Winscombe ladies 3rd XI lost their first game back after the break against Chippenham.

Chippenham IV XI 3

Winscombe Ladies 3rd XI 1

THE first game back after the mid-season break saw Winscombe ladies 3rd XI start the New Year in a determined fashion.

The first-half was a fairly even affair until just before the break, a breakaway attack and shot just crept in off the Winscombe post to give Chippenham the lead.

Winscombe started the second half by attacking hard with midfielders Imogen Marsh, Emma Caney, Gill Harvey and Gail Izzard combining well, while Sarah Kempster and Emma Whitehead worked hard to feed forwards Katie Bowskill, Helen Sinclair and Molly Roberts.

Ella Byrne, Jo Hann and Sarah Kempster put in a solid shift along the back line, with Hann making some excellent and vital block tackles, but Chippenham extended their lead.

Winscombe rallied to pull a goal back in the 51st minute when Kempster crossed for Molly Roberts to guide the ball into the net. Chippenham extended their lead with a goal from a short corner.

Winscombe’s stand-in keeper Heather Batchelor made some fantastic saves, a display which earned her the John Hodge Solicitors’ player of the match award.