Improving Ladies sunk by Cobras
WOMEN’S PREMIER
WIDNES WILD LADIES .... 4 CHELMSFORD COBRAS 13
THE Widnes Wild Ladies team put in a much improved performance against the Chelmsford Cobras at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday but unfortunately lost out 4-13 in a highly entertaining game at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
The visitors took the lead after just 32 seconds but the roof of the rink was metaphorically raised at 6.22 when Katie Fairclough fired in an equaliser for the Wild, thus ending an extended goal drought for the Widnes team.
Having failed to score at all in their last three games – albeit against the leading teams in the division and very strong opposition – you have to go back to 21st November and 39 minutes 34 seconds into the home game against Nottingham when the Wild women last found the back of the net – this was quite a momentous event for the players and their fans.
Indeed it represented an incredible 206 minutes 48 seconds of playing time without a goal – quite possibly some sort of unwanted Women’s Premier League record - so you can easily appreciate why this Fairclough strike was so enthusiastically received.
Chelmsford hit back almost immediately, however, restoring the lead just 30 seconds later and went on to build up an impressive 1-5 advantage by the end of the first period.
A 6th goal for the Cobras 2 minutes from the restart edged them further ahead but Widnes heads did not drop and they went on to have their best spell of the game.
A goal for Ellen Tyrer – her first ever in senior competitive hockey – on 24 minutes received as big an ovation as Fairclough’s earlier marker and then Catherine Fell fired in just 50 seconds later to draw the Wild ladies back to 3-6.
There then followed a highly frenetic 9 minute phase with both teams having plenty of chances on goal and Widnes looking ever likely to further narrow the deficit.
The next goal, however - when it came - fell to Chelmsford and they quickly scored two more follow up strikes. Preston Gennoe fired in for Widnes on 35 minutes leaving the score at 4-9 to the visitors at the second period break.
Four unanswered goals for Chelmsford in the third period made the overall scoreline appear more one-side than the game actually was and the Wild women can draw a lot of positives from this performance.
The Winifred Mabel Letts memorial MVP awards sponsored by Poet In Residence Lucy London went to Tegan Hyatt for Chelmsford and Elizabeth Loss for Widnes and were presented by match mascot Lilly Miller.
The Widnes Wild Ladies team are next in action on Sunday 13th March when they travel to face Kingston Diamonds in Hull – 12.30 (noon) face off, They are next at home on Sunday 20th March when they entertain the Queen Bees at Planet Ice Widnes, 5pm face off.