Eager to finish the season on a high, with a win and stellar team performance, the Ladies 2s made the long trip to sunny Banbury full of determination.

The team didn’t disappoint in the opening stages and were camped in the Banbury half. Lots of shots and some good saves from the Banbury keeper characterised the first minutes, but the deadlock was broken ten minutes in. Fabulous work down the right from Giorgia Fiorentino, Kirsten Botha and Sophie Miller resulted in Hayley Munt receiving the ball in the D. The GK got down well to her shot but Chloe Lyons picked up the loose rebound ball on her reverse, and finished with a reverse stick flick across goal.

A few minutes later and it was a very similar story, another Chloe Lyons shot was saved well and this time it was Hayley pushing in the rebound on her reverse. Now Henley were cooking with gas and flooding forward. Moves were flowing from front to back with the defending quartet of Alyx Clarke, Anna Wray, Isabelle Woolfrey and Giorgia intercepting everything, tackling quickly and restarting Henley attacks with fantastic distribution. Lily Wylie and Kirsten Botha were finding lots of space in central midfield and driving forward with the ball, distributing wide and high. Sophy Rogers and Sophie Miller were blocking everything coming up the sidelines and driving the team forward, working super well and dovetailing with Hayley Munt and Tilly Carter on the wings.

The third goal came from more relentless attacking play, with Kirsten finding Chloe at the right shoulder of the D, whose shot to the far post was swept high into the net in style by Sophy Rogers.

Goal 4 was forced home by Hayley after endless pressure and balls into the D, and goal 5 rounded off the half, a well worked left slip short corner which Hayley played across for Ella Shute (on up front and exhausting Banbury defenders with her relentless energy) to deflect home.

5-0 at the half.

Henley picked up where they left off and had an even more dominant half as Banbury tired. Hayley scored again with a reverse scoop from a rebound, and forced home her fourth a few minutes later, having spent all afternoon relentlessly harassing the Banbury defence and goalkeeper, and getting into fantastic positions to score.

Ellie Bryant, in goal, had one save to make all game and did so gamely despite no action at all.

Henley’s 8th goal was a beautiful team move and the pick of the bunch! A move started by Giorgia, who played the ball forward to Alyx Clark who was having a stint in midfield. She found Chloe on the baseline, who turned and saw Sophie Miller sprinting to the far post - a quick ball all the way across goal was finished with aplomb by Sophie, reward for all her running and hard attacking work the past few weeks!

Goal 9 was also lovely to see, Tilly being rewarded for running all day, winning the ball off defenders and making unselfish runs. Another left slip short corner, but this time a tidy slap into the bottom corner.

Goal 10 was voted Champagne Moment this week, quick thinking Sophie M playing a free hit to Ella down the right, who found Chloe at the top of the D. A quick touch and hit off her back foot and the ball sailed into the far top corner.

10-0 was an apt way to finish a season full of goals and beautiful flowing hockey, paired with amazing discipline, hard work and team spirit.

Player of the Match was Kirsten Botha for relentless running in midfield, fabulous decision making on the ball and some brilliant passing play to set Henley up for success.

The team enter a new league next season full of confidence and positivity.