W2s Turn the Tide: Tactical Triumph Seals Victory Over West Hampstead

October 11, 2024

Match Report by Miriam Durnhuber

Southgate W2 2 – 1 West Hampstead W1

Goal Scorers : Ella Duthie & Helen Cathcart

Southgate W2s bounced back from a demotivating defeat last week to achieve a well-deserved victory against London Premier League debutantes West Hampstead. The win was a tight one: it was 2-1 to Southgate when play ended, with not one but two West Hampstead goals disallowed over the course of the game. Nevertheless, the difference in quality of hockey from last game to this one was as clear as black and white; playing like a team, with a focus on tactical passing, we showed enduring resilience even when the pressure was on us.

Ronan’s target for the day was to get us to play down the right and ensure strong passes with aggressive movement up the pitch. After a humbling yet insightful video session before Wednesday training, we saw how ignoring this principle made us suffer last Saturday. This tactic was put into practice almost instantly at the start of the game; a swift transfer round the back forced the ball through West Hampstead’s unreasonably high press into the right channel, straight up the pitch, and into the danger area. The outcomes would come later but it was a sign that this strategy would reap rewards.

The first goal came from helmsman Ella Duthie after a similar passage of play. Ella found her way into the D from the right and effortlessly worked round the defenders before popping the ball over the downed keeper and into the goal. West would not let that stand and paved their own path into our circle. Their forward would have had a clear shot from the top were it not for Annie Howells’ fine defending, disrupting her play and bringing her nearer the baseline. West passed the ball across goal for a player to lift it into the net, but opposition celebrations were cut short as eagle-eyed umpiring saw that West used both foot and stick to score.

Southgate were just about too slow from the top when the only short corner of the half was safely cleared off the sideline. Jennie Stephens, however, took the ball with urgency and pelted it back into the D. West Hampstead were unable to intercept it, but regrettably so were Southgate, so it went off the back for a sixteen instead. It was half-time, and, despite one narrowly missed equaliser by West, we were enthusiastic about our play and excited for the second half.

West Hampstead maintained their high press, pushing all their players up to make our defenders as uncomfortable as possible. It’s surprising they didn’t think it worth shoving their keeper up to help out as well, given how the press was their one main tactic. Fortunately for us, our defenders responded by aerialling over their heads into safe sticks, giving us plenty of opportunities in their half. At one point, Ella Chandler, concerned that the spectators were feeling left out, decided to aerial it into them as well. Southgate communication was clear and effective this time round, especially from captain Lucy Sheffield who always remains a voice of authority from the back. One challenge to the comms came from the opposition coach whose castigations reverberated around Trent Park, resulting in the umpire having to stop time and asking him to rein it in.

The W2s maintained their tenacity against an increasingly belligerent West Hampstead. The visitors won a short corner after flooring Lucy S and proceeding to play the ball into her when down; and, annoyingly, the short concluded with a drag flick into the bottom right. Not to worry; we were still in the mindset of a win and knew we could come back. Our second goal came from our own corner: a well-rehearsed left-slip slap from Bobbie Burkin headed towards the keeper for Helen Cathcart to deflect it between the goalie’s legs, gifting us that all-important winning goal.