MK Ladies 1sts vs. Lewes 1sts - 20.11.2016

Having beaten Henley the MK ladies 1st team returned to action on Sunday against Lewes 1sts in the England Hockey Trophy second round. Last season saw the two teams face each other in the same round but with MK making the trip down South. Buoyed by a superb win in the league on Saturday, the team went into the game knowing that they were more than capable of coming away with a win and a place in the next round; however, it was to require some of their best hockey if they were to achieve this. The game started in a little less than ideal fashion with Lewes catching the MK defence napping after just two minutes to take the lead but MK bounced back to play some fine passing hockey and to create some excellent chances of their own and in fact they found the net not long later but unfortunately the goal was disallowed. MK battled hard, Alice Vigor, Laura Browne and Lisa Kavanagh working tirelessly in midfield to link defence to attack and Karmel Bracken making some penetrating runs into the D to create goal scoring opportunities. And it was Bracken who found the net and levelled the scores from a well worked penalty corner on the half an hour mark. Lewes put a dampener on the MK celebrations as they once again took the lead in the final minute of the half.

Returning to the pitch following a team talk from coach, Dave Fenton, MK knew the game was not lost and based on their form from the past couple of games knew their best hockey was still to come. As had happened in the first half a goal was scored in the first two minutes of the half, this time it was joy for the home team as Sophie Reynolds picked up the rebound from the keepers pads and coolly lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper into the goal. With the scores at 2-2, MK and Lewes both fought for a winner. MK found some of their finest form of the season playing some excellent linking hockey around the back in defence and through midfield, Pia Jackson and Amy Hunt rounding a number of the Lewes players before playing a well-placed pass. MK won a string of penalty corners throughout the remaining thirty minutes of the game, however, the goal wasn’t forthcoming and the scores, despite MK’s best efforts remained at 2-2 to take the game to a penalty shootout. Lewes won the toss and elected to go first, slotting the ball into the goal to take the lead. Up stepped Alice Vigor to take MK’s first penalty and, despite having had one saved in normal time, she coolly put the ball past the Lewes keeper to level the score. The following Lewes penalty takers faced the home side’s player of the match and in form, L-J Millers in goal, and no ball was going in. Millers pulled off three outstanding saves to take a little bit of the pressure off the MK takers. Lisa Kavanagh and Karmel Bracken both scored their strokes to give the home side a 3-1 win after the penalty shootout to take the team into the third round. The team now await the draw for the next round to find out their next opponents.