GoCrea8 Hockey League South East 2
Chard A 4, Taunton Civil Service A 1

THIS was another significant victory for top-of-the-table Chard, their opponents having been steadily climbing the league to third spot on the back of a string of recent wins. 

With the club’s playing resources spread thin, Chard could field only a bare eleven, but the hosts were fastest out the blocks and it was only the reactions of the visitors’ keeper that kept them from taking an early lead. 

It was not all one-way traffic, however, and Chard were indebted to keeper Richard Green for a couple of vital saves to keep them level. 

Chard’s superiority in front of goal finally paid dividends with Seb Horne poaching at close-range after a shot from Trevor Goss was saved.

Goss came within inches of doubling the lead just before half-time after dispossessing a defender, but his shot flashed just wide.

The midfield remained closely contested from the restart but Chard continued to look like extending their lead and it came as no surprise when Spurdle made it 2-0. 

Chard looked comfortable and in control but, when Civil Service pulled a goal back out of nothing, the game took another twist.

Chard’s defence was outnumbered on an attack down the Taunton left and Green made a crucial save from a goalbound shot from the top of the D.

It took a moment of solo magic from Wheaton to seal the win. 

Picking the ball up of the left wing well inside Chard’s half, he beat two players, ran into the D, evaded another challenge and fired past the keeper for Chard’s third.

Spurdle put the icing on the cake with his second goal, finishing off a flowing passing move and latching onto a cross from the right.

Three Civil Service players were sin-binned towards the end.

Thanks to umpires Jim Sainsbury and Hannah McGowen.

Chard: R Green, T Eames, A Critchley, P Tratt, S Mahoney, J Goddard (capt), J Spurdle, S Horne, T Goss, H Dening, K Wheaton.

South East 2
Taunton Vale D 0, Chard B 0

CHARD visited Taunton for their latest game and there were few opportunities for either team to score as the defences dominated.

Chard were on top in the first half, advancing well down both wings with Ed Cockburn and Barney Cooper stretching the home defence, but the goalkeeper was the equal to any shots. 

Both Tom Float and Charlie Grossey were tireless in their running through the game and were the natural outlets as Chard pushed on.

The best chance fell to Rollo Squire but the goalkeeper again pulled off a good save.

Taunton came more into the game in the later stages of the second half as they used wisely their extended team to have more energy in attack.

Good marking and tackles in defence stopped the advances with particular mention to George Grossey, who returned to playing after an extensive lay-off.

Chard - Johnson, Dare, Mooney, Cheffey, Lewis, Grossey (G), Float, Grossey (C), Cooper, Squire, Cockburn.

CHARD’s first XI saw their difficult start to the Southern 1 season continue as they went down 8-0 at East Devon.

West Clubs Women’s Hockey League Division 2
Chard 8, Minehead 2nds 0

CHARD ladies won their last match of 2017 in style, beating visitors Minehead 2nds 8-0.

Tessa Down, Lyndsay Blackshaw and Emma Cridland scored two goals apiece, with Sasha Taylor and Kerryn Mullis also finding the net.

Chard sit six points clear at the top of the table, having won nine out of nine so far this season.

They return to action on Saturday, January 6, at home to Bridgwater 2nds.