Positive Start to Dawlish Ladies Season

Dawlish Ladies hockey team’s season started with a local derby last Saturday against Teignmouth II. The local derby is always a strongly fought contest and this match did not disappoint.

Dawlish had to make some tough decisions before the game due to injures and central midfielders Lottie Young and Natasha Bailey started at the back leaving the Dawlish team with a hole to fill in the middle with influential Young filling in at the back.
Dawlish started strongly and the experimental back line kept Teignmouth from making anything from their breaks forward. The one opportunity they did break they Dawlish Keeper Sarah Webster pulled out one of her trade mark diving saves to keep the score even.
Dawlish forwards continued to pressure the Teignmouth defence and not long before the end of the half won a short corner. Yvonne Hudson took the short with a strong pass to Helen Nicholson on the top of the D, who returned the gesture with a hit to Hudson on the far post. Hudson completed the move by tapping the ball into the Teignmouth goal and Dawlish finished the first half a goal up.

The second half had much more of a local derby feel and as the rain continued to pour down the hockey became less attractive and more scraby.
Dawlish were slow off the whistle and minutes into the second half Teignmouth had levelled the scores to 1-1. Teignmouth took advantage of Dawlish drop in concentration and ten minutes into the second half took the lead with a second goal.

Dawlish came back to life in the final quarter showing some great palys through the midfield to feed Jess green and Stevie Hudson forcing a succession of Dawlish short corners. But despite coming close and hitting the posts twice Dawlish failed to level the score as the games stick tackle count continued to rise.
Although disappointed by the score line and some of the decisions in the second half Dawlish can look forward to a positive season on the basis of this game.