East Grinstead Ladies completed a successful weekend of hockey with a 4-2 home win over Tring Ladies from Hertfordshire, in the England Hockey Women’s Vase knock-out competition. 

The first 15 minutes were well fought, with chances created at both ends.  Captain Lottie Gregory made some key tackles as sweeper and found Stephanie Baggett and Caroline Judd with some excellent long range balls from the back.  However, in the 18^th minute the Tring forwards capitalised on a lapse in concentration of the EG defence and opened the scoring with a well-taken goal.

To their credit EG fought straight back and some intelligent passing down the right between Ellie Farrow and JoJo Blunt created an opening for Stephanie Baggett.  Her speed and skill combined to leave the Tring defence standing as she coolly claimed EG’s first goal of the match. 

EG continued to work hard throughout the first half and created further chances.  Louise Keith and Briony Bray fought hard in the circle and both won short corners.  Unfortunately EG were unable to convert these into goals.  The first half thus ended with honours even at 1-1.

EG picked up the pace in the second half and the work rate remained high.  Stephanie Baggett scored her third goal of the weekend in the 38^th minute; she skilfully picked up a through-ball from Vicky Griffiths and calmly slotted the ball home to give EG the lead for the first time in the match.  Two minutes later Griffiths took the lead to 3-1 following excellent interlinking down the left between Frances Needle and Pauline Joseph. 

The EG defence were kept busy as Tring refused to give up.  Nikki Robinson kept a cool head in goal and both Ellie Farrow and Nicky Hamstead made vital tackles in defence.

Despite this pressure from Tring, EG’s fourth goal came in the 47^th minute from a short corner.  The ball was passed from the top of the circle back to Pauline Joseph, who cleverly picked out JoJo Blunt on the right. Blunt made no mistake in front of goal and took the lead to 4-1.

Tring’s hard work and determination were rewarded in the 61^st minute with a well-worked goal but it was too little too late; the final score stood at 4-2 to EG, who now progress on to Round 4 of the competition.

Scorers: S Baggett 2, V Griffiths, J Blunt