Hockey: Marlborough ladies crown their league promotion with a last victory of the season

Marlborough  8       Cheltenham CS  0

Marlborough wanted to prove their dominance in their current league for one last time.

As soon as the whistle blew, Marlborough set off at the high tempo and clinical brilliance that all this season’s opponents dreaded when playing home or away.

This game was to be no different than any other, within seven minutes Kate Batty had executed a truly brilliant goal from an extraordinary angle – deflected into the goal off of the goalkeeper’s stick.

Within a few minutes another goal by Kate was placed with pin point accuracy between the keeper and the goal post.

Cheltenham’s defence were good and their keeper saved a barrage of potential goals, but Marlborough eventually won a short corner which Clare Griffiths converted with military precision into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Marlborough’s confidence grew and even Helen Durrans made a run from the defence through the Cheltenham defence into the D and managed to find Becky Hewlett, who slipped the ball past the keeper into the goal.  

Going into half time, Marlborough were a comfortable four-nil  up.
 
Marlborough’s fitness was certainly showing through, as they moved the Cheltenham players across the pitch, slowly wearing them down.  

Rosie Curling took advantage of this and converted a fifth goal.  Kate Batty had a point to prove as top goal scorer for the season and scored another three past the Cheltenham keeper, giving her a total of 38 goals this season.

Marlborough ended their final game winning eight-nil – a convincing win to finish their time in the North Division before moving on to play in the West Clubs Women’s Hockey League Premier 2A division next season.