Verde Recreo Central 1

Taunton Vale B 4, UWE 2

VALE’s 3rd XI guaranteed safety with a battling performance against the students of UWE.

In windy conditions, Vale started slowly and went a goal down as they failed to clear the ball on a number of occasions.

Vale were looking dangerous on the break and Jon Pike scored an equaliser after he rounded the keeper and scored from a tight angle.

The students though continued to push forward but found the Vale defence looking strong with George Hebditch and Lewis Sparkes impressing.

The second half continued as the first with Vale soaking up pressure and looking to hit on the break.

The student took the lead as they despatched a penalty corner.

Vale, though, began to take the initiative with Pike equalising again.

Man of the match Pike then completed his hat-trick with another deft finish to give Vale the lead.

Colin Jewhurst than despatched a penalty corner to give Vale some breathing space. The students continued to press but the Vale defence held firm to hang on for the three points.

Man of the match: Jon Pike.

South East 2

Taunton CS 6, Taunton Vale 5ths 3

VALE played Civil Service, with both teams needing to win to maintain their chances for promotion.

Fourth-placed Vale entered the game with only the slimmest aspirations of finishing inside the top two, while Civil, placed third, retained slightly better prospects.

Civil began the game strongly, putting immediate pressure on the Vale goal.

A series of short corners in the opening 20 minutes saw them score three times, leaving Vale with a mountain to climb.

James Waterman pulled one back for Vale to give the visitors a glimmer of hope but a fourth Civil goal soon followed to restore their three-goal lead going into half-time.

After the break, the game became increasingly untidy with several green cards issued.

Civil scored twice more before their lack of substitutes began to takes its toll and Vale found some success on the break.

Vale 5s debutant - and man of the match - Hector Innes scored two goals to end the game 6-3 to Civil Service.

The result leaves Vale in a guaranteed fourth place finish and they will hope to extend their points total against Sidmouth and Ottery C in the final game of the season.

South East 3

Taunton Vale E 5, East Devon D 1

VALE 6ths turned on the style with some sublime one- and two- touch hockey to put East to the sword for the fourth time this year.

Goals from kicking back Roland Zwarteveen, Brian Louis and a hat-trick for Ross Smith, which earned him the man of the match award, gave Vale another comfortable home victory.

VALE's 1sts slumped to defeat at home to Firebrands in the Championship.

The defeat sees them in danger of losing runners-up spot, needing a point in their last two games.

They travel to Clifton Robinsons on Saturday.

*****

West Clubs Women’s League

Sedgemoor Division 1

Minehead 7, Taunton Vale 4ths 1

MINEHEAD ladies faced Taunton Vale 4ths on Saturday, in their penultimate home game of the season.

A quick start from the hosts saw Vicky Perkins find the back of the net inside five minutes.

Minehead continued to apply pressure on the Taunton circle, but despite strong runs from Rachel Heaney, Laura Bennett, Hannah Cornish and Amy Tisshaw in midfield, they were unable to convert these opportunities into goals.

This left the score 1-0 at half-time.

The second half began just as quickly as the first, with Perkins grabbing her second goal of the game.

Minehead continued to press high and were rewarded with five more goals – Denise Lancaster scoring two, Laura Bennett one and Perkins two more to bring her match tally to four.

A strong defence consisting of Carol Matravers, Sue Garwood and Jess Koppa kept the Vale players at bay.

Minehead squad: Jan Weetch, Carol Matravers, Sue Garwood, Jess Koppa, Hazel Binding, Hannah Cornish, Amy Tisshaw, Rachel Heaney, Laura Bennett, Hannah Sparks, Vicky Perkins, Denise Lancaster.

Julian’s Laundry Player of the Match: Hannah Cornish.

Sedgemoor Division 2

Minehead 2nds 0, Sidmouth & Ottery 2nds 11

MINEHEAD went into this match in buoyant mood after three wins and a draw away to Bridgwater last week, but without captain Jo and up against the league leaders it was always going to be a challenge.

The home defence was under pressure from the start, as wave after wave of Sidmouth attacks came flooding forward.

A string of great saves from young goalkeeper Kaylyn Porter, plus determined defending from Tracey Bailey, Wendy Daughtrey and Zara Coulson, kept the score to 4-0 at half-time.

There was more from Minehead in an attacking sense in the second half, as good work from Georgia Perkins, Fenella Buller, Briony Smith and Amy Ahern forced the Sidmouth goalkeeper to pull off some saves herself.

But the visitors were rapid on the counter-attack, and breached the Minehead defence seven more times to secure an 11-0 victory.

Without Porter being in the form of her life, this could easily have been several more, and she was deservedly named as the Julian’s Laundry Player of the Match.

Minehead squad: Kaylyn Porter, Tracey Bailey, Wendy Daughtrey, Zara Coulson, Amy Ahern, Fenella Buller, Briony Smith, Ruby Gubb, Izzy Fitzgerald, Amelia Swallow, Georgia Perkins, Ell Kaye.

Minehead 1st XI play their final home game on Saturday against Chard (10.30am start), while the 2nds travel to Winscombe 4ths (2pm).