Sidmouth and Ottery Hockey Club (SOHC) ladies 1st XI got their new Petroc One League season off to a flying start with an impressive 7-0 win at Torbay.

It was the home side that made the better start, playing with a high intensity, and they were able to make a number of incisive break through the middle. However, they were unable to take the chances they created because of the excellence of Becky Delasalle in the SOHC goal.

made some terrific saves!

SOHC eventually woken from their early match slumbers and began to move the ball well around the pitch with much of the play launched from great clearances by Rebecca Bond, Lucy Lefevbre and Hannah Peters that often found Ellie Marok and Katie Ackland in the midfield. Both made some fantastic runs down the pitch leaving the Torbay defence chasing shadows!

There was some great teamwork on display in the D with players working the ball around Torbay defence with Katie Ackland eventually opening up the score sheet.

This gave the ladies the confidence they needed and a well worked cross from forward Sam Parkyn, soon found Player of the Match Katie Ackland who opened the scoring.

Some scrappy home defence lead to SOHC being awarded numerous short corners which, with a well-worked routine involving Ellie Marok and Katie Jackson, resulted in a brace of goals for injector Katie Dean. Nicky Bishop completed the first half scoring to send SOHC into the break with a 5-0 lead.

The home side began the second half well and went close on a number of occasions. However, after some defensive reorganisation SOHC once again closed things up at the back and began to build further attacks.

Even when one of their number was sin-binned, SOHC continued to look for further goals which duly arrived with Karen Dutton and Ellie Marok the scorers.