Womens 1 Vs Harleston Magpies

Saints made the long journey to face joint league leaders Harleston encouraged by their recent promising performances. Harleston made the better start but Melody Harding, in the Saints goal, saved well from a couple of home penalty corners. Saints then broke forward and Kelly Bingham was disappointed to see her cross-shot go narrowly wide of the far post. Overall, however, Saints were pleased to be on level terms after a score-less first half.

Saints started the second half particularly well, pinning Harleston back in their own 25. However, once the home team broke out they won a penalty corner, which resulted in a penalty stroke that was converted to give the home side the lead. Saints responded well to this setback, playing with pace and intensity - but despite forcing a couple of penalty corners and Paula Bingham narrowly missing out on a deflection, they weren’t unfortunately able to find an equaliser.

The match was settled in the final 2 minutes when a home forward opportunistically picked up a ball that was adjudged not to have crossed the baseline and converted from close range. Player of the match for Saints was Kelly Bingham who epitomised a spirited and determined display from the whole Saints squad.

Saints will be looking to take encouragement from and build on this display when they are again on the road, this time to Wisbech, next Saturday.