SOLIHULL Vixens moved up to third in the Women’s Elite League with a 5-3 victory over in-form Kingston Diamonds.
Vixens were missing a couple of players through illness and work commitments as well as assistant captain Katie Henry who was helping care for her newly born daughter.
As expected, the game got off to a lightning pace but fortunately the Solihull girls had already stretched the travel from their legs and were equal to the onslaught and it took just 1.46 for captain Saffron Allen to break clear and score unassisted to settle the nerves of the travelling bench officials.
The period continued at a similar pace with spells of control being shared by the two teams.
When the period finished, the single goal was the only separation with equal shots (five each) and no penalties given.
The second period threatened to be the same intensity and had a similar start with another Vixen goal just 47 seconds in as Allen fed the puck across the crease for a well-timed finish by Amy Trueman.
Just 58 seconds later, Jodie Bloom found Allen for her second of the day and a 3-0 lead which set Kingston into a new level of feverish attack.
Solihull were sent shorthanded by a very questionable delay of game call on Trueman at 27.00 which gave Kingston their opening break at 27.45 when Shannon Jones converted an assist by Anja Kadijevic.
Eight minutes later Hannah Worthington pegged another back, pulling Michelle Franklin in the Solihull net wide before finding the smallest gap to fire home.
With power in numbers, Kingston continued the high pace onslaught into the third and the 13 Solihull girls stood firm and resolute.
With a nervous single goal lead and tired legs, Solihull put together some mature hockey to keep the game controlled and at 42.25 this paid off when Hannah Maurice provided Rebecca Speckman for a fine finish and deserved goal.
Ten minutes elapsed of tense either way hockey before Kingston once again pegged the gap to one when Sophie Campbell converted a nice pass from Carla Clark.
The tension and nerves ran high as the lead was slender but this was settled at 54.39 when assistant captain Lucy Lickman provided Bloom.
Vixens travel to Streatham on Saturday.
