Cambridge City 0, Harleston Ladies 2HARLESTON Magpies moved up to third place in the league with this away win and they can look back on a solid performance that ensured all three points.

Cambridge City 0, Harleston Ladies 2

HARLESTON Magpies moved up to third place in the league with this away win and they can look back on a solid performance that ensured all three points.

Magpies started well as they gave the home side a number of problems especially attacking down the right where Cherry Seaborn and Artemis Clark proved difficult to contain.

This early pressure won Magpies several penalty corners but the keeper kept them out.

Cambridge had a good early chance on the break and Magpies were fortunate not to concede. The pattern remained the same throughout the first half as Magpies stretched the Cambridge defence but could not find the final touch and had to be careful of counter attacks. Emily Wilford came on in the first half and made a promising League debut.

With the score 0-0 at half time Magpies were soon in front in the second half after some skilful play in the circle by Artemis Clark and she set up Cherry Seaborn who swept the ball home to make it 1-0.

This was nothing less than Magpies deserved but the temporary suspension of Louisa Greenacre and at the same time conceding two successive penalty corners led to temporary panic in the Magpies defence as they tried to reorganise. Fortunately one smart save by Lucy Hayman ensured Magpies survived this difficult five-minute spell.

Magpies regained their composure and started to dominate the game physically, although their passing lacked the quality of the previous week. Cambridge's last chance came from a misplaced back pass but Magpies scrambled the ball away.

With five minutes to go Clark again gave the defence problems and Angie Wheelhouse was quick to react and scored with a reverse-stick shot.

Harleston Magpies II recorded their second successive win against Cambridge City, with a 3-2 scoreline. In a tight game Magpies had to once again come from behind.

Magpies hit a post in the opening minutes. Cambridge then scored from a short corner when a deflected shot found its way to the far post and was turned in from close range. Robbie Kinsella equalised for Magpies with a powerful shot past the keeper after a mazy run and lay-off from Lawrence Baynes. Hamish Barton's flick from a penalty corner was too good for the City keeper as it went rocketing into the roof of the net.

Magpies got their third goal when after good attacking play down the left-hand side from both Craig Snelling and Simon Hipwell, Ben Wright fed the through a crowd of players to find Simon Hipwell, who had continued his run in front of goal and then slipped the ball through the keeper's legs.

But Magpies took their foot off the gas and allowed Cambridge back into the game. Several rushed/silly tackles led to a succession of City penalty corners in which they scored their second goal with a well-worked move around the front runners and finished from close range. Cambridge put on a surge of pressure which the Magpies defence managed to keep at bay.

The last 10 minutes proved a frightful one for the on-looking supporters as Cambridge created several clear-cut chances only to be thwarted by the Magpies defence and their keeper John Livings who was forced into action with fine saves.

The last moments of the match was heart-in-the-mouth stuff, when Dan Legg lost his footing outside the box and obstructed the player to concede yet another penalty corner, with the final whistle having gone it was 11 on five, and the five came out on top when a Cambridge foul was spotted in the mel�e on the stroke spot which ended the attack and gave Harleston a deserved second win of the season.

MoM Simon Hipwell's pace and skill was too good for Cambridge as he ran the show for Harleston at points. Next week Harleston host Broxbourne, another tough challenge.

Harleston Ladies II hosted Cambridge City II and lost 2-1. Although Magpies had endless possession, Cambridge hit them on the break and the ball trickled over the line. The second goal come in a similar fashion with a lack of solid tackling and poor marking resulting in the ball ending in the net despite some solid stops from Cali that were failed to be cleared. Magpies' goal came from a well-rehearsed short-corner routine with Jessie Withers neatly and calmly flicking the ball over the keeper.

Magpies Ladies IV beat hosts fellow promoted side Pelicans III 1-0. The match seemed to be swaying in Pelicans' favour until Rachel Peters crossed the ball into the D, which ended in a Kay Dennis goal, the ball slotted in from close range. Magpies put in a great defensive display.

Harleston's Development side suffered their first defeat of the Development League season against Dereham, going down 2-0. In a very even first half Magpies found the Dereham keeper in fine form and although striking a post three times it was Dereham who went in at half-time leading through two well-worked goals. Magpies pushed hard in the second half and had good possession but again could not find the goals needed. Frankie Eaves, Kira Wooltorton and Charlotte Nickson worked tirelessly in midfield and Kara Kilbourne, in her first game, went close to scoring.