Holcombe Women meet promotion rivals Barnes this Saturday after scoring six goals against both Team Bath Buccaneers and Canterbury
10:00, 12 March 2024
updated: 10:03, 12 March 2024
Holcombe earned their second Division One South win in as many days on Sunday - scoring six goals on each occasion.
Nick Bandurak’s side defeated Team Bath Buccaneers 6-0 at the University of Bath. It marked a ruthless weekend for Holcombe who also put six past Kent rivals Canterbury on Saturday, winning 6-2 at Polo Farm.
More: Holcombe Men’s winning end to phase two
Reporting by Lucas Ball
Six points was the minimum requirement over the weekend to keep the pressure on promotion rivals Barnes heading into Saturday’s fixture against them at Holcombe Park (2pm).
A brace from Marian Ledesma alongside goals from Catherine Ledesma, Lottie Bingham, Deanna Ritchie and Bethan Hodges gave Holcs the three points in a dominant display against the Buccaneers.
The visitors also had more than 10 penalty corners and the hosts’ goalkeeper put in an exceptional display to limit the scoring.
Those 12 goals in two matches restored Holcs to the top of the scoring standings as they moved to 53 goals in 16, seven ahead of the next-nearest team, Surbiton 2s.
The two victories also put Holcs a point behind Barnes heading into this weekend, with two matches to play as both sides bid for the required second-placed finish to be promoted to the Premier Division, with table-toppers Surbiton 2s unable to go up.
Whoever does finish second will join Sutton Coldfield – Division One North champions – in winning promotion to the top-flight, with Holcs having already won promotion to the Super 6s Premier Division with Sutton Coldfield in January.
That match came a day after Bandurak’s side beat Canterbury 6-2, with six different players getting on the scoresheet.
Catherine Ledesma and Leisa Randall scored within five minutes of each other in the second quarter before the hosts halved the deficit through Lottie McDonnell on the stroke of half-time before Hattie Jones re-established Holcs’ two-goal lead in the third quarter.
Emma Bandurak added a fourth for Holcs five minutes later before Hannah Griggs pulled another back for Canterbury with 11 minutes remaining. Goals in the last six minutes from Deanna Ritchie and Bethan Hodges put Holcombe further in charge, with Hodges scoring her first outdoor goal for the club from a late penalty corner.
Canterbury, meanwhile, slipped into the relegation zone with Saturday’s defeat as Wimbledon 2s won against Bath.
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