An up-and-coming hockey sensation announced herself last weekend as 12-year-old Cardinal Helen Marshall became the youngest player ever to score in both A and B league matches.

Young Marshall and the Cards picked up another three points in each division with wins over the Ravens. The victories keep the team well in contention for both league titles.

Praise for the new recruit Marshall was high.

?Her interest and potential for this game are both scary,? said Cards coach Bert Rodney. ?If she keeps at it she will be monster of a player before too long.?

Marshal?s first-ever league goal came during Cards? 3-0 win over Ravens A.

The first half was deadlocked between the sides, both short of key players, until a quickly taken free hit found Maria Pichery on the Cards? right wing.

Her dribble drive and sharp pass across the circle was met by Marshal who slotted the ball home to start the Cards on the path to victory.

The Reds picked up the pace after the break and were rewarded with a penalty stroke after a harsh tackle in the circle.

Eva Dillas smacked home the penalty.

Maria Costello netted the third goal following a short corner routine, putting the result beyond doubt.

Several cards were issued to players from both sides throughout the game.

Card Heidi Lyman received a green card in the first half for a bad stick tackle and then was sent off with a yellow in the second half for the same offence. Team-mate Laura Bardgett was dismissed from the game with a red card following what the umpire deemed to be a deliberate swipe at the back of defender Kirsten Butterworth?s legs.

And, late in the game Butterworth herself earned a yellow card for a stick tackle on Pitchery.

The Ravens captain was upbeat about the loss however. ?Kerry Graham had a great game at centre midfield and Angie Rohlmann played superbly in the left defender position,? she said of her team?s effort.

The B league match between these two teams was a closer affair with Cards earning a 2-1 win.

Ravens started off well, despite having only a few sets of fresh legs.

A Ravens defence admirably led by Rohlmann gave Cardinals few real chances in the circle, particularly in the first half and Butterworth, who moved into the ?keeper position for the match, made some key saves.

Ravens were first to score following a defensive blunder and a good run from Jenn Simmons. She took the ball into the circle and slammed it home.

But Cardinals coach Rodney re-shuffled his team at the break and with the new game plan, Cards packed extra punch and Ravens found themselves constantly under attack. Gayle Thorne levelled the score with a strike at goal from just inside the circle midway through the second half.

The game then see-sawed until Marshall snuck in and latched onto a sharp pass from midfielder Nicola Swain to slot home the winner.

In other B league play, the Swifts suffered their first season loss to Swallows, 2-0. Coach Dai Herman-Smith said Swifts had simply failed to create momentum and circle penetration on the attacking end, despite long periods of midfield control.

As a result, the young team created only three penalty corners in the entire game.

The teams went to the break scoreless but Swallows came back with fervour and Jenny Moreton scored from a penalty corner in the 37th minute.

A hard shot from Swift Amy Smith was well saved by the Swallows ?keeper but in the dying minutes of the game, Morag McRoberts added another Swallows goal to cement the win.