Kingston’s women’s hockey team overcame league leaders, Reading University 4-2, in a tightly contested match on Wednesday afternoon at Surbiton Hockey Club.
The Cougars began the game the brighter after their star forward, Acacia Taylor, a.k.a Kaka picked up from where she left of in the last game with a sumptuous finish in the bottom right hand corner.
Taylor said: “My first goal was a push in shot from five yards out. It was a team goal. The team played very well with a lot of name calling and passing. We played much better than week did last week.”
However, Reading put their foot on the gas after they pulled a goal back with a neat finish from their player.
It was Kingston who was the more commanding after dominating possession in the middle of the pitch and this was demonstrated by a great piece of dribbling from the half way line by Captain Theresa Waight.
Waight picked up the ball from her fellow midfield partner to dribble through a pack of midfielders and defenders in Messi like style to score a great individual goal.
Waight said: “I began from just after the half way line and drove it into the 25; I took it round the player, sold them and finished it off.”
Kingston began the second half 2-1 up and certainly picked up from where they left off in the first half, after Taylor came up with the goods again with a brilliant reverse shot from the edge of the area.
Kingston went into the game unbeaten in the league with two victories out of two games so far this season.
Kingston’s Alice Newling said: “It was definitely the toughest game we’ve had so far in the league because Reading are currently top of the league. However the team played well.
Reading responded with another clever bit of play to score and make it 3-2.
However, Reading’s lead did not last for long after a wonder goal from Hannah Denison, who scored an angled shot from the edge of the area, to end Reading’s chances of a comeback.
Emma Higson said: “We were all looking out for each other by creating a lot of space. We didn’t play as individuals but as a team. We had a lot of pace up front and a solid defence. The girls at the back played great today.”
Captain Waight said: “I thought that as a team we were all rearing to go because we were playing the league leaders. I thought we played better in the first half but we still managed to come out on top.
“There were a few outstanding performers today but it wasn’t just one or two players, it was definitely a team performance because we played really well.”
Reading ended the game top of the league after playing two more games than Kingston.
Reading’s Annabelle said: “I thought Kingston played really well. They are the hardest team we’ve played so far.”
Konstantinos Patas