Kent Club 44, Essex Open 55.

This was an excellent win by Essex, who now are only a single point behind Claygate at the top of the table. Essex also have a vastly superior goal difference and average. This was a tightly contested game, which Essex only emerged as victors in the last quarter. From the start, it was very closely contested. Kent Club took the early initiative and led until midway through the first quarter. As the end of the quarter, Essex got on top and, with Leah Hayzelden and Maddy O’Shodiee scoring freely, took a 15-11 lead into the second quarter. Whilst Essex won the first quarter, the second quarter very much belonged to Claygate. In the centre-court, Nicole Alves, Jasmine Odegberin and Rebecca Wilkes had plenty of possession, but on too many occasions Essex made mistakes feeding into the circle, which cost them dearly. At the other end, Emma Shaw and Renee Hurley were finding it difficult against a very tall Kent Club shooter who rarely missed. While Essex held their lead, through most of the quarter they finished poorly with Kent Club scoring four goals without reply to pull it level at 25-all at the interval. Kent Club started the third quarter well, scoring two goals to put them in front. However, Essex started to get back into the game. Four consecutive goals restored the Essex lead. This was the pattern for most of the third quarter. Whenever Kent Club pulled close to Essex, they took the game away from them with some excellent passing movements and sure shooting from O’Shodie  and Hayzelden. Going into the last quarter, Essex led 39-35 and needed to start well to ensure that the points were theirs. This they did, and although Kent Club scored from the first centre, Essex then scored six goals with only a solitary response to give them an eight-goal lead. After a very closely contested game, Essex dominated the last quarter, scoring 16 goals with only nine in reply. In defence, Charlotte Peters, who came on in the second half, and Emma Shaw nullified the Kent Club shooter. This enabled Essex to continue their recent impressive form and close in on Claygate.

Shaw, Peters, Hurley, Alves, Linehan, Odegberin, R Wilks, Hayzelden, Reynolds-Blanche and Oshodi