Isabel Palmer insists Clifton can pick up first points of season on Saturday

CLIFTON captain Isabel Palmer insists the Bristol outfit are ready to turn their luckless England Hockey League season around - starting with a win against Canterbury on Saturday.

The Coombe Lane side currently sit rock-bottom after five consecutive Premier Division defeats in which they've only found the net once and leaked a massive 15 goals.

But Clifton looked a different prospect in last weekend's 2-0 defeat to Leicester where they kept the league leaders at bay except for a costly two-minute spell at the beginning of the second half.

And Palmer is hoping her side can carry that form into this weekend against a Canterbury team who have only picked up one point on their travels this season.

"We've had a really dismal start to the season but we've played some good hockey recently and it feels like things are coming together," said Palmer.

"It's no secret we've had our difficulties in front of goal this season but we put in a good performance against Leicester last weekend.

"We've been training well all week and we're going into this weekend with confidence and optimism.

"It's definitely a game we've got more chance of picking up our first points of the season in than against the likes of Leicester or Reading. But we know it won't be an easy match - they've got some quality players and there aren't really any weak sides in the division."

Clifton's form has been a far cry from last season's showing in which the West Country side notched eight wins on the way to a sixth-place finish in the Premier Division.

And although Palmer admitted she was expecting this season to be more testing than last term, she was adamant Clifton's winless start to the season has shocked her more than anyone.

"It's definitely come as a surprise to find ourselves with no points this far into the season," said Palmer.

"We knew it would be harder than last year but we were expecting to pick up more points than we have.

"The team is no different to last year - if anything, it's better. We had a few problems adjusting to a new coach at the start of the year but things seem to be sorting themselves out now."

Elsewhere on Saturday, Premier Division newcomers Birmingham University play host to Midlands rivals and league leaders Leicester while second-placed Olton & West Warwicks travel to third-placed Reading.

After picking up their first point of the season with a draw against champions Bowdon last weekend, Trojans visit fourth-placed Slough while Bowdon welcome Brooklands Poynton as both teams look to pick up their second wins of the season.

On Sunday, the women are back in action again in the second round of the cup.

The only all-Premier Division tie is at Georges Road where Brooklands Poynton host Leicester.

In the other ties featuring Premier Division sides, last season's runners-up Reading are at home to Old Loughtonians, Birmingham University travel to Beeston, Trojans visit Bromley & Beckenham and Clifton face Firebrands.

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