Still nothing to separate top two teams

THERE is still nothing between the island's top two hockey sides. Before Saturday's women's league clash at Memorial Field, Approved Personnel Panthers and La Collinette Cubs had each played four, won three, lost one: nine points apiece. Both had a goal difference of plus-five.

It was that close.

Panthers had taken the early advantage by beating Cubs 3-2 in their first meeting of the season, but they threw that away when slipping to a 2-3 reverse at the hands of OSA Amazons in their most recent game.

So there was everything to play for on a bitterly cold day. The players knew it, too.

They might be ready for some inter-island clashes at the Channel Islands Club Championships this coming weekend, but there could not have been more passion in the challenges even if one of the teams had been from Jersey.

At times it was hockey at its most direct. Debbie Allen, the driving force behind so much of Cubs' play, knows only one route to goal, the shortest one, a straight line.

Whenever she received the ball she would turn and set off at pace, occasionally diverting only to bypass a defender's lunge.

It was fitting that she put her name on the scoresheet.

Hers was the fourth goal of the game, drawing Cubs level at 2-2 right on the stroke of half-time and marking a great fight-back from 0-2 down in 20min.

Panthers had set off flying. Three short corners in quick succession had Cubs pinned back. From the third, the breakthrough.

Gemma Duport saved the first shot with her pads, but Jacky Davies was on hand to slap home the rebound from close in.

Back came Cubs, forcing a succession of short corners of their own. Collette Pennington was in fine form, however.

Jo Hollyer-Hill's pace took her goal-side of her marker as Cubs broke at pace, but again the Panthers keeper did enough to keep her side ahead.

And that advantage doubled from another short corner.

There was a great deal of fortune as the first shot was blocked and dribbled invitingly across the D, but Davies wasted no time in hammering in her second.

It was a Hollyer-Hill drive at pace down the right that set up the first for Cubs shortly before half-time. Few can match her pace. She cut in along the by-line, drew the keeper and set up Jill Holdstock for a simple finish from six yards.

Cubs wanted more. Another Allen burst won a short-corner, the ball was switched right, then back left, and when Holdstock fired in the shot, there was Allen to divert the ball home.

It was a surprise that the second half produced no more goals. Cubs enjoyed the lion's share of possession as Panthers dropped too deep and had fewer outlets upfield.

Holdstock should have made it 3-2 from the spot. Allen, for the umpteenth time, charged into the D; the first clattering challenge deserved a short corner, the second was definitely worthy of a flick.

But the midfielder's effort was not her best and the keeper saved comfortably with her left foot.

Holdstock was also twice denied by a defender's stick, first Chantelle de la Mare and then Davies making an important stop in front of goal.