Slough Ladies grab much needed win......

Hockey
by Mike Haymonds

Investec EHL Premier
Slough 3 Birmingham University 2

TWO goals in the last three minutes from Lauren Penny and Alex Scott gave Slough Ladies a much-needed first home win over Birmingham University after they looked to be on course for a fifth defeat.
Boosted by the presence of two new signings - midfielder Amy Turnbull, a former England under- 21 international, and Kiwi defender Sara Daji - Slough had the rare luxury of 13 outfield players.
They therefore had the stamina to produce the unlikely escape act against a full 16-strong squad of students.
Slough had the better of the first half and scored first in the 14th minute from their only penalty corner when Penny forced the loose ball home from close range after an initial goalkeeper save.
Despite having more possession that was the closest Slough came to increasing their lead which was maintained thanks to a full-stretch save by their keeper Asha Tranquille-Day just before half time.
However, the equaliser was not long delayed as the visitors won a second corner from a breakaway in the 40th minute which Tina Evans fired home.
Slough skipper Natalie Bell and Ashleigh Ball had fierce shots kept out by keeper Mags Rees, in between which Alice Sharp gave her side the lead on 51 minutes after a rebound from a save by Tranquille-Day gave her an opportunity from the top of the D.
The game looked to be meandering to a dull close before the dramatic late transformation.
Penny bagged her second of the game (and of the season), latching onto a pass from Nicola White and beating Rees with a reverse-stick shot from a tight angle.
Scott’s reverse-stick match winner was a piece of quick thinking as she took a self-pass free-hit before firing home from the edge of the D.
SLOUGH: Tranquille-Day, McGonigle, Harte, Coulson, Bowe, White, Bell, Ball, Bevan, Scott, Penny, Ilkei, Daji, Turnbull, Filochowski.

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SLOUGH Ladies, sponsored by The Hub Entertainment, travel to meet Olton & West Warwicks tomorrow, aiming to build on their second win over Birmingham University last week.
Slough are currently in eighth spot, just above the relegation play-off place and only one point above Sutton Coldfield.
Olton stayed in second place despite losing a second game 3-2 to the season’s surprise package Clifton last week with the Premier’s leading scorer Emma Mccabe increasing her tally to 10.
Last season Slough and Olton had a home win each but Slough will want to change that for this campaign.

ENDS