For our first home game of the season we welcomed local rivals H & MH.  We started strongly with everyone pressing well and maintaining a strong unit making it hard for their defence to clear their lines.  Our first good chance to get on the score sheet came when a great cross from Sarah on the right found Jo ghosting in from LM ,for a first time sweep which skewed just left of the post.  With the arrival of experienced Flutes player Caroline the opposition began to orchestrate some more coherent moves through the inside channels with VBL called into action on several occasions.  Still we continued to have the lions share of play and were rewarded just before half time when Anna drove forward to crack a shot from the top of the D which their keeper could only watch ricochet off her body and into the goal.

H&MH finished 3rd in this league last season behind our 4s and their half-time talk appeared to spur them into action.  The pressure resulted in several PCs and a well-struck shot from the top of the D whistled past our defence and into the net.  SG responded with several short corners of their own with Sarah working hard to find a way through.  Our best chance came when a GK clearance found Jo in space and a sharp strike required  a sprawling dive to the right from their talented young keeper.  This seemed to galvanise the oppo and as we tired , their youthfulness began to tell, a ten minute surge saw them scramble two further goals which effectively put the game to bed.  We fought hard in the last few minutes to regain our momentum with a stand out performance from VBL keeping us in the game and tireless running from Anna at CM but to no avail.

A good team performance from everyone particularly in the first half but it is now clear that we need to up our game and be able to sustain our play over two halves.  Onward and upward.  Next up Medics away.

WOW – VBL.