After a last gasp winner in the previous week s fixture, Sidmouth HC Ladies 1st XI ran out comfortable 5-1 winners on stormy day where their opponents, Dart, wished they had stayed at home.

Sidmouth HC Ladies' 1st XI 5

Dart 1

West Clubs South Division

After a last gasp winner in the previous week's fixture, Sidmouth HC Ladies' 1st XI ran out comfortable 5-1 winners on stormy day where their opponents, Dart, wished they had stayed at home.

The teams arrived in torrential rain and wind, which may have favoured the home side, coming well-prepared from a sodden mid week training session. Sidmouth started much the brighter side, pressing hard from the off and looking for an early lead, which has so often evaded them this season.

After some smart play in midfield, a sublime one-two between captain Lea Pidgeon and Taryn Beuthin, saw Sidmouth's first goal slotted home. Sidmouth proved equally strong at the back with Lucy Broad having a great game in defence, alongside the returning Chloe Munn.

The ladies continued to apply pressure, passing the ball around effectively and were duly awarded with a number of penalty corners. On form Beuthin smashed one of these away for her and Sidmouth's second.

Dart were down but not out and with a little help from the umpire, pulled one back, after a scrappy series of events in their offensive D. Sidmouth went into half time one up, but with work still to do.

With competition for places hotting up at Sidmouth, the players responded to Pidgeon's half time talk and came out on their toes. The midfield worked tirelessly, with Anna Cloke producing a fine performance and the whole team putting in 100 per cent.

Beuthin, on her hat-trick, coolly finished after some neat passing up front and Sarah Cloke made it four, resulting from a goal mouth scramble.

Sidmouth had to work hard as Dart surged back in the last 15, but ,with Hayley Delasalle in goal, and Duke's Player of the Match, Chloe Munn, in defence, there was no way through.

Sidmouth got the icing on the cake in the dying minutes after a super through ball from captain Pidgeon, found Sara Roberts who rounded the keeper and pushed the ball home for a fifth. This was champagne hockey from an in increasingly confident Sidmouth side, but they must maintain the high standard for this week's tough fixture against ISCA 2nds.