COMPETITIVE league hockey has made a belated return for the 2020/21 season, with Chard Hockey Club’s ladies heading to Cullompton on a soggy Saturday morning for their first match, against ECVH.

Chard were able to retain the majority of their team from the previous season, while welcoming new faces in Katie Lee and Sophie Gibbins.

ECVH started off strong with most of the play taking place in Chard’s half, and despite valiant efforts from the visiting defence, the hosts led 2-0 at half-time.

Chard put in a positive attacking performance after the break, but they could not pull a goal back, and a penalty flick allowed ECVH to close out a 3-0 win.

Squad: Hannah McGown, EJ Hines, Emma Cridland, Jade Dunning, Evie Trafford, Chloe Park, Lyndsay Blackshaw, Amelia Dare, Rose Trafford, Amy Goss, Katie Lee, Kerryn Mullis, Lois Butcher, Sophie Gibbins. Player of the match: EJ Hines. Match sponsor: JB Wheaton & Sons.

***

CHARD men’s 1sts also opened with a defeat, 5-3 at home to PGSOB A in Southern 2.

Chard A, meanwhile, played their first game back in South East 1, and they too conceded five goals.

They did not look out of place against a strong Sidmouth & Ottery side, though, despite their hosts taking a two-goal lead into half-time.

Chard’s team, which boasted a balance of youth and experience, pulled one back when Jake Whitefield converted a cross at the back post.

Dan Batten’s clean strike from a short corner drew them level at 2-2, and they seemed to have the momentum at this point.

But Sidmouth grabbed the lead back from a short corner of their own, and they were rejuvenated from this point - scoring two more to win 5-2, despite the efforts of Chard keeper Ian Rockett.

Match sponsors: Koller Engineering.

Chard B were edged out 2-1 by Yeovil & Sherborne B, who made the most of their greater match sharpness (having played a league fixture the week before) in taking the lead.

A rare foray forward from Chard brought about a penalty corner, however, and Trevor Goss levelled from Duncan Lewis’ pass.

Chard’s debutant keeper Cian Brown excelled in denying Yeovil time and again after the break, only for him to be beaten by a penalty flick as the hosts snatched the points.

Squad: C Brown, H Criddle, A Swain, T Goss, S Mahoney, D Lewis, A Cheffey, S Gordon, F Caswell, J Drew, D Troake, C Howes.