Super 2s march on

Southend & Benfleet 2s v Upminster 4s

Goal scorers: Alison Riley – 3, Lesley Tonking – 3, Hannah Daish – 2, Anna Winfield, Isabelle Williams, Jo Chesters

(I have absolutely no idea what order the goals were scored in, & who assisted them, so this report is not going to be very good!!)

S&B 2’s penultimate game of the season saw them face third placed Upminster 4s at a very sunny & warm King Edmund School. The corresponding fixture was an extremely tight affair, & perhaps S&B’s best performance of the season, as they battled for a hard fought 1.0 victory. With that in mind, the 2’s were anticipating another tough game, so were therefore very surprised to win the game 11.0!!

Seeing Upminster only had 10 players gave S&B a lift, & it didn’t take long for them to capitalise on having the extra player, scoring after just a minute & a half. With the visitors having an outfield player in goal, the 2’s took full advantage, & scored goal after goal in a dominant first half display. Lisa Hockley, Michelle Arnold & Anne Johnson had another quiet day in front of keeper Carly Winfield, who only had one save to make in the half, promptly informing everyone that it had cost her £5 lol!! Jo Chesters & Jo Hall were making some great runs down the wings, linking up well with forwards Anna Winfield, Lesley Tonking & Isabelle Williams, while Alison Riley, returning midfielder Bridget Newlove & substitute Louise Bunce were in superb form in the middle. The Upminster defence just couldn’t deal with the constant S&B attacks, & a hat-trick from Riley, a brace from Tonking & substitute Daish, along with goals from Winfield, Williams & Chesters saw the home side finish the half 10.0 to the good!!

Upminster must have prioritised damage limitation during the interval, & they elected to put 10 players behind the ball in the second half, making it extremely difficult for S&B to play the free flowing hockey that had got them 10 first half goals. They still created a lot of opportunities, but some goal line scrambles, balls cleared off the line, & two cracking saves from the away keeper prevented the 2’s from adding to the score line. Upminster did manage a quick break of their own, but Carly Winfield was comfortably able to deal with the shot, & that was really the only chance of note for the away side, despite having some possession in the S&B half. Tonking was not to be denied though, & was able to grab her hat-trick & the only goal of the half, taking her tally to an outstanding 38 goals!! A mention must go to the brave young Upminster keeper, who was really put to the sword in the first half, but was fantastic in the second, anyone that can keep out an Alison Riley special deserves an award!!

So a fantastic win in the end for the 2’s, great to see Bridget back after injury & illness. Player of the match went to Ali, an awesome performance in the middle topped off with a hat-trick. S&B’s last game is away at rivals Southend 3’s, & they’ll be hoping to finish the season in style with another victory. Thank you to the people who came to support us, & a massive congratulations to the 1’s, who won the league & promotion to the Premier Division courtesy of a 1.0 win at Loughts, fantastic result guys!