Ladies 3s/4s/5s Mixed vs West Hampstead – 10h30 Pushback
Match Report (Quick round up) by Michelle Joubert
It was smiles all round for us on Saturday as we reunited for a game against West Hampstead, a slightly different pace when you add some local rivalry into the mix but fun throughout.
The game was filled with goals! With a 4-4 draw, we won’t mention that they did not have a goal keeper, but we will mention that 11 on pitch for them certainly came with its challenges for us!
We played a great game, and it was like we had never been away (apart from some hand eye – ball – stick – co-ordination issues some of us had to remind ourselves of in the first five minutes!) it was amazing to see how ready we all were to get back out there! As the goals rolled in from Bhu, Olive, Michelle & Karen, we soon realised the biggest challenge was remembering how to safely celebrate with our teammates!
A massive thank you to West Hampstead for coming to join us for the morning and to our team of organisers in the Ladies section who made this possible for us to enjoy! We are all already looking forward to this coming weekends games!
A huge thank you to James & Lucy for coming down to take some action shots of us all, we love them! Some of us (mainly myself) have also used them as encouragement to get our hair appointments booked in asap now that the 12th has arrived!
Ladies 3s/4s/5s Mixed vs West Hampstead – 11h00 Pushback
Match Report by Jo Price
After a very successful 7-a-side Club tournament on Easter Saturday we set out for our first 11-a-side game since mid-December. Our 11 am mix-up team fielded a blend of youth and experience although our combined age was significantly higher than our opposition.
The game began at a high tempo with WH looking a strong, organised unit and we were immediately pressed high in our defensive half. Some excellent passing across our back line of Ellie, Kathy Imo and captain Sum Sze was required to keep out an energetic forward attack. We were defensive/ midfield top-heavy and initially found it difficult to get the ball through to the forward line, not helped when striker Vicky G was literally floored by a ball to the foot , forcing her to leave the pitch for ice.
Gradually we adjusted to the pace and play flowed between the two halves of the pitch. There was some good scrambling from our forwards in their goalmouth with Cat P coming closest to scoring. There was also resolute defence in our D before the deadlock was broken. An excellent pass from the WH central mid-fielder set up an unstoppable deflection at the left post. Confidence now high their second goal just had to be applauded, taken from an acute angle near the right baseline, and rocketing over our keeper’s head. A tough baptism for Aleyna into senior hockey but she rose to the challenge well.
Shocked into action we began pushing higher in search of a break-back goal. This seemed to pay dividends with only one hairy moment when a promising Southgate move was turned over, allowing them to break through the middle. Jo P moved across to hold up the line until the cavalry arrived and somehow we managed to keep them out.
Half time 0-2.
The second half began promisingly with some probing moves from the midfield. A well-placed ball from Annette W at CM , found Lynn B in a great position to sweep into the goal to produce a ‘Flutes’ special. Game on! Dander up, we continued to press. Vicky G making an incisive move from outside the 25 but finding her final pass blocked. Making a run from right mid, a tackle from Jo P caused the ball to shoot up and strike her on the forehead. Not a KO but game over for her. Kim BL, having started the game with a glute strain, had also vacated the pitch so we were now down to one sub. Still believing that we could at least snatch a draw we committed to attack.
Liv R had several shots from the top of the D and our most promising chance came with a strong strike from Vicky G -with Cat P advancing from the right – but sadly glancing just wide of the post. This was a gamble as it obviously left us more open at the back – a situation which our oppo was able to exploit on two further occasions. I have to be honest and say that whilst holding an ice pack t to my forehead I did not see the third goal nor the lead up to their 4th only our indomitable RB Kathy H on her own in the D under pressure to clear her lines .
It was a much closer game than the score denotes but WH looked more used to playing together and took their chances well..
Thoroughly enjoyable all round and now looking forward to next week!