Maiden victory for the new South Ladies Thirds side

South Ladies 3rds 1

Travelling to Ulster University and braving blizzard conditions proved well worth the effort for South Ladies newest hockey team.

With the Ulster Elks team lying second in the league, the ladies were undaunted by their higher league position.

Starting the attack Amy Wright led the charge creating the first chance of the game with Laura McConnell collecting the ball at the edge of the circle but finding it hard to by pass the experienced Elks keeper.

After McConnell sprung the defence she saw a rifled effort spilled by the home goalkeeper, only for young Ferris to gobble up the rebound – creating history in the process, the first time South Ladies 3rds have ever been ahead.

With confidence oozing from this group of tireless teens they raced forward in search of a second.

Heasley and McCandless linked up time and again to bamboozle the Elks defenders, with Wright nearly registering, only for the ‘keeper to pull off an unbelievable save with the South forward prematurely wheeling away in celebration.

After such a positive half for the ladies, they now believed a first victory was in their grasp.

A number of short corners followed in the 2nd period but only through sheer doggedness the gap remained at one.

When the pressure came from the home side, it came with such force and ferocity that weaker willed teams would undoubtedly have folded, but South were redoubt in their duties and dismissed attack after attack with increasing confidence and calm. Special credit to Glover and Johnston in this regard.

A final chance fell to the Elks but as the moment passed so came the final whistle and jubilation from the away team, as they celebrated a maiden victory.

Player of the match was the ever-deadly Amy Wight with thanks to Brian Wilson for braving the soggy conditions to umpire.