Opening loss to Leicester

by Mike Haymonds

SLOUGH Ladies crashed to an opening day defeat to last season’s league winners Leicester with a below-par performance which suggested they may have a tough season ahead.
Slough only threatened their opponents’ goal once - from their only penalty corner of the game - and that had taken 61 minutes to arrive.
The retirement of their long-term leading scorer Jane Smith exposed a lack of sharpness up front and two of the goals they conceded were the result of serious defensive errors.
Slough’s new coach Royce Waters said: “Our link-up and support play needs improvement and the understanding with our new players will improve.”
Both teams were weakened by the absence of players in Commonwealth Games squads with Leicester missing six and Slough three which inevitably affected the quality of hockey.
Leicester’s opening goal came in the ninth minute when Rebecca Herbert fired home from a tight angle and across Slough keeper Becky Duggan into the far corner.
Slough successfully defended two first-half penalty corners and Duggan made a glove save soon after the interval but in the 42nd minute Herbert carved through the Slough defence for a second strike.
Leicester’s victory was assured when Hannah Smith fired home their third corner and Slough’s only set piece, struck by Chloe Strong, produced a goalmouth scramble and eventual clearance.
SLOUGH: Duggan, Nicholson, Harte, Strong, Bell, Cunningham, Greenham, Bowe, Scott, Archer, Penny. Subs: Coulson, (not used: Filochowski).