FALMOUTH 6 EXETER UNIVERSITY 1

The Falmouth girls were ready to kick off their league campaign against Exeter University on Saturday on a very grey day at Penryn College. This game saw debuts for Annie and Georgie Hockey-Smith and the welcome returns of Vic Pryor and Terri Barbery-Redd.

The game started positively and the Falmouth attack quickly forced a penalty corner; awarded for some very bad tackling from the Exeter backs.

The injection found Hudson at the top of the D who sent the ball back towards the goal. It was met on the post by Sam Dunstan who had the faintest of touches to turn the ball in.

The rest of the first half was very evenly matched as Exeter found their rhythm and moved the ball around the pitch well.

Falmouth capitalised on a quick break and Pryor moved the ball from the left to Hudson who picked out Kat Barbery-Redd on the far post and, with the last touch of the first half, Falmouth went 2-0 up.

After the break the Exeter girls had regrouped and came out strong

A driving run up the right saw their forward have time to pick out a precision cross and the ball was turned in at the far post by their left midfield. Falmouth now knew that they had to pick up the pace again.

They exploited the very high line of the Exeter defence and within minutes of the restart a long ball out to Kat Barbery-Redd from Hudson was passed on to Dunstan in the D, Barbery-Redd continued her run and received the return ball which was deftly dispatched into the goal through a crowd.

This was quickly followed by another penalty corner. Once again the Hudson/Dunstan combination proved fruitful and the deflection took the ball past the Exeter keeper.

Another goal from Dunstan and one from Vic Pryor took the final score to 6-1.

The game was certainly not as one sided as the score line suggests but excellent defending from Meg Cookson, Terri Barbery-Redd and Georgie Hockey-Smith kept the Exeter forwards frustrated.

The girls will now travel to Lipsom College next week to face Plym Valley, who saw off Penzance 4-2 in their first match.

Falmouth: Hannah Bowman, Georgie Hockey-Smith, Terri Barbery-Redd, Megan Cookson, Hanna Royle, Emily Dunstan, Rachel Medd, Clare Hudson, Annabel Hockey-Smith, Kat Barbery-Redd, Sam Dunstan, Vic Pryor.