1s overpower 2s in spirited North Devon derby

Going into the North Devon Ladies’ second derby of the season, the match was delayed slightly due to the astro turf at Park School being frozen solid in places from the bitterly cold conditions the night before.

Thanks to some warm-water heroics from Nell Thomas, the game was able to go ahead as planned, with the 1s this time hosting the 2s.

The 2s began the game well, sticking to their tactic of getting the ball forward to their sprightly attacking duo in hopes of snagging an early lead.

Despite a valiant effort to put the high-flying 1s on the back foot, it wasn’t to be: the hosts gained possession on the counter and broke into the D in a sleek move that resulted in a penalty corner, which Kirsty Crocker latched on to and dispatched with flair to put the home side in the lead and improve their already stellar set-piece stats.

The 2s fought back doggedly, bearing down on their opponents’ D with a press that has improved dramatically over the course of the season. Unfortunately, the first team’s prowess would ultimately reap reward for them, with Crocker bagging a second to open the floodgates for more.

Martika Gallagher bolstered the hosts’ advantage with a superb quick-fire hat-trick to give the hosts a 5-0 lead at the break.

Despite the scoreline, the 2s brought tenacity and unwillingness to give up to the second half in a plucky effort to keep the rampant 1s at bay. Alas, following yet another fantastic penalty corner routine, Selina Mather added another to the scoreline to solidify the hosts’ dominance.

Undeterred, however, the 2s continued to push forward together, weaving together some superb moves through the middle. Nevertheless, the first team’s strength prevailed again, with two goals for Kirstie Hughes, one for Kalena Tucker and Rachel Parsons racking up the scoreline and consolidating the home side’s position in the table to see out a decisive win.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, tremendous effort and camaraderie were on show throughout, displaying not just the first team’s flair, but the improvements the 2s have made in every aspect of their game, doing the club mighty proud indeed.

Elsewhere, the North Devon Men’s 1s hosted unbeaten table-toppers Caradon 1s. Despite a remarkable comeback that saw North bag three goals to cut short a seemingly rampant 4-0 lead, Caradon recovered and exploited some tiredness in the home side, ultimately taking the spoils 3-7.

North Devon Men’s 2s met Torbay 3s away, producing a stellar display to win 0-4. With great intensity going forward, a steady press and cool finishing, the 2s were delighted with this much-needed win in a season whose results have seen them hard done by at times.