Henley entered this weekend’s clash with Staines full of anticipation yet unsure exactly what to expect from a top of the table opponent who has struggled for form in recent weeks. The message was simple: play our hockey, keep it simple, and hit the opposition hard.

And Henley certainly did just that.

From the opening minutes, the midfield and forwards brought real bite, pressing aggressively and winning the early battles. Their intensity paid off when a surging move down the right-hand side, which saw Amelie Bayfield reach an unreachable ball and cross it to the in-form Hayley Munt. Munt was then able to fire the ball into the back of the net in text book fashion to give Henley a deserved 1–0 lead.

With confidence growing, Henley began to dominate possession, switching play smoothly round the back and stretching Staines across the pitch. Their pressure earned them a short corner, and Maisie Robinson stepped up to unleash a clean, powerful straight strike that doubled the advantage.

Staines struggled to find any meaningful breakthrough, repeatedly shut down by Henley’s solid back three, who read the game well and cleared danger before it could develop.

After halftime, the home side returned with renewed determination, eager to extend their goal difference. This time saw roles reversed, when Munt drove down the right and fed the ball to Bayfield to slot home. Henley continued to create chances and could easily have run up an even bigger scoreline, but a combination of near misses and excellent saves from the Staines keeper kept the hosts at three for the time being.

Staines attempted to hit back with a few second-half breaks, but Henley’s midfield and defence tracked back superbly, and Georgie Grocock, in goal, produced several outstanding saves in the final quarter to maintain control.

Henley’s pressure eventually told again when Munt, receiving a well weighted pass from Sophy Rogers with her back to goal, spun sharply on a sixpence, and buried her second of the match to make it 4–0. Staines rallied late on, snatching two goals and momentarily catching Henley on the back foot, but the hosts never lost their composure.

Fittingly, Henley had the final say. Once again, Bayfield drove down the wing and cut along the baseline. Using her trademark reach, she danced past a pair of defenders and guided the ball towards Gibbon, whose touch sent the ball rocketing into the roof of the net to round off the scoring at 5–2.

It was another excellent all-round performance—full of teamwork, energy, and clinical finishing. Coach Hayley can be immensely proud of her squad.

Henley now look ahead to their final fixture of this half of the season: a home encounter with Oxford Hawks.