Oxford Hawks 2nds vs. MK Ladies 1sts - 12.11.2016

Having fallen to a 4-1 defeat on home turf last weekend, the MK ladies 1st team were back on their travels this week away at Oxford Hawks. The team went into the game knowing what they were capable of and, despite anticipating a tightly contested game, seemed confident that a win could be on the cards if they played some good hockey. The home side dominated the early phases of the game as MK tried to find their stride but the defence held firm to keep a well-drilled Hawks attack at bay. Goalkeeper, LJ Millers was called into action several times, but some fine saves allowed no way through. MK began to find some of the form they knew they were capable of and began to challenge the defence of the home side, joint player of the match, Karmel Bracken and Thea Jackson making some driving runs through the middle of the pitch to create goal scoring chances of their own and for other members of the team, with Jackson being unlucky not to score from a very well struck reverse stick strike. With half time looming and the score still at 0-0, both sides were battling to find the opening goal of the game and it was the home side who found the goal first and MK went into half time trailing 1-0.

Returning to the pitch for the second half, the team were well aware the game was not lost and they had thirty five minutes to take the points. Throughout the first twenty five of those, play switched from end to end, but MK slowly built their attacking momentum and began to penetrate the Hawks defensive line with more pace and precision, winning a number of penalty corners in the process. Alice Vigor and Laura Browne played a vital role in midfield to create the link from the defence to the attack and it was becoming apparent that MK had started to gain the upper hand on the game in terms of pressure and possession but they knew they needed a goal for any of this to count. With the minutes left in the game rapidly decreasing, the MK side started to play their best hockey of the match. Lisa Kavanagh and Maxine McMenamin linked well in defence to play multiple successful transfers to create options in midfield for Amy Hunt and it was from this patience and composure that opened up gaps in the Hawks lines. MK won a penalty corner with less than ten minutes remaining; Lindsay Kettleborough’s shot being saved but Karmel Bracken picking up the rebound and cooly slotting it back past the keeper into the goal to bring the scores level. MK continued to build attack after attack and, aided by one of the Oxford Hawks players being shown a yellow card and sent to the side line for five minutes, they looked threatening each time they entered the 25 yard area. MK made their extra player count and scored their second goal; a well-placed pass from Lindsay Kettleborough from a free hit to Sophie Reynolds in the D who found the goal after rounding the Hawks keeper. MK played out the final minutes of the game until the final whistle, taking only their third victory of the season and with it all three points which sees them rise to 7th place in the league. The Milton Keynes side return to Woughton next week to face 8th placed Henley in what is a must-win match for the team.