Marlborough U12 girls take on all at the Wilts County Cup

The As started strongly, beating Chippenham Bs 7-0, with Ella Morriston scoring a quick fire hatrick, Anna White scored 2 despite only playing 7 minutes, with Saffron Day and Grace Vaughan-Williams scoring a goal each.

They next took on Wootton Bassett in apocalyptic conditions – horizontal driving rain and hail testing the players and coaches. However, another resounding win with another brace from Anna White, and one each from Flo Miller and Saffron Day led to a 4-0 win.

The 3rd game against Devizes was expected to be tough – with both teams containing many of the Wilts county players. Marlborough were put on the back foot with the game accidentally started 5 minutes early, with the players not ready and our goalkeeper, Bizzy Barrett still making her way from the clubhouse. Marlborough didn’t seem to recover from the confusion at the start, struggling to keep the ball but battled brilliantly. Bizzy Barrett had an epic game in goal, whilst Sophia Hodge in defence and the midfield 3 of Matilda Makin, Eleanor Dennis and Grace Vaughan Williams kept a clean sheet, with the score finishing 0-0.

The final game against Salisbury B was more like Marlborough were used to – camping in the opposition half. Two well taken goals from Isla Ince left the score 2-0.

Marlborough A finished the tournament with 3 wins and a draw, scoring 13 and conceding none. However, Devizes pipped them to qualification to the regionals having scored more in their remaining games.

Marlborough B took on a difficult pool, with all the other 4 teams being ‘As’. However, they weren’t phased and won their first match against Swindon 3-0, with Molly Newham scoring all 3. Carys Hughes was a midfield dynamo, seeming never to stop running, whilst Mia Terry and Chloe Salisbury-Lawson were unlucky not to score themselves.

The B’s then had 2 tough games against strong opposition, with 0-3 and 0-2 losses to Salisbury and Chippenham respectively. Marlborough were unlucky not to score a goal or two against Chippenham especially, with Shelby Horton and Freya Henry putting in strong performances.

Their final game was a great end-to-end game against Corsham. Carys Hughes started the game as a last second injury sub, scored within a minute and then was instantly replaced once Mia Terry’s finger was patched up! The defensive and midfield combination of Ursula Jeffery, Shelby Horton and Alice Rich kept Corsham mostly at bay. But when the opposition got through, Kate Hawthorn made a series of brilliant saves in goal to keep a clean sheet. Back at the other end, Cecily Gates made it 2-0 and Molly Newham scored again to make it 3-0 to Marlborough

The Bs played some great, fun hockey, and came away with 2 wins and a positive goal difference.

All the girls had an amazing time, and seemed to really have great fun together as a group, having mostly been together for 4 years now.