Brookfields 1 Poulton 3

Brookfields needed to secure maximum points this weekend to endure they stayed one of the favourite hockey teams for promotion - but their young opponents turned the tables on them.

This was a game of end-to-end combat with the visitors enjoying slightly more of the possession early on. Their quick forays into Brookfields area finally resulted in the opening goal following a neat passing combination.

This woke Brooks up and straight from the pass back Jan Kent, Jane Blackwell and Tammy Dickenson combined well to break through the defence. Only an excellent save from Poulton's athletic keeper stopped an equalising goal.

Minutes later an easier chance went begging after the goalie was stranded with the ball on the goal line. But Brooks' striker failed to connect and Poulton escaped to keep their 1-0 lead at half time.

The second half was as competitive as the first, but again Poulton found an opening when, after a penalty corner, an unmarked striker shot in their second.

Poulton's third came mid way through the half after some excellent passing destroyed the defence and the final ball was slotted home past Brooks' stranded stand-in keeper Louis Whaite.

Brookfields continued to attack until finally Kent was able to fire in a reverse stick shot, which wrong footed the defence, to give Brooks a life line. Although Kent should have had a second, Poulton ran out victors, leaving Brookfields' promotion chances in the hands of other results at the top.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.