CARADON Hockey Club enjoyed another busy and action-packed weekend with all three women’s sides in league action on Saturday followed by an emphatic Mixed Cup performance on Sunday. Across the fixtures there was drama, resilience and plenty of quality on show.

Caradon’s ladies first team made the trip up the M5 to face Bristol-based Redland, buoyed by a strong training session and renewed confidence following recent injury concerns easing.

A familiar coffee stop set the tone for a determined performance after last weekend’s setback as they looked to resume their quest for a top-three finish in the West Hockey League.

As in their recent meeting, both sides started with organised presses and composed midfield play. Caradon’s defensive unit of Amy Batty, Emma Gliddon and Daisy Hunn provided excellent structure, allowing the ball to be moved quickly and effectively to exploit width through Abbie Ingram, Libby Walsh and Amy Scott.

Early pressure earned penalty corners, and while Bizzie Jeffery’s first drag flick went narrowly wide, the second corner saw player-of-the-match Clare Mitchell strike sneak a strike through the defensive wall to give Caradon the lead.

Redland responded after the break, capitalising on a breakaway to earn a short corner and level the scores despite determined defensive efforts.

With two evenly matched teams, chances were limited, and Redland edged ahead late on with a deflected corner.

Caradon showed real composure under pressure, with Jules Butterworth and Hannah Bladon controlling the centre and driving play forward. Another penalty corner opportunity proved decisive as Jeffery fired a powerful straight strike through the defence to secure a deserved 2-2 draw.

At Lux Park, Caradon Seconds faced Newton Abbot after impressive results against Division Two South’s top two. With a few positional changes, the Liskeard-based side were slow out of the blocks and conceded early, but gradually settled into the game.

Strong defending kept them in contention before a short corner allowed Laura Hill to fire emphatically into the bottom corner to equalise.

Newton Abbot regained the lead in the second half, but Caradon refused to give in. A lengthy stoppage late on gave the home side a chance to reset, and with just minutes remaining Helen Manley fired a hopeful ball across the D where birthday girl Abbie Fulford was perfectly positioned to smash home the equaliser and secure a hard-fought point.

Jess Eldridge picked up the player-of-the-match award for an outstanding performance yet again in the screen role.

The thirds started brightly against Plymouth University Seconds in Trelawney Division One, taking a 2-0 lead through well-worked goals from Charlotte Tamblyn and Phoebe Wilson.

Plymouth Uni pulled one back before half-time and, despite a much-improved second-half performance from Caradon, the Devonians managed to edge the contest 3–2. Lily Maudsley was Caradon’s player-of-the-match for a crucial goal-line save and her tireless work-rate.

Sunday saw Caradon Mixed travel to Romsey near Southampton in the fourth-round of the England Hockey Mixed Cup, where they delivered a dominant 6-1 victory.

Early goals from Katie Oliver and Ben Reynolds set the tone, with Caradon controlling possession throughout.

Further goals from Oliver, Ben Hedley (2) and Reynolds capped an assured performance built on patience, composure and excellent teamwork across the pitch. Jess Eldridge completed an exceptional weekend with a standout debut at left-back and was named Caradon’s player-of-the-match.