Women’s 1s beat St Alban’s

On Saturday, the Women’s 1s kicked off the second half of the season with a highly anticipated fixture against St Albans. With memories of a hard-fought 2–2 draw back in September still fresh, the squad arrived determined to extend our winning streak and head into the Christmas break on a high.

From the start, St Albans came out aggressively, applying a strong high press that kept our defensive line and screens working hard. Despite the early pressure, it was Hawks who struck first. After a slick passage of play through midfield, Eloise showed great composure and eliminated the keeper with a slick bit of skill before slotting the ball home.

The intensity only increased as the half went on. St Albans continued to push forward and were forced to use aerials to escape our own high press, but Hawks remained disciplined. Our persistence paid off again when Georgie Boon hit the ball from the tightest of angles, hammering the ball in from almost on the baseline and squeezing it straight through the keeper’s feet to double our lead.

The second half demanded a huge amount of grit from Hawks. St Albans piled on the pressure, producing wave after wave of attacks and put our defence under great pressure. However, the team rose to the occasion and Ruby stood firm throughout, pulling off a string of outstanding saves to keep the opposition out. The final quarter grew even more dramatic, featuring a couple of close calls, a card that momentarily increased the pressure, and some end-to-end hockey as both sides battled for control.

Despite the intensity and the sheer number of attempts from St Albans, our defence held strong and the team showed real resilience and determination to see out the match. When the final whistle blew, Hawks celebrated a hard-earned and well-deserved victory. This win leaves us 4^th in the Conference Midlands table, and in a strong position for the rest of the season post-Christmas!

Thank you to everyone who came to support—your energy on the sidelines made all the difference!