Penzance ladies’ secs 3

Okehampton ladies’ thirds 2

THE first 15 minutes saw the visitors successfully holding off the higher placed Penzance team. However, as the hosts increased the pressure, Okehampton were forced into defensive play and a mistake in the circle led to the home team being awarded a short corner. The well-drilled Penzance team were quick to capitalise and a forceful shot from one of their attacking players quickly saw them 1-0 up.

Disappointed, the Oke team lost a little structure and Penzance quickly took advantage and found themselves once more in front of the goal. Desperate defending from the visitors could not drive them away and a deflected strike off an Oke stick was quickly picked up and despatched into the back of the net for 2-0 to Penzance.

Okehampton rallied and tireless midfield play from their player-of-the-match, Lucy Wiseman, soon saw the team attacking in numbers. Penzance, struggling to defend, gave away a short corner and this was smashed into the goal by a powerful shot from Sandy Houston. However, the umpires decreed that the shot was too high and the goal was disallowed.

With only minutes left of the first half, Penzance moved the ball swiftly down the field where a skilful aerial shot made it 3-0 at half time.

After the interval Okehampton team saw them re-group for the second half as the weather deteriorated rapidly into driving rain, sleet and wind. No strangers to wet weather, the Oke ladies were undeterred and soon had Penzance working hard to keep them away from their goal.

Oke were rewarded by a series of short corners and strong attacking play, which eventually paid off in a goal-mouth struggle that ended when Sandy Houston skilfully lifted the ball into the back of the net. With everything to play for, Oke really pulled together as a team. Excellent defensive play and tackling from Anna Luxton cut short many Penzance runs as she connected with Viv Weatherington in the middle — the latter used her skill and experience to break through the Penzance defence and connect with Eleanor Marvin making her debut for Oke. There were several shots on goal before Penzance again conceded a short corner. Repeated defensive mistakes saw a run of short corners which ended when Emma Wiseman picked up a deflected ball and scored Okehampton’s second.

Penzance kept up the pressure but could not get past the Oke defence, with captain Jane Jones intercepting ball after ball and sending them back down the field to her players. Lois Rowlands left her defensive position to make a storming run down the field and pick up a loose Oke ball. Okehampton then found themselves unable to penetrate the Penzance defence and the ball was soon back on its way upfield; Emma Wiseman intercepted a pass and set off back down the field determined to equalise. Unfortunately for the visitors, this was not to be and the final whistle blew to leave the home team triumphant.

However, the Okehampton team finished happy with their play — particularly in the second half — and with a much closer scoreline than on the previous meeting of the two teams.