WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY LEAGUE Severn Division 3 Blockley II 0 Wotton-under-Edge 9 Becky Stockley scored her sixth hat-trick of the season as Wotton restarted their league campaign after the Christmas break with this comfortable away win over Blockley.

The Blues started strongly with good attacking play and were in front in the first five minutes via captain Vicki Carney.

Stockley made it two when she latched onto a loose ball in the 'D' and slotted the ball past the advancing 'keeper. Strike partner Heather Reid added the third a few minutes later, and could've had two more within as many minutes only for one shot to strike the post and another go centimetres wide.

Wotton kept pressing and their persistence was rewarded with another two goals from Stockley, completing her hat-trick before the break.

Good link up play at the start of the second half between the midfield quartet of Carney, Hayley Perrett, Carolyn Grey and Jane Terry ensured the forwards had plenty of goal scoring opportunities. Perrett's strike from a resulting penalty corner was deflected into the net by Carney for the sixth.

Reid scored her second with a shot that beat the 'keeper at the near post, while Stockley added to her tally with a cool finish in front of the 'keeper.

With one eye on a title chase already developing into a two horse race with arch rivals Cirencester, it was to Wotton's credit that they kept pushing themselves to add to their goal difference.

The scoring was rounded off with a superb penalty corner strike from Perrett and the blues were unlucky not to make into double figures when another shot from Reid hit the post in the dying seconds.

Despite a high scoring game, the performance was based around another solid defensive display.

Coach Stuart Emms added: "The girls were a shadow of their usual selves in a heavy defeat by Dursley in a friendly at the turn of the year, so I'm pleased they've got back to winning ways in the league.

"We'll now be tested by playing the three teams immediately below us in consecutive weeks - starting with Badgers (away) this Saturday"

Player of the match: Lianne Hacker.

WEST OF ENGLAND & SOUTH WALES HOCKEY LEAGUE North Division 2 Wotton-under-Edge 4 Chippenham 4 Wotton's 1sts played out an exciting draw with fellow mid table side Chippenham last Saturday with goals coming from Ryan Howarth (2), Simon Fell and Andy Stockley Hereford/Gloucester Division 1 Leominster 5 Wotton-under-Edge II 2 A woeful performance from Wotton's 2nd saw them go down to an away defeat to Leominster, which leaves them hovering precariously over the relegation zone. The only bright spots for the blues were goals from Aaron Sycamore and Dominic Avis