Busy time for Magpies

HARLESTON Magpies Ladies started off their in England Hockey Indoor League Division 1 programme with a difficult match against the favourites Reading.They lost 4-1 with a goal scored by Cherry Seaborn.

HARLESTON Magpies Ladies started off their in England Hockey Indoor League Division 1 programme with a difficult match against the favourites Reading.

They lost 4-1 with a goal scored by Cherry Seaborn.

In their next match Magpies were frustrated by drawing against Barnes 0-0 in a game where they controlled the match but could not score. In the third game on Saturday Magpies recorded their first win by beating Aldridge 3-1 with a hat-trick from Angie Wheelhouse.

On Sunday morning Magpies produced a good performance against Sutton Coldfield who are favourites with Reading to go up. Magpies scored first with a goal from Verity Blyth. Sutton responded with two goals early in the second half but Magpies never gave up and Verity scored again to equalise in the final minutes.

Unfortunately in a tight game against Old Loughtonians Magpies gave the opposition a 2-0 start and although Verity Blyth pulled a goal back Magpies could never quite open up the Old Loughtonians defence.

Magpies then watched a series of matches as teams picked up points to leave Magpies at the wrong end of the table. However the league is so tight that when Magpies beat Bradford 1-0 in their final game (Artemis Clark) they moved up to fourth place with eight points.

That leaves Magpies two points away from a promotion spot and two points away from a relegation spot.

Magpies play two matches next Sunday.

Squad: Debbie McAllen (capt), Lucy Hayman, Louisa Greenacre, Katrina Warnes, Frances Sumner, Bryony Lund, Jasmine Bartlett, Angie Wheelhouse, Lucy Fields, Cherry Seaborn, Verity Blyth and Artemis Clark.