Ladies 1's move to third in table

Havering travelled to bottom of the league BBHC hoping to secure a second successive win. The match was played out with strong winds and heavy rain for much of it and on an unusual astro surface. Havering began well quickly earning several penalty corners. From one slightly scrambled one came the first goal, Chris Noller grabbing the final touch with a reverse tap. Several other penalty corners went unconverted before BBHC began to pull themselves back to the game, their efforts rewarded with an equaliser. The Havering defence of Steph Prowse, Charlotte Chamberlin, Wendy Schofield, Sue Harwood and Noller worked hard to prevent further efforts. Emily Martin was unlucky not to put Havering back into the lead when,after good inter passing between her and Emma Isherwood, the ball clipped a defender's foot and fell into Martin's path. She put the ball away just as the whistle went for a penalty corner and so could not stand. It was Chamberlin who gave Havering the lead again, pushing up the pitch to take a long corner. She ran the ball into the circle, saw her initial strike saved but put away the rebound. Havering went into half time 2-1 up. The second half began shakily for Havering and failure to clear the ball away following good pressure by the BBHC forwards led to another equaliser. Keeper Sophie McCoy made several good saves in the Havering goal as Havering battled to get back ahead in the game. Catherine Semon, Amelia Acreman, Lauren Earle, Emily Gilkes-Tarsey and Anna Webb worked hard in midfield and gradually began to re- impose themselves on the game. Martin collected the ball in midfield, passed to Semon whose cross found Webb to score and put Havering back into the lead. That lead was increased soon after, Isherwood quickly taking a free hit and passing to Webb. Webb crossed and her pass found Rhiannon Goulden on the far post. Goulden took the ball wide and squeezed it past the keeper to score Havering's fourth. BBHC were undaunted and kept battling, grabbing another goal with 5 minutes to go. It made for a scrappy last few minutes but Havering held on and move to third in the table.