MINEHEAD and West Somerset Hockey Club Ladies travelled to Exeter to face Isca Thirds for the first game back after the extremely long Christmas break - and the West Somerset side came away with a fine 2-1 victory.

Nerves were running high with this match being a mid-table battle. Isca started strongly, dominating possession and turning Minehead’s defence inside out. As a result, Isca opened the scoring with a deflection over keeper Jan Weetch. This sharpened Minehead’s resolve and there followed their best hockey of the season. Their defence woke up, squashing any Isca attacks, and the midfield worked tirelessly to launch attacks.

One such ball found Morgan Cooper in the D, and she slipped it through to Zoey Cape who scored from an outrageous baseline angle to make it 1-1 which was the score at half time.

Minehead continued to pile the pressure on in the second half; short corner defence was faultless and the hockey was sublime. A quick ball out wide from Jess Koppa found Amy Tisshaw on the sideline, a 1-2 to Hannah Sparks and a cross into the D found Cape once again to slide the ball past their keeper for her second goal of the game.

The rest of the game continued in much the same fashion;, solid defence from Minehead kept Isca at bay and a few attacks from Minehead put the Isca keeper under pressure. The game ended 2-1 to Minehead.

This was a fantastic team performance and a well deserved victory with the Kildare Lodge Player of the Match going to Jess Koppa.

Minehead and West Somerset Ladies: Jan Weetch, Jess Koppa, Liz Darby, Charlotte Hirons, Tracey Bailey, Amy Tisshaw, Gemma Chilcott, Kate Lancaster, Diana Hobbs, Morgan Cooper, Saphie Haddon, Hannah Sparks, Zoey Cape.