Match Report: Ladies 3rd XI 11 Nov

Staines 1-2 Yateley

YHC L3’s set off in bright sunshine for an early start, with a 10am push back in Chertsey.

As with all matches on Saturday we gathered with the oppo and umpires to pay our respects and observed a two-minute silence.

Struck by illness we were down to 11 players, but if you’ve got to look for the silver lining, it meant no brain power was needed to work out subbing on and off the pitch and we were able to settle in to our positions and the match ... but we did miss those who weren’t able to join who are on the mend now.

Staines 3 are above us in the league, but we really wanted a win this week (as we always do to be honest), and that’s what we set out to achieve.

We were playing quite a defensive team again this week, with some young, fast players to balance out on the forward lines.

Staines were well versed with some slick moves, passing the ball across the width of the pitch into spaces when they could, but our press was also well versed and with Sharon standing firm in the centre, forming the press around her we managed to keep a lot of possession up in Staines’s danger area.

Training is paying off and a lot of the moves we’ve practised recently are being put in place on the pitch especially in the D and our attacking short corners with the injector running to the post.

Our first goal came only after 10 minutes from Martha who was so strong the whole match, literally picking the ball off the oppo at every chance she could.

Flippa also had some stunning picks up at front this week and there were a couple of moments that it looked like Flippa may add to the score line but had to be content with a few lovely assists.

When the oppo picked up the ball and ran they were met with The Wall which Alyssa is fast becoming known as and which actually came from the oppo calling her that a couple of matches back.

Tracey and Izzy to either side of Lyss were solid protection down the line, both stopping and turning the ball more times than I can remember.

But then the oppo did unfortunately find a way through and equalized from a deflection in the D ... a pattern formed, that was their go-to in the D and we ended half time level pegging.

We had a bit of a chat and some fizzy fish. We were looking good, and we were looking strong, we could win this match back.

Niamh was starting to struggle with back pain, but you’d never have known it in the first half and her work rate in the second half didn’t drop either. Our power house!

India made some amazing runs during the match to help us gain more chances in the oppo D and we had some close, near misses. So frustrating! But we just regrouped and were more determined than ever and our patience was rewarded as India managed to slot the ball in to the net giving us a 2-1 lead.

Carole and Lianne were called into action more during the second half, but we held onto our lead and finished the match with the win.

MoM – Niamh (also with votes for Martha, India, Flippa and Lianne)
DoD – Izzy “did they win” and “which side of the pitch is right?”