Sophia’s save earns ladies maiden point as Zurek heroics helps Newbury and Thatcham off the mark
Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club’s women’s first team picked up a first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at home to Buckingham 2nd.
Newbury, who lost both of their opening South Central Women’s Division 1 North matches, went ahead when Holly Harris’ deflected strike fooled the Buckingham goalkeeper after Ellie Hannam’s well-disguised pass picked her out from a short corner.
The hosts were pegged back and almost went behind when Buckingham were awarded a penalty flick after Alice Lane stopped the ball on the line using her leg, only for the heroic Sophia Zurek to bravely save the resulting effort.
Despite unrelenting Buckingham pressure in the second half, Newbury held on to secure a hard-earned draw that gets them off the mark for the campaign.
It proved to be a fine weekend for the women’s teams, with all five sides going unbeaten.
The second team moved up to second in the South Central Women’s Division 1 Thames table after goals from Katy Hall and Tegan Murray helped them to a 2-0 triumph over winless Wallingford 3rd, their second successive clean sheet.
Goals from Emma Boyd and Kirstin Butler ensured the third team maintained their 100 per cent start to the South Central Women’s Division 2 Thames season, beating Marlow 6th 2-0.
Paula Morgan’s strike was enough to earn the fourth team a 1-1 draw with Marlow 5th, while the fifth team were awarded a walkover win after Yateley 4th were unable to field a team.
There were more mixed fortunes for the men’s teams, with both the first and second sides slipping to narrow defeats.
Oliver Soames scored five goals as the third team hammered Staines 3rd 15-0.
Henry Durie bagged four, Ben Cook and John Williams both struck braces, while Mark Chapman and Mike Dutfield completed the rout.