News & EventsLatest NewsCalendar
Ladies qualify for National League Indoor

Ladies qualify for National League Indoor

Kate Costin11 Dec 2017 - 10:37
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.bedfordhockeyclub.

BHC Ladies 1st team have qualified for the National League indoors competition after winning the East Championship in Norwich.

The team only started competing in indoor competitions last year (winning East - Division 1) and enjoyed a unbeaten weekend where they drew against Upminster and beat West Herts, Norwich Dragons, Crostyx, Maidstone, Broadlands and Old Loughts. The squad have therefore qualified to be the East’s representatives in the next round on the 6/7th January (likely venue Whitgift School)

Bedford made a slow start to the competition; with a just a narrow win against Maidstone and a draw against Upminster but against defeating Crostyx 5-1 they went on to dominate the event scoring 31 goals and conceding only 7 thanks in no small part to many fantastic saves from U18 goalkeeper Emily Allen. Top defenders Rachel Jackson and Jenna Maclaren were making fine tackles and also enjoying rotations into the forward line.

Co-captains Beth Noble and Sam Turner were strong throughout displaying skills and finesse and every member of the squad from the weekend scored including debutant Kira Wooltorton. The indoor format of the game poses different challenges and requires a different skill set to outdoor, but the team was able to adapt quickly and play a composed and effective style of hockey. After leading the table after day 1, a Charlotte Holland goal saw them to a vital 1-0 win against Loughts before the penultimate match of the weekend pitted first against second and Bedford ran out comfortable 5-1 winners (against West Herts) thanks to a hattrick from top scorer Kate Costin.

Squad in full – Emily Allen, Jenna Maclaren, Beth Noble, Sam Turner, Rachel Jackson, Charlotte Holland, Kate Costin, Clare Bilham, Kira Wooltorton, Claire Higginson.

Further reading