sophie Tripp pressed forward for Oke early in the second half supported by Annie Strawbridge and Eleanor Marvin playing wide on the wings but Oke could not convert this pressure into goals. Oke’s player of the match was Lucy Wiseman, whose speed and skill tested the Dart players, surging forward whenever she got the chance.

It was Darts’ pace and skill that gave them the advantage, cleverly forcing penalty corners from which they scored their final two goals.