BASILDON Hockey Club’s ladies first team got back to winning ways with a thumping 6-0 home victory over strugglers Havering.

The convincing triumph allowed Basildon to remain top of the East Hockey League’s Division Two South East.

And coach Paul Farmer was pleased to see Basildon bounce back after suffering defeat last time out.

Farmer said: “It was a great comeback this week after losing last week.

“Going from a big loss to a 6-0 win keeps us on top, which is really good.

“It was a good team effort and the mentality of the girls is fantastic.

“I’m really happy and really positive.”

The ladies had suffered their first defeat of the season the previous week, losing 3-0 against second-placed Burnt Ash, but were able to bounce back in style thanks to two goals apiece from Nicole Kelly and Jenni Lyttle, a fifth from captain Sarah Neale and one late on from Jenny Pearce.

Basildon took the lead with their first attack after two minutes, when Kelly found herself in space in the D and beat the advancing keeper to make it 1-0.

It was two just five minutes later when a nice move led to Kelly squaring the ball to Lyttle, who fired into the open goal.

The lead could have been extended further when Laura Chiswell rounded the keeper but could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

Two great solo efforts from Basildon just before the break could have increased the advantage, but first Lyttle’s effort was just wide before Chiswell forced a good stop from the visiting keeper.

The second half began much like the first, as only two minutes in Kelly collected the ball in the D, rounded the keeper and deftly slid the ball home with a reverse flick to make it 3-0.

Despite the scoreline, Havering had their chances and nearly pulled one back only for their effort to be brilliantly blocked on the line by Laura Impey.

But Basildon extended their advantage even further shortly after as Kelly again squared to find Lyttle, who slotted into the empty goal.

Basildon got their fifth after 53 minutes, when Neale produced a great strike to find the corner of the goal from just inside the D. The joy was shortlived though as the Basildon skipper then received a blow to the head and was forced to retreat to the sidelines.

Just when it seemed things could not get any worse for the away side, a ball into the D took a touch off Pearce before deflecting off the keeper and trickling over the goal-line to gift Basildon their sixth and complete the rout.