Saturday was another encouraging result for Fareham as they overcame Henley 2-1 courtesy of two penalty corner goals by Eleanor Pybus. The visitors looked value for a bigger winning margin and probably should have stretched the lead in the second half. As it turned out Fareham had to endure quite a bit of late Henley pressure before the win was secured.

Alicia Salter and Annabel McGrath made their first league appearances of the season in a fifteen player squad and there was a Fareham debut for Jess Richardson. This fixture was a meeting of the two teams in the division who had picked up a yellow card in week one but there was no repeat for either side this week.

Lucy Jean-Jean is one of the Henley players to be wary of and she came close to opening the scoring when shooting narrowly wide from their first penalty corner in the fourth minute. Another PC followed and this time Tara Lemon blocked a shot from the same player.

Issie Chapman had the first Fareham shot of the game in the 10th minute. Two minutes later the visitors won their first PC but the subsequent shot was blocked. The final chance of the quarter fell to Hannah Ward who was played through on goal but she was caught in two minds (possibly more knowing Hannah !) and the Henley keeper was able to snuff out the threat.

The home side had the first opportunity of the second quarter but Sophia Barclay saved the initial shot before a follow up was fizzed across the goal and wide. However, it was not long before the home side took the lead in the 27th minute. It began with a Fareham PC which was quickly cleared and was followed by a strong run down the right wing with the visitors’ defence stretched. The ball was crossed into the middle. Sophia in the Fareham goal had little choice other than to gamble and try to cut out the cross but MAISIE ROBINSON kept her composure, despite the distraction, to just get to the ball first and direct it into the empty goal.

Issie Chapman had the chance to draw Fareham level within a minute but her reverse shot from the edge of the ‘D’ was saved by Daisy Ruhle at her right hand post.

It looked like the home side would lead at the break but Fareham drew level from a 35th minute PC in the final seconds when ELEANOR PYBUS crashed a shot wide of the keeper and into the corner of the goal.

The Hampshire side’s momentum continued at the start of the 2nd half when they won a PC after good work down the left by Tilly Wimshurst. From the PC, in the 38th minute, ELEANOR PYBUS added her second goal when she guided a shot into the far corner.

The visitors looked dangerous for the next few minutes. Another good run from Tilly led to a shot which was well saved and a few minutes later a Fareham break looked promising but Eleanor was unable to pass the ball to the supporting runner before the attack was closed down.

Momentum switched in the final five minutes of the period. A Henley break was ended when Sophia saved a Lucy Jean-Jean shot which took a slight deflection off a defender. Moments later Henley mounted another attack with the numerical advantage but Sam Powell stayed calm and timed her challenge perfectly to win the ball and clear the danger.

Fareham relieved some of the pressure at the end of the quarter but they could not take advantage of a final PC before three-quarter time.

Once again, Fareham began the final quarter positively. Alba Browning-Sanchez set up a chance for Kendra Druce but although her shot beat the keeper it passed beyond the far post. They could have opened up a vital two goal margin in the 57th minute when a PC shot from Eleanor Pybus found the net but it was rightly ruled out for being too high.

As we approached the final ten minutes Ella Shute shot wide for the home side and then Lois Haigh won the ball in midfield and drove forward before slipping the ball to Eleanor Pybus but her reverse effort was too high.

The visitors found themselves under more pressure as time was running out. Henley were awarded four penalty corners between the 62nd and 66th minute as the visitors struggled to clear their lines. Despite this the Oxfordshire side could not take advantage and the nearest they came to threatening an equalizer was a shot wide of the goal from the final corner.

That was the final scoring opportunity and Fareham held on to their 2-1 lead. It was a little uncomfortable near the end but the right team won and they probably should have opened up an unassailable lead early in the final quarter.

Back to back wins to start the season is just what was needed. There has been some good play but there is still room for improvement. We should learn a lot more about ourselves in the next two weeks when we play two sides who will be on most people’s short list of candidates to win the league. Reading 3s are waiting in the wings but first we face Oxford at Henry Cort this coming Saturday (13.30). Matches between the two sides have always been keenly contested in the past. Our previous meetings at Henry Cort have been particularly tight, consisting of two 1-1 draws and two 1-0 wins for the visitors. As a result, Fareham will be aiming to beat them on home soil for the first time.