Promotion hopes dashed by defeat (From Cotswold Journal)

Promotion hopes dashed by defeat

9:30pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in Sport

PERSHORE Hockey Club are facing another season in ENERG Men’s League West Midlands Division Two.

The hosts lost their crunch promotion clash with leaders Ludlow 2-0 and slipped to third behind Bromsgrove.

Pershore are three points off their Worcestershire rivals who have a game in hand.

They started in a cagey fashion against Ludlow, trying to retain possession and probing the flanks but hitting a resilient defence.

The visitors stifled the creative Anthony Handley and Ed Deacon and they went ahead after a missed tackle.

Pershore raised their game with good wide play from Karl Lawson and Steve Ridsdale but the final ball was intercepted.

The second-half followed a similar pattern and Gareth Rushton came closest to levelling, having a shot cleared off the line and missing a late chance.

Russell Scudamore, Mark Passmore and Rob Smith denied Ludlow until they scored from a last-gasp penalty corner.

The promotion dream looms larger for Pershore in Worcestershire Women’s League Division Two after they took over at the top by beating title-rivals Droitwich Spa 5-3.

A quick attack led to Emma Gardner’s first goal and a second followed for Mary Small after good work by Heidi Wilkie down the right.

Zoe Nicholson and Kate Adams impressed down the wings and a pass from Ceri Barber allowed Gardner to swoop again.

Spa rallied with a scrappy opener but they were then frustrated by the defence and keeper Lisa Hill.

Player-of-the-match Nicky Passmore and Small completed Pershore’s tally but Droitwich pulled back two more goals and were disallowed another effort.

The women head to another title rival in Harborne fourths on Saturday, while the men visit Oswestry.

The men’s seconds thrashed Ludlow 5-2 with Ali Sanderson bagging a hat-trick in the first 15 minutes.

A debut strike from Joe Broome and top-scorer Sanderson’s fourth made sure of the victory.