Swallows and Budgies cruise into cup semi-finals
BHF KO CupWomen’s ‘A’ DivisionSwallows 4Swifts 0Swallows eased into the semi-finals as they made light work of Swifts.Jennifer Chisnall scored twice, while Kayla Kellman and Elizabeth Stewart bagged a goal each as Swallows dominated from the start.Kellman put her side ahead from a field goal in the 25 minute, before Chisnall, a National Junior Athlete Sponsorship winner, scored either side of half time.All that was left was for Stewart to round off the win from a penalty corner as Swallows booked their spot in the final four, where they will face Wildcats.Budgies 5Canaries 1In another one-sided affair, Budgies put early pressure on Canaries and kept it up for most of the game.Keishae Robinson gave Budgies the lead in the 17th minute from a shot at goal, however two minutes later the score was level as Budgies’ defence did not mark effectively and Canaries’ Georgi Drover scored a field goal to level matters.That was as close as Canaries got however, and after Erica Furtado had put Budgies 2-1 up at half time, they ran riot in the second half.Marcia Ford, Jasalle Smith and a second from Robinson completed the rout, and they progress to the sem-finals where they will take on Ravens.Women’s ‘B’ DivisionCardinals 3Swallows 2Cardinals came from behind to eventaully hold on for a nervy win over Swallows in a thrilling quarter-final clash.Second half goals from Helen Marshall, and a Katie Flath double saw Cardinals home in a game where goalkeeper Holly Augustus came to her side’s rescue on more than one occasion.After a goalless first half, Swallows took the lead from the penalty spot through Kelli Nusum, and then laid seige to the Cardinals’ goal as they constantly hit their opponents on the break.Cardinals eventually worked their way back into the game, and drew level with Marshall’s penalty stroke. Flath then scored twice in nine minutes to give her side a two goal advantage and Cardinals looked like they would see out the game.However, Swallows’ Mallory Towlson struck home from a peanlty corner in the dying minutes to set up a nervy finish. Cardinals will now play Canaries in the semi-finals.Ravens 2 (1)Canaries 2 (2)Canaries goalkeeper Tami Ray booked her side’s spot in the semi-finals with several stunning saves in a dramatic penalty shoot-out win.Canaries took the lead in the 13th minute from a field goal by Lauren Farris, but ten minutes later Ravens’ Katie Masters found the equalizer.Ravens’ Tracy Stewart scored in the 34th minute from a field goal and the first half ended 2-1, but Canaries’ Angie Maria Alvarez tied the game in the 65th minute.With the score tied at the end of regulation time the game went into a ten minute golden goal overtime. Despite great efforts by both teams, neither side was able to score a goal resulting in the match being decided by a penalty stroke shootout.Canaries eventually won 2-1 thanks to Ray’s heroics between the posts.Men’s DivisionPolecats 2Panthers 6The 2010 defending Cup champions Panthers defeated Polecats in the quarterfinals of the BHF Knock Out Cup to set up a semi-final berth with league champions Chameleons.Panthers’ Dave Horan scored the first goal from a penalty corner shot in the 10th minute, and four minutes later, Mark Ray increased the lead of two from another penalty corner.Seconds before half time in the 35th minute, Polecats’ Byron Rencken scored from a penalty corner and the first half ended 2-1 to Panthers.Panthers’ Horan scored his second goal from a penalty corner shot in the 49th minute and now the score was 3-1.Two minutes later their fourth goal came from Phil Philpott from a reverse stick shot underneath ‘keeper Chris Waltham.Jeremy Shrubb followed up with a superbly struck field goal to make it Panthers’ fifth goal.Polecats’ Rencken scored in the 60th minute from a penalty corner, and Horan completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute for the sixth goal from a penalty corner shot to round off a hard fought performance from both teams.