Perfect starts for local women's duo

Southampton and Winchester ladies have each made a perfect ‘two from two’ wins at the start of the South Women’s League Division 3B season.
The pair have each beaten Lewes – Southampton 3-0 and Winchester 2-0 – while Southampton began with a 4-2 win over Horsham 4-2, while Winchester triumphed 3-1 at Woking.
Results have not gone so well for either New Forest or Trojans, who lost both their opening games.
Southampton had the win points in East Sussex neatly wrapped up by half-time, all three of their goals coming in a defining 15-minute spell before the break.
Zoe Stride was involved in two of the goals, creating the first for Maddie Larkin and then scoring Southampton’s third after a crisp square-field pass by Emma White.
In between, Sue Merry notched her 93rd Southern League goal from a move initiated by Loz Gunner.  Can Sue reach her century by Christmas ?
Southampton needed an outstanding save from Clare Hill to keep Lewes out early in the second half, but they generally dominated proceedings without adding to their own goal tally.
Winchester had a most encouraging debut season in SWL 3B last term and have gone off well again with goals by Ella Chainey and Helen Jelley securing the Lewes win.
Newly promoted, its going to be one step at a time for the New Forest who are playing fresh and unknown opposition every Saturday and at a higher level.
They lost 3-1 to Oxted, but their performance was much improved, even though they lost Lynn Jones, last season’s top player, with a facial injury.
Forest weren’t able to capitalize on the early possession they enjoyed and found themselves behind until Jade Lock converted a penalty corner to make it 1-1 before half-time.  The injury to Jones meant a Forest reshuffle, but the side stayed well in the game until the final quarter when Oxted scored two well worked goals to grab a 3-1 win.