Old Loughtonians 4s – 0
Southend and Benfleet – 1 (Adele Cole)

The pressure was on Southend and Benfleet 1s as they sought to maintain their four point lead over Phoenix in the league table as the season draws to a close. This week S&B returned to the Olympic hockey training ground once more, to face Old Loughtonians 4s for their return game this weekend on a bright March afternoon.

As play began, S&B adapted quickly to the water-based all-weather pitch, as despite it being excessively bouncy, it lent itself well to S&B’s quick dribbling and passing tactics that allowed S&B to keep the majority of the possession for the first half. Claire King and Naomi Barker pressured the home team’s defence and whilst Captain Nicola Bryant acted as a conduit throughout the game to push the ball up through midfield to keep the ball heading for the Old Lought goal, S&B were unable find a way passed the seasoned Old Lought goalie. The few attacks Old Lought’s managed to mount rarely found their way into the S&B defensive D as Caitlin Meredith was able to trap a determined Old Lought attacker in the bottom corner for several minutes before they ran the ball off the backline giving S&B possession once again. Jodie Linge defended brilliantly on several short corners and made some impressive runs up the right wing to continue the assault on the home side’s goal but despite even S&Bs top goal scorer, Kirsty Edmunds, best efforts, the score was stuck at 0-0 at half time.

Mere minutes after the restart, the ball made its way to player of the match Adele Cole in the home sides defensive D where she slotted the ball passed the goalie on the left post to give S&B that all important, (life changing :P) one and only goal of the game. S&B were invigorated by the quick goal and sought to add to the score but Old Lought’s clamped down and despite great pressure and constant attacks S&B were denied any further goals. Like the first half, the home side offensive plays were sparse and short lived as tight marking from Nina Dabbs and Hayley Middleton combined with Nicola Coleman’s precision tackles blocked off the home sides attacks, and with Bex Utton ready to sweep away any stray balls that managed to squeeze through, S&B goalie Lisa Hawkins was left secretly wanting a piece of the action. Rachel Jeffery gave a top-notch performance this week as she effortlessly glided passed defender after defender and slipped the ball up the left wing constantly to the forwards to keep pushing for a second goal to give S&B the much sought after two goal safety net that would unfortunately never come. S&B held on to the 1-0 score line comfortably as the final whistle blew S&B – 1, Old Loughts – 0.

S&B now sit firmly at the top of the table, four points above second place Phoenix, and with only one game left to play, S&B are officially champions of Division One, regardless of the outcome of next week’s match against local rivals Southend 2s who currently sit bottom of the table.