The ladies O35’s welcomed Burnt Ash on Sunday in the 4th round of the England Hockey Masters tier 2 cup. The game started at a frantic pace with both teams playing like they hadn’t all had a game the previous day. It was an end to end affair for the whole game with both teams having early chances. It was Ash however who took the lead midway through the first half Ops did not back down. A break away won a short corner and Polly Ritchie’s strike was classily deflected in to the top corner by Nicki Ball. Ops soon took the lead when Gill Steer’s ball through the midfield found Mill who took on the Ash defence before calmly placing the ball past on the onrushing keeper. Taking a 2-1 lead into half time Ops felt in control with space opening up across the pitch.
This space paid dividend early in the second half when Sharon Harding released Jo Bryen who found herself unfamiliarly in the D and after a 1-2 with Ball rocketed the ball into the corner for her first competitive Ops goal. The ladies 1st XI skipper did not hold back with her celebration! At 3-1 up with 10 minutes left to play Ops thought they were home and dry but Ash had other ideas. After bringing the game back to 3-2 from a short corner, they were then awarded a penalty after the ball struck a defenders foot on the line which they dispatched to make it 3-3. Ops were having none of it and went straight back at Ash with Michelle Phillips releasing Ball who beat the Ash defence and played the ball across for Em Pullen to slap home. The game still wasn’t over as Ash forced themselves a short corner which they put away just moments away from full time to take the game to penalty strokes.
The penalty shoot out was a tense affair but Ops felt confident and that confidence was boosted when keeper Amy Bumstead saved the first 2 Ash attempts, one with an outstretched left leg and one diving to her right with both Mill & Polly Ritchie scoring Ops’ first two. The Ash keeper made 2 saves against Ops 3rd & 4th takers leaving it at 2-2. Up stepped Bumstead again, making a third save with a big right hand before Ball slotted the final stroke away for a 3-2 win and putting Ops into round 5.