On a beautiful sunny March day, and having waited all day for their 4.30pm pushback, the ladies 2s were raring to go, knowing a win would put them one win away from winning the league!

A characteristic fast start saw Henley combative all over the pitch, and finding ways to play passes to slice through the Yateley lines. One such quick passing move saw Hayley Munt pick it up in the D, the onrushing keeper half saving but Chloe Lyons was there to finish the loose ball on her reverse.

Yateley were trying to play out down the left, but Sophie Miller and Giorgia Fiorentino were more than a match and fought well to stop the flow. Kat Green tidied up any long Yateley hits at the back and was distributing everywhere in her usual accurate disguised style! These balls were really troubling Yateley and another combo move amongst the forwards saw Munt slot home the second calmly.

A few minutes later and Henley nabbed the 3rd goal (coach Hayley Rogers was mystic Meg today and had called for a 3-0 half time scoreline). Munt once again intercepted on the right touchline and hit a perfect pass to Lyons at the top of the D, who took a touch and roofed the ball across goal into the far top corner.

Yateley came out for the second half with confidence, and grabbed two goals against the run of play midway through the half. Henley were fighting hard with midfielders Lily Wylie, Kirsten Botha, Maddie Moore and Sophy Rogers all needing to drop in and help out the defence with vital harrying and jab tackles - they were all equally impressive at finding ways to get the ball out, passing and dribbling, whatever worked. Ella Shute was also sweeping up at the back, with her usual energy, and clearing the ball away. In goal, Ellie Bryant had to make a couple of reaction saves and things got tense for the many loud Henley supporters on the touchline. Injured captain Emma Hedges gamely came on for ten minutes to rally the troops and give the forwards a rest - Tilly Carter and Hayley Munt in particular had been tirelessly hassling the Yateley defence.

And then something switched….a wave of yellow hit Yateley unawares. The team started to flood forward and a goal fest ensued. Munt on the left wing was proving herself completely unplayable, and was rewarded by latching onto a through ball, holding off two defenders and smashing it into the goal. A few minutes later it was the never tiring Botha who found herself ahead of the forwards, calmly receiving the ball in the D and slotting it past the keeper. Two minutes later another storming run saw Munt once again shoot at goal for for Lyons to finish off with a deflection. Chloe returned the favour two minutes later, receiving a beautiful long ball hit from Kirsten, and slotting Hayley in with a ball behind the defence to cleverly finish with her first touch. Jut to cap the game off in style - at one end Izzy Woolfrey having made a goal saving stop, then started a move, from which Henley went down to the other end of the pitch and won a short corner. Woolfrey then stick stopped for a slick one two between Kirsten and Chloe, with Lyons finishing into the corner to end the game with a goal. Final score 8-2 with birthday girls Lyons and Munt both securing hat tricks and sending a buzzing set of girls back into the clubhouse for double birthday cake!

Yet another all round team performance with unbelievable hard work and tenacity all over the pitch. One more win will do it!

Henley Hockey Club

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