Considering this side was only formed this season, and has had very little matchplay experience, the team is developing really well. Still with no goalkeeper due to Georgia having a broken toe, the team opted to play with 11 outfield players, and because of the lack of players across the club, this side had no subs either.

Arlene Croydon, one of our Mums Hockey recruits, very kindly offered to organise the team at the start, and as the Chairman arrived to help support, the game had got going, all under the excellent umpiring of Andrew Scott and Lorna Brooks Scott. The score was 0-0, but with some gentle words of encouragement from the side, the Sils team began to assert slightly more dominance. Arlene, and one of the other Mums, Mandeep Sagoo, were looking very assured in defence, ably supported by Anna Coulstock on one flank and Emily Coulstock on the other. In midfield, Bella Gaskin's work rate was incredible and she covered every inch of the left side of midfield, making covering tackles, and also supporting the attacks when she could.

Going forward, Kara Furlong was winning the ball in the middle of the pitch, and distributing excellently, with Lily Conduit making some impressive runs down the left, and Olivia Hallworth also causing significant issues for the visiting defence with her direct running. In fact, if it was not for the University keeper, the Sils could have scored three or four in the first half. As it was, the deserved opener came after a good run down the right from Mia Conduit, and as the ball ended up in the D, Isabella Skinner was able to get her shot in, which took a slight deflection and gave the home team a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Talk at half-time was about using the right hand side more, and trying to get the ball forward a little quicker, along with getting more bodies in front of the keeper to make her life much harder, and that is exactly what the team did.

Maddy Fox covered every part of the attacking D in the second half, getting herself into goalscoring places time and again, and if it had not been for the visiting keeper, she would have definitely been on the scoresheet. However, as it was, her threat in the middle, combined with that of Olivia Hallworth and Bella Gaskin down the left, meant that when the ball did go to the Sils right, Mia Conduit and Isabella Skinner were able to combine over and over again to create goal threats. The home team were able to score twice more in the second half, with Skinner getting both, and completing her hat-trick to give the Sils a very deserved win.

Everyone played well, with the defence looking very assured at all times, the forward line always looking threatening, and the positional sense and workrate of the midfield being exemplary. It is not often a player scores a hat-trick and is not voted player of the match, but on this occasion Kara Furlong was so impressive in the central holding role in midfield that she had to win the accolade on this occasion.

Great result, and some significant week on week improvements by all the players.