SWINDON Ladies missed a golden opportunity to move to the summit of the West Women’s Hockey League Premier Division 2A at the weekend when losing 2-0 at Yate.

Table toppers Clifton Robinsons 3rd suffered a surprise 4-1 loss at home to Chippenham – meaning a win at Yate would lift Swindon to top spot.

But the hosts’ fine start translated into the remainder of the game, and Swindon consequently suffered their second defeat of the season and remain second – a point behind Clifton.

Saturday’s game started poorly for Swindon – they had to rely largely on the strong defensive work of Mary Goldsmith, Ella Caldwell and goalkeeper Alexis Hogarth to keep Yate at bay.

Improvements in the second part of the opening half counted for little as Yate struck a breakaway goal to leave Swindon a goal down at half-time.

Following a rousing team talk by skipper Adriana Boullosa, Swindon started the second half much brighter.

Chloe Lewis and Linda Brouwers worked tirelessly in midfield to nullify the Yate attack as a series of short corners went – frustratingly – without reward.

With minutes remaining, Boullosa’s decision to attack at all costs backfired as Yate struck a second.

In other results, Swindon Ladies 2nd drew 3-3 with Chippenham in Whitehorse Division 1.

That result lifted Swindon to eighth in the table.

Swindon Men, meanwhile, registered a third Verde Recreo League Championship win of the season when downing Isca A 3-2 on the road.

The win kept the pressure on Championship leaders Swansea, who also won at the weekend when beating Bristol University A 2-1 at home.

Although Swindon secured all three points on offer, the game’s start was far from ideal.

Isca struck early after possession was gifted away on the left side of the pitch.

An eventual shot could only be deflected into the top corner by visiting goalkeeper Thomas Gillingham as Isca established an early lead.

Swindon continued to ride their luck and were perhaps fortunate not to concede again as stray passes and poor control dictated the visitors’ playing traits.

Despite this, Swindon levelled through James Young – who struck from a tight angle.

Buoyed by a strong half-time team talk, Swindon imposed themselves on the game in the second period and were soon a goal up after Dave Miles’ accurate strike.

The award of a dubious short corner allowed Isca back into the game as a deflection took the ball past Gillingham’s reach.

But with the game delicately poised, a superb reverse-stick tackle from Dan Palomeque turned the game on its head. Palomeque’s pass into the circle found Young, who picked out Sewell to score the winning goal.