Petroc division one

Dartmouth 1,

Isca V 4

Dartmouth didn't deserve to lose by this margin but they've only themselves to blame.

Coach Matt Putt and skipper Lucy Pillar gave their team talk to the Dartmouth ladies and Dartmouth were well up for this game.

However, Isca, who eat, sleep and drink hockey, were well drilled and within eight minutes of the first half they hit Dartmouth on the break and then got a second three minutes later.

Both goals were well-taken but avoidable from Dartmouth, from then on Dartmouth got their act together and closed down Isca a lot quicker and defended a lot better.

The score remained 2-0 to Isca for another twenty minutes with Dartmouth hitting the opposition's defence with a couple of short corners taken by Chloe Edwards and Lucy Pillar going close.

Soon after Sarah Barrett gave the Isca defence something to think about but the visitors hit Dartmouth with a couple of well-taken goals just before half time.

The half time team talk was simply to ask the Dartmouth ladies to close down and put the pressure on Isca, get the ball to the forwards a bit quicker and start to use the wings a bit more.

Dartmouth started the second half a lot better than the first.

Siobhan Edwards picked up her game and Kirsty Bradley got some much needed confidence and game play. The second half was like watching a totally different game, Sarah Barrett releasing Jamie Rendle and Lisa Hunt on the right wing and Kirsty Bradley and Di Bradley on the left wing.

Dartmouth hit the Isca defence time and time again for the first twenty minutes, eventually being awarded a free hit just inside the Isca half.

Sam Webb slotted the ball through to Lisa Hunt and Lisa released Lucy Pillar, who placed the ball past the oncoming Isca 'keeper.

A couple of minutes after that Dartmouth, still piling on the pressure, had a short corner taken by Lucy Pillar and hit by Chloe Edwards just going wide of the Isca post.

Unfortunately that was the way the score stayed up to the final whistle.

Dartmouth deserved a lot more from this game but if there was anything to take from this game it was players like Sarah Barrett, Kirsty Bradley, Sam Webb and Ellie Malley all putting in a good shift.

The player-of-the-match award went to Sarah Barrett for the second week running, with Mark and Jo Rendle supplying the wine for the player of the match.

Dartmouth carpenter Adrian Rendle sponsored the match and the Sportsmans Arms supplied the food for the post-match meal.

Dartmouth have a week off this week and will have an extra training session for the following week when they take on Isca IV.