Report: Colin Pike
5 October 2019
Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division
Clifton Robinsons 0 Surbiton 1
After four games Hampstead & Westminster and Surbiton still have maximum points after Hampstead won 5-1 at Bowdon Hightown and Surbiton won 1-0 at Clifton Robinsons.
Surbiton made a late change, Jenna Woolven replacing Hannah Martin due to injury and almost took the lead at Coombe Dingle Sports Complex in the first minute, Clifton goalkeeper Aline De Visser saving from Erica Sanders.
Former Clifton player Georgie Twigg posed a constant threat on her latest return to Bristol making a dribbling run before having to settle for a long corner; linking up with Sarah Evans and Woolven and being stopped by home defender Alex Ogilby in the first five minutes.
Emily Guckian and Holly Payne also threatened in the eleventh minute, Guckian intercepting a pass and Payne tackled in the circle by Livvie Hopkisson.
Twigg forced a save from De Visser in the second quarter; Eloise Stenner set up another scoring chance for Sanders only for De Visser to intervene once again and Sanders shot past the right post following an angled pass from Emily Defroand.
The first half ended goalless but Surbiton finally made the breakthrough in the 39th minute, shortly after Emily Atkinson found Sanders in the circle, only for Sanders’ shot to be blocked. The ball found its way to Twigg to finally beat De Visser and give the visitors reward for their hard work.
Although Surbiton had several chances to score, Clifton could easily have snatched an equaliser and denied the visitors all three points, especially in the 56th minute when Zoe Leach had a penalty corner opportunity.
The fourth quarter saw Surbiton create scoring chances but fail to take any of them. Atkinson’s possession skills set up Defroand, only for the shot to go wide of the right post.
Guckian and Sanders saw further shots saved and Defroand shot wide of the right post a second time as Surbiton piled on the pressure, although the tension affected both teams towards the end of the game when they made several unforced errors whilst in possession.
Woolven blazed over the bar from the edge of the circle with two minutes to play, but Surbiton were grateful when the final whistle blew, Heesh keeping her second clean sheet of the season.
Clifton Robinsons
Squad: Aline De Visser (GK); Holly Savage, Zoe Leach, Maria Jones, Claire Thomas (Capt.), Livvie Hopkisson, Tara Chittenden, Alexandra Ogilby, Kitty Chapple, Catherine Macaulay, Ashley Mainwaring.
Subs: Phoebe Richards (11 mins), Natasha Marke-Jones (12), Carmen Ansley (12), Izzy Webb (14), Katie Jones (19).
Card: Green: Natasha Marke-Jones (16 mins).
Surbiton:
Scorer: Georgie Twigg 39-F
Squad: Sabbie Heesh (GK); Giselle Ansley, Sarah Evans (Capt.), Georgie Twigg, Holly Payne, Emily Atkinson, Emily Defroand, Erica Sanders, Susie Catlin, Holly Munro, Robyn Collins.
Subs: Jenna Woolven (6 mins), Darcy Bourne (11), Ella Burnley (11), Eloise Stenner (11), Emily Guckian (11).
Cards: Green: Holly Munro (12 mins). Yellow: Holly Munro (50 mins).
Match Official: Andrew Marson
Umpires: Rob Jenkins and Gill Lord
