HOCKEY: Ladies eyeing double delight (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text WILTS GAZETTE to 80360 or email us
HOCKEY: Ladies eyeing double delight
4:00pm Friday 22nd March 2013 in Sport By Dan Barnes
Marlborough goalscorer Helen Lord in action during her side’s 5-1 win over Melksham which left them a point clear at the top of the West Clubs League Wessex Division One table with one game to go
MARLBOROUGH Ladies could have reason for a double celebration this weekend if their first team can join their seconds in clinching their league title.
The second team, who have gone unbeaten for the whole season so far, were crowned champions of Wessex Division Two of the West Clubs League last weekend.
The first team, also enjoying an unbeaten campaign, will secure the Wessex Division One title with victory in their final match at bottom-of-the-table Frome 2nd on Saturday.
The first-team have finished as runners-up for the last two seasons and captain Rebecca King is hoping that it will be a case of third time lucky for her side.
“When we’ve come so close in the last few years, it’s been really deflating and I hope that we can do it this time,” said King.
“We’ve had a great season so far and the ladies’ section is really strong because we’ve had an influx of about 20 players in the summer – that might have had something to do with Olympics.
“We’ve got about 250 juniors and we’re looking to see if we can run a third team next season to give some of those youngsters a chance to feed into adult hockey before they go off to university.”
Marlborough’s second-team skipper Julie Fellows thinks the young players breaking in to her side have played a huge part in their successful season.
“We’ve had a lot of youngsters come up in to the team and they’ve done really well,” said Fellows.
“They’ve worked really well with a few of the more experienced players and it’s been a great season.
“The only shame was that the team we were supposed to play last weekend (Chippenham fourths) didn’t turn up.”
Marlborough ladies’ secretary Catherine Manley added: “Our two sides have both had brilliant seasons so far and I think that sometimes a club can end up growing on an upward curve – it goes in peaks and troughs.
“The first team really should have been promoted last season and it’s frustrating that you can look back at one or two games but hopefully it’ll happen for them this time.”
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport
click2find
