Hockey Ladies overcome their injury problems to maintain lead at top of the division

Nov 19 2008 by Paul Thomson, East Kilbride News

EAST Kilbride Ladies first eleven kept their 100 per cent West District Division 1 record intact with a 3-2 win over Troon on Saturday despite having just 11 fit players to field.

With no substitutes to bring into the fold, the Concept Consulting sponsored side could have struggled to win this extremely tough away match.

However, the local side put in a great shift to claim all three points to move themselves clear at the top of the division.

Sonya Andrews, Robyn Betts and Sheona Hutchison were unlucky not to score in the opening exchanges, as their shots travelled inches wide of the target.

But the side kept working hard and eventually took the lead through Hutchison.

The East Kilbride player went on a great solo run beating two defenders before knocking the ball past the keeper for 1-0.

But Troon were not sitting back and the game upped a pace as Troon went looking for a equaliser.

Both teams were working the ball around quickly when a Troon player intercepted the ball and they broke up-field. They left the EK players in their wake and the ball ended up in the back of the net to level things up.

The second half started at a furious pace and immediately Troon were on the attack and edged into the lead.

EK were fighting hard to get back on level terms, winning short corners and seeing their shots saved by an on form keeper. With 15 minutes to go EK won a short corner, the ball was struck out to Andrews who made no mistake to hammer the ball into goal for 2-2.

Within a minute, EK scored again after Betts set up Andrews to hammer home what proved the winner for the visitors.

EK survived a late onslaught and held out to record yet another victory to leave them sitting pretty at the top of the table.

This weekend will be another tough game as the ladies travel to face their rivals Cumbernauld one of the teams in the chasing pack at the top of the league.

East Kilbride, however, should be able to field their strongest team with injury problems fading.