Henley Ladies currently sit top of the table, joint on points, so every win is crucial in the quest for promotion and this week’s fixture was against one of the top 4 teams so there was a lot riding on it. Playing South Berks at home, Henley were up for the challenge and started well. The forwards worked hard to post up allowing the defence to be able to find channels through the midfield to those attackers. After a few near misses, Henley again began to win penalty corners, but struggled to execute the perfect goal scoring routine. Following one of these, however, the ball fell to Lucy Jean-Jean who was able to open the scoring and set Henley’s win hopes in motion.

Henley were dominant and in the main, the controlling force of the game, however, in a lapse of concentration, South Berks managed to counter attack and win a corner. After a scrambling defence made an initial save, and even a follow up, the ball was touched just out of reach of keeper Robyn Horan and with a deceptive lack of pace, the ball spun and trickled over the line to level the scoring. Thankfully. Henley have become more accustomed this season to playing with patience and the first half ended even - it would have to be a second half attack.

After a constructive half time team talk from coaches Rhys Joyce and Nico Jean-Jean, the team were off again and playing with increasing confidence. Again the home team were in control but where would they find that vital goal? Youngsters Emma Jean-Jean and Caitlin Barass caused no end of trouble around the edge of the circle with stick skills and pace that the opposition struggled to deal with. More corners were won and this time there was a conversion when up stopped defender Jane Dench whose disguise from the left had everyone fooled - including the South Berks keeper - 2-1. The third goal came following captain Charlotte Hetherington winning a penalty stroke after being fouled in the circle. After a long delay, Rachel Herbert stepped up and slotted the ball home to make the score 3-1. The pressure continued to be applied and more chances came, but slipped by. After Hetherington was denied a second time by a South Berks leg on the line, Herbert once again stepped up. This time the penalty stroke was kept low and flew, but unfortunately the ball ricochet off the post and 3-1 was how the game finished.

The win was convincing and the performance dominant - Henley march on - next week they have another trip to the seaside where they face Chichester, an unknown challenge, but one they are determined to win.