SOHC ladies’ II were well beaten when they lost 9-1 at home to table-topping Torbay Ladies II, writes Suzanne Thorpe.

This was one of those classic ‘contest of two very different halves’ as far as SOHC were concerned!

SOHC started so brightly and took the game to the visitors to such an extent that, for the first 10 minutes Torbay were very much on the back foot and during this period the home side netted what proved to be their only goal of the contest.

Fast footwork from the forwards Sam Parkyn and Sophie Hudson put Torbay on the back foot and a weaving run by Nicky Lockyer and rebound from a shot on their goalie was put in the net by the outstretched stick of Evie Wilson.

The table-toppers, clearly stung, came back with all guns blazing!

The SOHC defence of Lizzie Nancekivell, Lucy Covell and Helen Ackland combined superbly denying the visitors time and space and it is to their credit that they were breeched just once with half-time arriving and the score 1-1.

After the break it was a very different story and it was soon clear that the monumental first half efforts had taken it out of the SOHC players. Despite the hard work of industrious midfield duo, Angharrad Price-Hughes and Annie Clay, tired legs came to the fore and Torbay scored goals in quick succession.

The SOHC cause was further hamstrung with injury forcing goalkeeper Becky De La Salle from the game leaving the team a player short.

Despite what looks a heavy defeat at 9-1, this was actually a very solid all-round performance from the team who retained good spirits right up to the final whistle.