Beccles Ladies beat Sprowston 3-0 in a friendly hockey game played in played in great spirit and true sportsmanship.Beccles played against a mixture of first and second team players.

Beccles Ladies beat Sprowston 3-0 in a friendly hockey game played in played in great spirit and true sportsmanship.

Beccles played against a mixture of first and second team players.

Sprowston kindly lent their first team goalkeeper to Beccles and, true to her word, she did not allow them to score.

With the Sprowston team not being used to playing together, Beccles took full advantage and within nine minutes had opened the scoring.

There was a lot of activity in the D with the ball pinging about as Beccles piled on the pressure.

Eventually Carol Maycock, positioned on the post, stretched out and slipped the ball past the keeper.

Sprowston rarely troubled the keeper in the first half and any attacks were thwarted by the Beccles defence.

Beccles increased their lead just before half time when Heather Brand sent a beautiful ball from the side line straight to Laura Ashworth, positioned on the far side post, who deflected the ball into the goal.

Sprowston came out fighting harder in the second half and the defence had to pull out all the stops.

Laura Cook played some lovely skilful hockey, constantly winning the ball and manoeuvring past the opposition.

Sprowston had a very good opportunity to pull one back but the keeper came out, narrowing the angle and the occasion was lost.

The third goal came involving just three players. Maxine Gibb's hit found Carol Maycock in midfield, she sent a brilliant long ball to Annette Freeman, which was just out of reach of the opposition.

Annette took the ball just inside the D and, with only the keeper to beat, she cracked the ball so hard into the goal it hit the backboard.

This was an excellent team performance and it was pleasing to see Beccles come away with such a good result in what was a very enjoyable game.