FOLLOWING their recent two league defeats, Beccles hockey players were keen to get back to winning ways to secure a top-half position in Division One of the Martin & Acock league.

Watton III 0, Beccles 2

FOLLOWING two recent league defeats, Beccles were keen to get back to winning ways to secure a top-half position in Division One of the Martin & Acock league.

A squad of 12 beat a mainly young Watton team 2-0 to secure their aim.

There was plenty of end-to-end play from both sides. Beccles broke the deadlock after 14 minutes following a penalty corner.

The initial shot was saved by the keeper, but Beccles' persistence paid off and Carol Maycock got on the end of the ball and powered it past the opposition, to put Beccles in the lead.

This was a fairly evenly-matched game, with both teams displaying nice passing and good teamwork.

Watton nearly equalised in the first half, but were denied by Brenda Thompson, who cleared the ball off the line to prevent a certain goal.

Captain Max Gibbs had a good game, displaying her skills with her crucial timing and interception of the ball.

In the second half, Beccles made a few changes to the forward line, with Laura Ashworth coming off to allow Coral Moore to come on as right forward, and Christine Muttitt switching from right to left forward.

Within minutes Beccles had increased their lead with a goal not dissimilar to the first one.

Initially, again, from a penalty corner, it was Debbie Mann who picked up the attempted clearance and manoeuvred her way round the opposition and slotted the ball into the goal.

Both teams continued to push forward at every opportunity but no further goals were scored.

During the second half Watton brought on a more experienced player at midfield to try to salvage something from this game, and they pressurised the Beccles defence for the last 10 minutes, but the defence stood firm.

This week Beccles play their last league game for this season against North Walsham at home with a 10.30am start.