Blues bruise Brunel Brunel
The Oxford Women's Hockey team notched up a pleasing victory at the Iffley Road Sports Ground after a tightly fought match with Brunel University.
The game however did not fall into the hands of the home side early on, and Brunel found space in the circle for a free hit at goal which just whistled past the post. They reinforced their first offensive move with the majority of the possession but could not convert their dominance in possession with attacks in the circle.
Oxford managed to create the stronger attacks with their possession; various through balls cut through the Brunel defence but they were always short of the final, critical ball.
Brunel were unable to clear the danger area from their 16 yard hit and a confident Katie Walters punished them with a display of some fancy stick-work in the circle to win another short corner. A dummy shot was employed to allow a clear sight at goal, but Brunel were not fooled and finally managed to clear the ball. Their counter attack was rewarded with a free hit near the circle whch was successfully defended by the Blues who were subsequently able to renew their pressure on Brunel. Again their efforts were unrewarded and the side were ultimately punished by their inability to finish. The first goal went to Brunel against the run of play in a surging counter-attack, leaving the goalie one on one and unable to stop the ball flying past her and into the goal.
Oxford didn't ease the pressure in the second half but were plagued with the inability to finish off their attacks. This half told a similar story to the first with Brunel holding up in defence and Oxford producing a series of penetrating , but ultimately fruitless attacks. The frustration began to show and tempers were fraying but Captain Fiona Hinds took control, leading by example and coolly initiated the best attack of the half with a string of accurate passes. The attack did not produce a goal but drove the team on to score their second and ultimately, the winning goal. Annie Bowden led the attack down the right wing to the goal line, feeding the ball back behind the keeper for Katie Walters to meet and secure her second goal and the victory.
Brunel were forced now to try and attack the ball rather than sit back in defence but their attacks proved too little too late as the whistle blew on a deserving, well-fought Oxford victory.
6th Feb 2003