October 17th 1998, Women's League Division One - South
The Cobras opened the new season with a much altered line-up, a number of new faces, and number of former players returning to the squad.
The first period started with both teams feeling their way in their opening fixture, with a number of good confidence boosting saves by rookie goalie Becky Preen in the Cobras net, matched by Jane Austin for the Storm.
It was just over halfway through the period when Storm player of the game Zuzana Dobrovolna opening the scoring with a well placed shot off the Cobras post. This was followed by a well worked move, for her second, and then a long shot from the blue line to send the teams into the locker room with Streatham leading 3-0.
A fired up Cobras team game out for the second, and after two minutes with a two player advantage, Katy Allen was able to finish Jen Stedman's pass for the Cobras' opener, and their first powerplay goal in over a year.
Soon after this, the Cobras' were on the powerplay again, but this time a mix-up in the Cobras' defence saw the puck turned over to Dobrovolna who slotted in her own, and Storm's fourth. Cobras continued to press, and the pressure again told as Emma Stott was on hand to pull the deficit back to 4-2 assisted by Rachel Kearn, to end the scoring in the period.
The third was very much a repeat of the second, with the Cobras again heavily outshooting Streatham. The Storm got an insurance marker with a little over 5 minutes left after a scramble in the Cobras defensive end, and after a spell of four on four, Rachael Mockler returned to the ice, and fed player of the game, Rachel Kearn, who broke away, supported by Katy Allen and when the pass seemed the obvious option she roofed the puck to the delight of the Cobras and their fans.
Scoring:
Chelmsford: Rachel Kearn 1+1(2), Emma Stott 1+0(0), Katy Allen 1+0(0), Jen Stedman 0+1(0), Rachael Mockler 0+1(4), Elen Stedman 0+0(2)
Streatham: Zuzana Dobrovolna 4+0(8), Ruth Poppe 1+0(6), Heidi Saike 0+1(0), Mel Higgs 0+1(2), Isabelle Boisse 0+0(2), Nancy Barker 0+0(2)