Petroc division two Dartmouth 6, Sidmouth and Ottery seconds 2

Dartmouth ladies gave coach Matt Putt just what he asked for: guts, determination and a never-say-die attitude. Dartmouth started much the brighter and camped in Sidmouth's half for the first quarter of an hour and were rewarded with a well-taken goal from skipper Lucy Pillar. A free hit taken by Sarah Barrett, passing the ball to Jamie Rendle, the ball eluding the Sidmouth's defence and finding its way to Pillar, who slid the ball past the Sidmouth 'keeper with 10 minutes gone. Dartmouth piled the pressure on from the restart and this time Vi Miller got in on the act with another goal from open play. Hanging around the far post, Vi received the ball from Sam Webb and slotting the ball home for Dartmouth's second with only 12 minutes gone. The next goal was straight out from the training ground. Chloe Edwards taking a short corner to Sarah Barrett, who flicked the ball past the advancing Sidmouth defence and 'keeper alike. It wasn't too long before Lucy Pillar was on the score sheet again with a give and go with Vi Miller to make it 4-0. It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for Sidmouth but give them credit, they didn't give up and were rewarded with a goal on the stroke of half-time. A half-time talk from Matt Putt and skipper Lucy Pillar, giving the Dartmouth ladies full credit for playing some outstanding hockey and a gutsy performance. With the pitch side temperature 25 degrees or more, there was no way the tempo could be as fast and furious as the first half. It was 15 minutes from the start of the second half before the next goal was scored and Sidmouth were the ones to get it. Dartmouth, finding a second wind, hit back with a Sarah Barrett solo effort to give Dartmouth a three-goal cushion. On the hour mark Matt Putt rang the changes and brought on Chelsea Rendle, Daisy Miller and Di Bradley. All three played their part. Dartmouth went in for the kill, this time new recruit Becky Squires and Chelsea Rendle linking up on the left-hand side before crossing to Lucy Pillar. This time the Dartmouth assassin smashed the ball into the back of the opposition's net to get Pillar her first hat-trick of the season. With umpire Graham Doney blowing the whistle for full-time, possibly for the last time in Devon as Graham is moving up country to be near his family. The score finished 6-2 and a well-deserved victory for Dartmouth. Dartmouth celebrated back at their new club house, the Old Inn at Halwell. The players picked Lucy Pillar as their player-of-the-match and Chloe Edwards got the much deserved Yellow Brick award for forgetting to take her hockey stick on at the start of the second half.