MINEHEAD Ladies’ two teams faced each other on Saturday with the 1st XI narrowly winning 3-2 after a nail-biting game.

The two sides are playing in the same division of the West Clubs Ladies Hockey League for the first time this season, and a bumper crowd of supporters cheered both teams on.

The game started as it finished, with attacking threats from both teams, and it was the firsts who took the lead through Denise Lancaster.

The seconds hit back with several short corner attempts before equalising when good attacking play by Naomi Trunks and Charlotte Taylor ended with Mel White finding the net.

With both teams defending well, they kept each other at bay until the seconds made it 2-1 with a fine shot from Charlotte Taylor.

Five minutes from half-time it was all square again when Lancaster scored her second goal after a scramble in the D.

The second half saw fewer goals but was still just as entertaining, with the seconds’ defence making some off the line clearances and their attack trying to find a way through at the other end.

The deadlock was broken by the 1st XI 20 minutes from time when a shot from Annabel Cottrell took a deflection of a defender’s stick and went in.

The game was then stopped for a time after first team captain Hannah Sparks took a ball to the head and needed first aid treatment.

Now down to ten players, the firsts held on against a positive effort from the seconds who seconds from the end had a short corner saved on the line to deny them the equaliser.

Minehead 1st XI’s player of the match was Vicky Perkins and the 2nd XI’s was Liz Darby. Both awards were sponsored by Natalie Poat, Personal Travel Counsellor.