City of Peterborough Ladies storm to the top in style, first National League defeat for the men
City of Peterborough Ladies stormed to the top of East Division One North in splendid style on Saturday.
There is a determination in the squad to claim their Premier Division place back at the first attempt and it showed as a University of East Anglia side were swept aside 7-0 at Bretton Gate.
In-form striker Hope Elkins opened the scoring on nine minutes before 17 year-old Elena Walker converted following a well-worked short corner routine on 22 minutes, three minutes before Imogen Mason made it 3-0.
Lily Craven scored twice after the interval with Elkins and Rachel Fletcher also on target to move unbeaten City one point clear at the top ahead of a short trip to fifth-placed Wisbech next Saturday (October 18).
The men’s 1st XI went down to their first National Midlands Conference defeat of the season, 2-1 at Nottingham University on Sunday. City are now fifth, but just three points behind leaders Leek who they visit next Sunday.
The students took the lead from a penalty corner, but Joe Finding equalised from another set-piece. It was an eighth goal of the season in just four games for the former skipper – the other seven had been penalty flicks! But the hosts restored their advantage from yet another short corner soon after the re-start and held on for the rest of the game.
City men sixths and sevenths maintained their unbeaten records in East Division Five. Phil Martin scored twice for the sixths in a 4-1 success over previously unbeaten Bourne Deeping thirds, while Max Hawtin also scored twice in a 5-2 win for the sevenths over Long Sutton thirds. The fourths lost for the first time in Division Three, 5-4 to Long Sutton seconds.
City Ladies seconds and thirds played each other in a Division Two match and drew 1-1. Erin Brassington netted for the seconds with Hayley Jeal replying for the thirds.
City of Peterborough results.
Men: 1sts lost 1-2 to Nottingham University (Finding); 2nds lost 1-2 to UEA (Tim Tuffnell); 3rds lost 0-2 to Wisbech; 4ths lost 0-2 v Cambs City; 5ths lost 4-5 to Long Sutton (Adam Humphreys, Adam Nunn, Louie Hopkins, Toby McCoy), 6ths beat Bourne Deeping 4-1 (Phil Martin 2, Neil Burford, Eesa Najib; Harry Dodds); 7ths beat Long Sutton 5-2 (Max Hawtin 2, Ben Hawtin, Sammy Spencer, Simon Leon); 8ths drew 1-1 with Kettering (Tony Eager); Over 45s lost 1-7 to Blueharts (P. Hings).
Ladies: 1sts beat UEA 7-0 (Elkins 2, Craven 2, Walker, Fletcher, Mason); 2nds drew 1-1 v 3rds (Erin Brassington, Hayley Jeal); 4ths lost 0-3 to St Ives; 5ths lost 2-6 to St Neots (Ellie Holmes 2).
Bourne Deeping men fought back from 3-0 down to 3-3 only to lose 4-3 in East Division Two at St Ives. Ben Brittain, Chris Burden and Andrew Kind scored for Deeping.