HOCKEY: Swindon quick off the blocks (From This Is Wiltshire)

HOCKEY: Swindon quick off the blocks

9:20am Wednesday 22nd October 2008 in Latest Sport News

A first-half demolition job secured Swindon’s second league win of the season at Bristol & West’s expense.

Still missing four of their starting 11 due to injuries and unavailability, Swindon were again without Salmon and Ashby in attack and they would miss Philp’s solid defensive skills and Scrase’s magic along the right wing. From the start, hosts Swindon looked the better of the two sides, and it was to prove a superb first-half performance from the home team that sealed the win and the three points after the first 35 minutes. It took Swindon over 20 minutes to break the stalemate, though, Tom Gillingham getting on the end of a Tom Wickens cross to divert the ball into the corner of the goal, giving the keeper no chance.

The goal lifted the home side, and attack after attack had to be defended and scrambled away by the battered Bristol defence.

It was a well-worked penalty corner that extended the home side’s lead, Neil Couling slipping to Mark Preston whose shot rattled the goal as it slammedinto the backboard giving Swindon a solid base to continue on. With the whole team playing well and keeping possession, the defence had little to cope with in the half and a couple of late penalty corners were easilycleared.

At the other end it was Swindon on the stoke of half time that scored their third of the match, Neil Couling burying his dipping shot into the corner of the goal - the umpire awarding it to the loud and hostile protests of the Bristol players, who thought the shot had been too high.

The second half saw Swindon not quite find their form of the first half, although they still dominated the game.

Bristol did have more of the play in the Swindon half than the previous 35 minutes and got a consolation goal inside the last 10 minutes after converting a penalty corner.

They were also reduced to 10 men three times during the match for some unsavoury tackling on the Swindon forwards.

This Saturday Swindon made the second longest journey of the season as they go to Swansea.

• Bassett men’s 1st XI scored their first win in the Avon League against Westbury at Lime Kiln on Saturday.

Another hat-trick for prolific goalscorer Kyle Barnes helped secure a 5-3 victory.

Bassett travel to City of Bath this weekend hoping to build on their newly-found form.

The second string host Swindon in a Wilts & North East Somerset Division Two derby.

Bassett’s ladies were without a fixture due to a break in the programme, but return to action on Saturday with the first team at home to Chippenham, the seconds hosting Gloucester and the third tier taking on East Glos.