Ladies 1st XI Vs North Notts. 3

Report 4 March 2023  for club

South Nottingham HC   

Ladies 1  v  North Notts (A)

PUT  100 CANDLES ON THE CAKE !

Captain Eleanor Wallace led out our team on a cold, clear, very early morning at Worksop Leisure Centre intending that we  would  “at last” hit our 100 goals in this one-season-target . Eleanor was the  Aspiring  “Centurion” and Vice Captain Jo ( Barrier of the Pyrenees)   was the  Aspiring “Sentry”

Brisk usual pre-match pep-talk by Eleanor  (Rock of Gibraltar)   Wallace with an emphasis on developing and improving our inter-play. She re-emphasised our need to play wide.   Use our wing spaces to the full.  Our tactical plan must be to continue to create “possession hockey”. Clickety-click, short, accurate passes, keeping possession.  North Notts are always swift to pick up a loose ball.   

Because of rolling subs, not everyone below, was on the pitch at the same time nor in the same position. This made it very hard for North Notts to deal effectively with player to player marking.

Stepping up as courageous volunteer today with the keeper’s pads was the valiant Evie (normally “Shooting Star” but today also “Stop’em in their tracks”)  Bates.  Evie  kept a scary, tight control of her D area very well indeed.

In front of Evie  were Eleanor Wallace,  Jo (the Sentry) Steph (the Wall ) Hagerty, and Freya ( Meteor)  Beaumont.

Sturdily shutting down the persistent North Notts attacks, and always beating them to pick up any loose ball that had the temerity to come into their range. “How dare they?”

In midfield Caroline (the Incomparable) Brackenbury ranged wide and began to assert her control over the play-making.  Sophie (Tiger) Runciman  is clearly in training for the GB Olympic 100m sprint Squad   along with Ruby (Rocket) Ryan   and Gemma (the Jet-Propelled) Robinson.

In fact why do not the Olympic selectors just ask South Nottm Ladies to put up a  Relay Squad , we have enough to provide 2 teams.

Caroline was aided and abetted by Kate (the Terrier)  Parker  and  (Crafty) Rose Cartwright  who were tireless in their midfield activity  and helping to push up to goal. But North Notts did not surrender control of midfield to us; they contested every ball. Every time.

Up front, we had Gemma (the Jet-Propelled)  Robinson,  Sammy (the Arrow) Markwick, Ruby  ( the Rocket)  Ryan,  and the inevitable Becky (Comet).

We opened up the score-line with Caroline Brackenbury speeding in (silently and unnoticed) on the left to the far post  and crisply tapping in a loose clearance. 1-0 and we were on our way  within 2 minutes. 99 goals for the season.

Then Becky  the Comet  sped in  within 5 minutes and scored  a fast breakaway goal;  2-0 up , 100 goals in the season and South Nottm  were on our  way!  And the 100th scored by Becky, too, her touchline supporters could have been heard in Carlisle.

The clever play of Ruby Ryan was as usual a joy to behold, as she absolutely Rocketed down the wing, cut inside, and slipped the ball sideways to a hoped-for unmarked colleague, causing mayhem in the North Notts  defence, Brilliant.

And the zing and sparkle of Sammy (the Arrow) Markwick alongside  the unending and varied skills of Gemma  the Jet Propelled, and of Becky  the Comet left our spectators full of admiration.

By half time, Caroline B had scored another and so had Becky the Comet. North Notts turned up the heat but at half time the many superb saves by Evie Bates had kept the score to 4-0   to us.

The half-time briefing has becomes more participative in 2023  and Eleanor welcomed  the thoughtful,  helpful  comments from Jo Shaw, Sammy Markwick, Gemma Robinson, and others.

Not so welcome was the suggestion by Euan Temple that if we scored more goals today, we would attain 110  by the end of the day..  new target? …and he heard a determined murmur “ just watch us!”

Then in the second half, Rose Cartwright showed she too was a candidate for the GB Olympic sprint team.   The ground scorched beneath her feet as she sped up to rattle the North Notts goal backboard. 5-0.

But in efforts to reach 110, a   momentary lapse of concentration  as everyone was pushing up to support our attacks, led to a predictable breakaway goal by speedy North Notts, who never gave up. 5-1. That was how it stayed.

Our team has scored 103 goals so far this season and stays top of our League Division.

Yes, our forwards were shining stars but without the capable and imaginative support of our midfield and defenders, our forwards would have had fewer brilliant passes enabling them  to score the number that the Team has.

It has been a real Team Effort by every player throughout the season. It was a pity that Elizabeth (They shall not pass ) Turner was not able to be there to see the results of her wonderful work in goal  but at the end a metaphorical glass was raised to her,  and to our other absent friends .

Well done the Team.  Centurions all.