Ladies start season with stalemate (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Waltham Forest Ladies Hockey Club unable to break deadlock against Upminster

2:10pm Tuesday 20th September 2011 in Sport

Waltham Forest Ladies Hockey Club started the season with a hard-fought 0-0 home draw against Upminster Ladies.

Forest started the game the better of the two sides as Emma Roscoe, Anna-Marie Perry and Mandy Briggs controlled the midfield.

In a first half of few chances, debutant Sam Fish came close to breaking the deadlock for the home side as she hit a short corner against the post.

Forest kept pushing forward in the second half and Susie Hunt, Claire Hughes, Gill Fraser and another debutant, Hannah Dobbin, all created chances for the hosts that were not taken.

Upminster continued to look dangerous on the break and only the the quick reactions of Jenny Whibley and Morag Campbell in goal stopped the visitors taking the lead.

With only five minutes remaining, Forest had a good chance to snatch victory when Marie Perry made a lung-busting run into the box to pick the loose ball but her shot towards the top right-hand corner went agonisingly wide for the home side.

Forest will be looking for their first win on Saturday when they entertain Letchworth (11.30am).