British Womens League - Division One (South)
Cobras came into this game hoping to break a three game losing streak against league newcomers Oxford University.
They were immediately on the attack, with four shots in the first thirty seconds, but Oxford's netminder Judith Anderson was on top of her game. This was a pattern which was kept up throughout the period, but the closest the Cobras came to scoring was Rachael Mockler rattling the post ten minutes in, and Jo Abbs having a powerful shot saved just before the buzzer. Chelmsford had outshot Oxford 27-3, but the score remained 0-0.
At the start of the second period, Oxford swapped netminders, and the Cobras scored with their first shot, Jen Stedman finishing a good move. Two minutes later, Emma Stott knocked in a rebound after a scramble in front of the net, and Marianne Wright increased the Cobras lead with a long shot which evaded everyone on its path to goal.
Then it was Oxford's chance to go on the offence, and Charlotte Richards' breakaway was well saved by Charline Forrester, only for the next attack to result in their opening goal from Mary-Jeanne Phelan. The game then settled down after the frantic start to the period, until Rachael Mockler and Joyce Boro went to the penalty box to serve the only penalties of the game, for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
The next Chelmsford goal, "player of the match" Kimberly Hales' first for the Cobras, was when the puck emerged from a mass of bodies to be slotted away, and the period scoring was completed when Rachael Mockler finished a move started by Jo Abbs, and the lead was 5-1, with Chelmsford outshooting Oxford 51-11.
The third period began with the Blues returning "player of the game" Judith Anderson between the pipes, and on the first move of the period, Jen Stedman shot the puck onto the crossbar. Much more Cobras pressure was nullified by the Blues defence, and once more the pipework denied Rachael Mockler at 34:25 at the end of another desperate scramble in front of the Oxford net, and a minute later Jen Stedman was denied by the Oxford goalie on a clear breakaway.
Try as they might, the Cobras seemed unable to get through, and there were less than 100 seconds remaining when Rachael Mockler stepped on the ice, and managed to jam the puck through the netminder's pads to finish the scoring. The final shots on goal were 74-18 to Chelmsford.
Cobras visit Oxford City Zodiacs on November 8th, and their next home game is on Saturday December 6th, at Riverside, starting at 17:15, against the Basingstoke Lady Bison.
Cobras: Rachael Mockler 2+0(2), Emma Stott, Marianne Wright 1+1(0), Jen Stedman, Kimberly Hales 1+0(0), Jo Abbs 0+1(0)
Blues: Mary-Jeanne Phelan 1+0(0), Sharon Audsley 0+1(0), Joyce Boro 0+0(2)