AN early Easter break brought a pause to the hockey season, but there was no shortage of action as the 1s travelled to Torquay on a warm spring day. The squad was bolstered by the welcome inclusion of Nicky Sheppard, Izzy Snape and JL Marlin stepping up from the 2nd team.

The match began at a lively pace, with both sides testing each other in end-to-end play. KS settled quickly, showing strong communication and teamwork across the pitch.

Their composed passing soon paid off; after intercepting a Torbay clearance, Sarah Budgen drove the ball into the circle where Laura Kerly was perfectly placed to finish and open the scoring.

Torbay responded with dangerous counter-attacks, but Natalie Lake stood firm in defence, making key tackles to halt their progress. KS continued to press and found the backboard twice more before the break, heading into half-time with a 3–1 advantage.

The hosts came out with renewed urgency in the second half, knowing a result was crucial in their fight to avoid relegation. A sharp save from JL Marlin kept Torbay at bay initially, but a resulting short corner saw them pull a goal back.

In midfield, Freya Pearce, Tess Baker and Amy Ross worked tirelessly, rotating positions and stretching the opposition. Their efforts created further opportunities, and Laura Kerly once again demonstrated her eye for goal, firing home emphatically to extend KS’s lead.

Laura Hamilton impressed at right half with a strong all-round performance, but her game was cut short by an ankle injury. Reduced to ten players for the final 16 minutes, KS faced mounting pressure.

Maddie Kimber stepped into the right half position and continued to work tirelessly to create opportunities. Torbay capitalised, pushing players high and converting another chance to close the gap.

Despite the late surge, KS showed resilience to hold on, with the match finishing in an entertaining 4–4 draw.

Voting for player of the match was closely contested, with Izzy, Amy, Maddie and Laura K each receiving one vote, while Budge picked up two. However, after a determined battle and resilient performance in midfield, Freya emerged as the winner with four votes.

Kingsbridge & Salcombe 2nd team hosted Dart 2s for their second-to-last game of the season, played on a bright spring day against a strong, well-drilled Dart side.

It was a really positive game throughout, with great energy from the whole team. Everyone played their part, and Kingsbridge made excellent use of the space, moving the ball well and creating strong passing channels down the wings.

Dart took a 1–0 lead into half time, and a second goal early in the second half saw Kingsbridge 2–0 down. However, this didn’t stop the team’s energy or determination. They continued to push forward, and their efforts paid off with two fantastic goals from Hannah, both expertly finished, bringing the game level at 2–2.

There were also some outstanding saves from Sophie in goal, keeping the team in the game at crucial moments. Both Sophie and Hannah were deservedly named joint Players of the Match for their brilliant performances.

Overall, the team looked strong, with every player putting in a great shift. Being 2–0 down never dampened their spirit, and they showed real resilience to fight back and earn a well-deserved draw.

A big thank you to The Creeks End for providing teas throughout the season.

One game to go — an inter-club derby against the 1st team next week to finish the season.