CARADON HOCKEY CLUB ROUND-UP – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

CARADON Ladies’ firsts put in a dominant performance, running out 5-1 winners at University of Bristol in Division South of the West Hockey League.

Despite the 4pm start time, Caradon were 2-0 up inside seven minutes after scoring from counter-attacks.

Bizzie Jeffery rounded the keeper following a perfect through ball and then Clare Mitchell finished on her reverse after Bristol were caught out playing a high defensive line.

Bristol continued this tactic but Helen Delbridge, continued her good form and made some excellent saves.

The visiting midfield of Molly Walsh, Hannah Bladon and Abbie Ingram broke down play well and set the hungry forwards free into the space that the students were leaving high up the pitch.

Daisy Heal was next to capitalise when she tapped in a loose ball in the circle following a penalty corner.

Bristol pulled one back before half-time, but Caradon grabbed a fourth when Heal scored again from close range after a superb eight-pass move.

Caradon dominated the rest of the game with wing-backs Emma Gliddon and Daisy Hunn creating good overlaps, and it was a Gliddon drive and pass that was met by Jeffery to complete the scoring.

Thanks were expressed to Callington Community College for the loan of their minibus.

The ladies’ seconds welcomed Dart in Division Two South and ran out 4-2 winners.

The ladies’ thirds headed to high-flying Penzance Seconds in Trelawney Division One and produced a superb victory.

Caradon were on the front foot from the off with forwards Charlotte Tamblyn and Lila Johns hassling the defence from the outset, and if it wasn’t for some outstanding goalkeeping and a couple of goal-line saves from the left-back, they’d have been ahead.

But they did get their goal when a training ground move down the right ended with Tamblyn making no mistake.Caradon continued from where they left off after the break and went 2-0 up via Kerenza Bunt.

A third arrived on 54 minutes as Vanessa Scott released Lynsey White, who after some one-two passing with Abi Larigo saw a shot saved, only to fall to Tamblyn who made no mistake.

Penzance did pull one back, but it was Caradon’s day in a 3-1 success. The player of the match award was shared by Kerenza Bunt and Claire Brown.

MEN’S ROUND-UP

CARADON firsts hosted Plymouth Lions and edged an eight-goal thriller at Lux Park by five goals to three.

After a close start the hosts went ahead when they turned the ball over and Harrison Pollard showed some neat skills to beat three players and reverse stick home past the keeper.

Further goals arrived from Luke Jeffery and Ben Hedley, the latter after some fine skill, before the visitors pulled one back just before half-time.

The visitors equalised early in the second half and were denied a lead when Dan Harris saved a penalty flick.

But Caradon showed why they had a perfect record as with ten minute remaining, some quick passing ended with Jeffery firing in.

With five minutes to go, Caradon won their first short corner of the game and Tyler Walsh dealt with the pressure, drag flicking it past the keeper to seal three points.

The men’s seconds hosted Bodmin Thirds in a development game and ran out 12-0 winners.

Caradon used this match as a training match trying to work on various aspects of the game that have been focused on in training

Goals came from Martyn Bevins and Jon Pennington-Ridge hat-tricks with Ben Pennington-Ridge getting two.

Other scorers were Mike Parkinson, Tim Wright, Liam Champion and Elliot Grange.