3:30pm Thursday 11th March 2010
LUCY WAITE scored the only goal to help Wotton win a close fought, end to end game.
Some excellent play around the opposition, Wotton put into the game skills learnt at training and executed them with precision and accuracy.
But Bourton Vale were up to the challenge and Wotton found themselves defending deep in their own half until an excellent pass out to a waiting Leila Hanney was able to move the play up into the opposition half.
The play continued to be strong, and at times very physical, with the forward combinations of Heather Reid, Georgie Aldridge and Lottie Aldridge all striving for shots on goal.
It was an error by a Bourton Vale defender that gave Wotton the break they needed when a penalty corner was awarded and centre back Lucy Waite struck from the top of the ‘D’, giving them the lead.
The second half was again a battle but no more goals were scored.
This week’s player of the match was Sharron Bates for her role in midfield.
Wotton are now third in the league, and with three games left in the season, it really is all to play for now.
Next week Wotton face Cheltenham III at the Castle School in Thornbury for a 10.30am pushback.
N4 Hockey League Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Division Two Wotton-under-Edge A 4 Gloucester City D 0
Despite having overwhelming territorial advantage throughout the game, Wotton made heavy weather of overcoming a Gloucester side that defended well.
The build up was slow and laboured, allowing the visitors to get plenty of men behind the ball.
The deadlock was finally broken towards the end of the first half when Steve Dexter’s close control on the edge of the D allowed him to pick out Jamie Gosling and the young striker produced a classy finish.
Just a few minutes later Gosling again showed his striker’s instincts to convert from close range after good approach play by Aaron Sycamore.
James Ferraby added the Blues’ third with a neat reverse stick shot from a sharp opportunity.
It briefly looked as if the floodgates would open when Sycamore scored after just a couple of minutes in the second half with a neat flick from a penalty corner.
However, the Blues found it increasingly difficult to find a way through the Gloucester defence and had to do more defending of their own as the half progressed.
Skipper Simon Howard was on top form at sweeper and Greg Hull and Will Bugg repeatedly dispossessed the Gloucester forwards with some great tackles, ensuring yet another clean sheet.
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