Davis Wood Hockey League

De Cymru & Marches Division One

Wotton-under-Edge 8 Whitchurch B 1

RYAN Howarth hit a hat-trick as Wotton continued their good form against Welsh side Whitchurch.

Wotton started strongly but couldn't find the net until 15 minutes in when Howarth scored a short corner.

Andy Edwards then finished a good Wotton attack with great composure.

This goal was quickly followed by a cool finish by Darren Pearce and then Harry Willcox showcased his silky skills to round the goalkeeper and slot the ball home.

Whitchurch then ended Wotton’s run of not conceding a goal at home so far this season.

Wotton started the second half as the brighter side and Edwards scored his second of the game after a mazy run from Rob Davis.

Howarth then scored another two goals to complete his hat-trick and Darren Pearce scored his second of the game.

Star man: Rob Davis.

The Marches One

Newent A 0 Wotton-under-Edge 2nds 2

WOTTON travelled to Newent in what could have been a potential banana skin in their promotion push.

Feeling this pressure, Wotton started slowly, failing to control the game on an unfamiliar surface.

Despite playing a section of the half with nine men with two in the sin bin, it was Wotton who took the lead.

A jinxing run from Sam Willcox saw a shot blocked on the line by an opposition foot.

With a penalty flick awarded, James Bull stepped up. Playing mind games with his deceptive eyes, the keeper dived the wrong way and Wotton went into the break1-0 up.

After solid defending with two more players given their ten-minute banishment in the second half, Wotton won a penalty corner and, after a James Bull strike cannoned off the post, John Shovelton was the first to react, slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

Wotton held on with tireless work, especially from man of the match Steven Dexter, and remain top of the table by six points.

The Marches Two

Wotton-under-Edge 3rds 2 Cirencester C 0

SECOND half goals from Benjy Wells and Mike Froggatt secured Wotton a deserved victory over Cirencester C.

Wells scored after a short corner he injected found its way back to him and Froggatt wrapped up the victory with a fierce shot from the edge of the D that gave the Cirencester keeper no chance.

The two goals were a long time in coming after Wotton dominated the visitors’ half, clocking up 10 short corners and two penalty flicks in total, with Chris Barton and the rock solid Richard Goodwin going close early on.

However, it was only in the second half, after captain Alan Hooper’s half-time talk, that they started to put Cirencester on the rack, with Seb Culpepper and Patrick Carr making inroads down the flanks and Goodwin and Froggatt dominating in midfield.

Barton’s mazy run to the goal ended with his stick being hooked and a penalty flick which he put wide.

But Wotton capitalised on Cirencester being a man down and Wells put them 1-0 ahead.

Another penalty flick from Hooper after a Cirencester outfield player fell on the ball on the goal-line was saved superbly by the keeper.

Cirencester rallied but the father-son Wong double act of Matt and Tom helped keep them at bay.

And it was only a matter of time before another Wotton breakthrough and it duly came when Froggatt smacked the ball home.