Southgate Tumblers Match Report

A cold Sunday Afternoon was the perfect setting for the opening game of the Southgate Tumblers
mixed campaign. The game got off to an excellent start with Southgate dominating the early
exchanges. Chances came and went but as the clock ticked over 10 minutes Sofia Martin popped up
(as she seemed to all over the pitch) and roofed an excellent cross from the right-hand side. 1-0
Southgate.

The game continued in such fashion. The calm heads of Duncan, James and Will feeding the ball to
those (slightly) younger to run the Cheshunt defence a riot. With Anna and Megan relentlessly
running the lines from half back, some great leads from Jez, Emily and silky skills from Liv and Ravi,
Southgate looked the superior team. However, A plethora of chances went begging until with 25
minutes in, when Ella Duthie won a well-crafted short corner. The gun Robbie Gill stepped up and
calmly “binned” it bottom left. 2-0 to the gate.

As the first half ticked on Cheshunt had no clear-cut opportunities but in a classic Southgate style the
team became a little too comfortable. With five minutes to go the usual calm heads of Will and
James thought some ping pong with their centre forward was a great mini game. With that Cheshunt
had their first real chance and Victoria could not do anything about the resulting goal. 2-1 Southgate

A typically upbeat half time talk from Harry and player-coach Lucca lifted the team and they took to
the field for the second half hoping to return to the excellent hockey of the first 30 minutes. As
instructed Southgate took the initiative and dominated the game once again. There were chances a
plenty for the forward line but in typical Southgate fashion all the shots ricocheted off the goal
keepers’ pads. With 55 minutes gone Southgate won another short corner. Once again Mr Gill
stepped up and robotically flicked it bottom right this time. 3-1 Southgate meant there was
breathing space between us and Cheshunt.

However, once again Southgate were overly confident and Cheshunt’s Stoke City style long ball
game eventually paid dividends. A couple of times their forwards found themselves in acres of space
and Victoria, who for the most part had been watching from the cold confines of her goal sprung
into action. Some fantastic one-on-one goalkeeping meant that Cheshunt’s chances were shut down
swiftly. As the game was drawing to a conclusion there was time for one final goal from Sofia. I can
give no more information on this as at this point their centre back had folded me like a deck chair.
Well done Sofia I am sure it was an excellent finish… With that the game finished 4-1 to Southgate.
Finally a big shoutout to Mitch who came to Marshall the troops from the side-line with only half a
big toe.