HOCKEY

West Wilts 2nds 3, Robinsons 3rds 1

WEST Wilts 2nds extended their unbeaten start to the season and inflicted a first defeat on Robinsons 3rds on Saturday.

The visitors' preparation was hindered when one of their players got stuck in traffic and missed the whole of the first half. Starting with ten men, West Wilts tried to play a high line and starve their opponents of time on the ball.

Chances were missed at both ends before Rob Robson fired West Wilts in front. Robson received the ball on the left, before cutting inside and shooting low into the corner.

Robinsons were rewarded for their fluent passing with an equalising goal 10 minutes before the break. West Wilts' keeper Andy Rogers was well beaten by a reverse stick shot.

The visitors were reduced to nine men on the stroke of half-time when Paul Fennell was yellow-carded for an innocuous foul.

Five minutes into the second half West Wilts were finally able to field their full compliment of players.

The game's pivotal moment came with 15 minutes to play when Robinsons had a man yellow-carded. As the player returned to the field one of his team-mates pulled up with a hamstring strain and West Wilts took full advantage.

Robson smashed home his second of the game before Dave Cooper finished off a flowing team move to make the points safe.

Robson was denied his hat-trick in the closing minutes when he had a penalty stroke saved by the Robinsons goalkeeper.

West Wilts meet Chippenham tomorrow.

West Wilts 4ths 6, Team Bath Buccs 8ths 0

WEST Wilts were made to work for this win by a youthful Team Bath Buccs side.

The visitors moved the ball around well in midfield and occasionally stretched the home defence, but could not turn their possession into pressure inside the circle.

The hosts were more direct in their approach and threatened to score with every attack.

There was a touch of fortune about the opening goal when a Bath defender kicking the ball into his own net from Jonathan Cockroft's cross.

Alan Kilminster added a second shortly afterwards with a crisp strike from a short corner.

When another Kilminster shot was only half stopped, Cockroft pounced to give West Wilts a three-goal lead with a strike so fierce it almost broke the backboards.

West Wilts continued to dominate in the second half, scoring three more unanswered goals.

It could easily have been more but for two disallowed goals and the heroics of the young Bath keeper.

Kilminster deposited a neat flick into the top corner from a short corner to chalk up goal number four. A raking pass from the same player found Cockroft in acres of space, allowing him to round the keeper and pass the ball into an empty net for his hat trick.

Not to be outdone, Kilminster completed a hat trick of his own with a typical short corner strike. Three clean sheets in a row highlights the strength of the West Wilts defence, but tomorrow's opponents from Marlborough should provide a sterner test.

West Wilts Ladies 3rds 0, Chippenham Ladies 3rds 4

THE policy of pushing juniors into the senior ranks was tested in this uneven display against an established side from Chippenham.

Millie Cornish, Sinead Welch and Jordan Ballard all turned in promising performances on debut.

Despite some excellent breaks from Kirsty Kenyon, the West Wilts side lacked fluency in attack and the finishing touch eluded them.

Chippenham's opening goal followed a good move down the left, with a final shot evading home keeper Cherie Baker.

Alex Wood and Clare Draper took hold of the midfield for West Wilts but neither could carve out an opening for their team-mates.

Chippenham converted the first of their short corners to take a two goal lead into the break.

Two more short corners were clinically dispatched by the visitors in the second half, much to the dismay of defenders Alanna Kirwan and Sinead Welch, who deserved better for their displays.