This week, our SU sport spotlight is on the University of Lincoln’s women’s hockey team who on Wednesday, beat Coventry University in their second game of the BUCS season.
The first half of this match displayed a battle of the midfields. However it is Lincoln that came out on top for the majority through their star player Breesha Foxton.
The first year centre forward is new to the university hockey team but looked comfortable as the spearhead of Lincoln’s attacks throughout the game.
The first real chance came in the 14th minute when Breesha Foxton dribbled the ball from the halfway line to the right wing. She sent a strong pass across the face of the goal to the open captain Kathryn Hainsworth but it was just a bit too fast for her to connect with.
Lincoln continued to put on the pressure as they forced the Coventry defence to clear a ball off the line shortly after.
Coventry broke on the counter attack and Antonia Nuyens sent a direct ball just to the left of the Lincoln keeper. The Coventry attackers were running for the ball but even with an extra stretch it alluded them.
In the early stages of the second half, a lot of the play was on the wings which did open the game up later on in the half but up until the 50th minute the chances created in the middle were proving more dangerous.
However, staying faithful to their wing play proved successful in the end as in the 55th minute Rachel McCarney fired in a ball from the wing to put the home side in front.
Coventry reacted quickly to this as they got a series of short corners but despite coming close they couldn’t quite beat the keeper Sam Ramsay.
It wasn’t long before Coventry found themselves under pressure again from an adrenaline-rushed Lincoln side. The visitors displayed excellent defensive work to clear the ball off the line as McCarney’s shot went through the legs of goalkeeper Maria Maynard-Bugaras.
In the last ten minutes Coventry picked up a second wind and gave Lincoln a scare. In the 65th minute Myers struck the ball just inside the circle. It flew up off the ground with great pace but went just wide.
In the final minute Coventry’s build up play caused the Lincoln defence problems and created an opportunity for a shot on goal. However, the Lincoln keeper Sam Ramsay was following it with a keen eye and denied the away team a point.
We spoke to winning captain Kathryn Hainsworth who was pleased with their win but believes they still have a way to go (see video below)…