Ladies 1st XI Vs Boots 4

Captain  Eleanor (Rock of Gibraltar) Wallace and her team sprinted out on to the pitch for our match v Boots 4 Ladies. Noisy cheers from South Notts’ supporters , and the two umpires Ken Shapland and Paul Vaughn as match umpires summoned team captains  with stern male authority (phew!) for the usual pre-match toss of a coin.

Captain Eleanor assembled her troops and welcomed the following  South Notts Sensations, All-Stars all:- Vice-Captain Freya (Meteor) Beaumont, Becky (Comet) Humfris, Gemma (the Jet-Propelled) Robinson, Liz ( the Fleet-Footed) Foster, Steph (the Wall) Hagerty, Twinkle-toed Lucy (Strike Force) Lloyd, Sophie (Tigress, Swift to Pounce) Atkinson, (Lightning) Liv Biddulph, Evie (Shooting Star) Bates and Sophie (Bounding Leopardess) Runciman was welcomed back with us after her highly successful fund raising on a full 26.2 miles marathon.

Eleanor welcomed new team members for our Autumn season Jo (Foxy) Foxall returning after some years away to play for us, and (Stellar) Claire Stuttard fresh back from university. Both All-Stars.

(Electrifying) Ella Pearce turned up valiantly to cheer us on but was clearly unwell and was taken home just after push back. It seemed that amongst other things, she had nearly lost her voice; but not enough to prevent her forbidding Mere Males to make any “disrespectful” comments! It is understood that it is nothing long term, fortunately, and she will be back with us soon.

Ruby (Rocket) Ryan was off on her Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve training weekend. Rachael (the Unseen Raider) Grupping, was absent on hospital duties and Louise (Poacher) Price is now back at home after her hospital stay. Alex (the Spear) Stephenson is absent in the USA. 

Caroline (the Incomparable) Brackenbury, Elizabeth (They shall not pass) Turner, and Samantha (the Arrow) Markwick were absent on family duties, though Sammy was able to join us during the match to offer “helpful” comments from the touchline. Wonderful.

But the All-Stars Sensations have strength in depth, “Fire and Edge”, so there was optimism about trying to remind ourselves what the Boots goal backboard looks like! Close up.

Eleanor had taken the Team on a vigorous pre match work out, and several had been seen in secret pre-match fitness-training in the Bingham Arena gym.

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.  Boots are always very swift to pick up and chase 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 Boots to deal effectively with player to player marking.

Stepping up as courageous Volunteer today with the keeper’s pads was the valiant Freya (normally “Meteor” in defence but today also “They shall not pass”) Beaumont.  If Freya, when padded up, scares her own side, we can guess how her opposition must feel!  The door to Freya’s goal was Firmly Shut.

In front of Freya were Eleanor Wallace, Steph (the Wall ) Hagerty, and (Fleet of Foot) Liz Foster

Eleanor was calling and constantly guiding our team, as a Captain should. Steph’s stick-work and ability to turn an opponent’s attack into creating one of our own, was notable. And Liz’s opponent must have been disheartened by Liz’s close-marking, effectively shutting down her nimble opponent.

In midfield, Sophie (Tiger, Swift to Pounce) Atkinson ranged wide and began to assert her capable control over the play-making. Whenever Boots passed the ball across midfield, Sophie (Tiger) A  just “happened” to be there nearly every time to cut it off. Sophie Tiger’s “partners in crime” were Sophie (Bounding Leopardess) Runciman, Gemma (the Jet-Propelled) Robinson and Lucy (Strike Force) Lloyd,

All of midfield’s clever readings of the game enabled them to be assisting in Defence, in Midfield to be shutting down attacks, and to be up creating opportunities in support of our Forward line. Their thoughtful, dynamic, intelligent play showed their skilled field-craft.  Ceaseless, purposeful motion by all.

But Boots did not surrender control of midfield to us; they contested every ball. Every time. And Boots had an experienced defence, with very capable plans to try to stop us scoring.

Up front were Becky (Comet ) Humfris, Evie (Shooting Star) Bates, (Lightning),  Liv Biddulph, Jo (Foxy) Foxall, and (Stellar) Claire Stuttard.

A very hesitant start by both sides, not at all the Rolls-Royce type smoothness of slick person-to-person passing that was visible at the end of last season in March. Typical early season adjustments. Both sides were keen to get going.

But South’s will and dynamism is still there, strongly showing our team’s personality and character.

Boots provided a challenging start for us all. South opened with a cunning movement started by Gemma Robinson, up to Evie Bates who shimmered through a tiny gap, a blistering pass sideways to Jo (Foxy) Foxall, who made a dazzling breakthrough, cheered on by the loyal band of South Notts spectators. Foxy made a clever swift inside pass to Becky (Comet) Humfris who was met by a sturdy defender who cleared it out.

Undeterred, Boots set off on their own vigorous responses. A quick break in the centre, a long through ball, and they swung the ball about with commendable efficiency. Until they encountered Steph (the Wall) and Liz (Fleet Footed Foster) at full back and Eleanor (Rock of Gibraltar) at sweeper who were all showing real commendable hunger for the ball.

This caused Boots to grind to an effective (as much as 30 seconds perhaps) slow- down, needing to rethink and then stormed back with capable revised plans for attack.

Undeterred, our All-Star South Sensations regrouped, too,  and with Eleanor calling the shots, Sophie (Bounding Leopardess) Runciman showed her marathon-fitness high-quality field-craft as she outwitted the opposition, and broke through at speed, dipping and twisting evasively. She slipped the ball sideways to Sophie (Tigress, Swift to Pounce) Atkinson, then it went on to twinkle-toed Lucy (Strike Force) Lloyd who capitalised on this by her usual subtle swaying and darting, giving opponent defenders a continual real headache. As usual.

Then out to (Stellar) Claire Stuttard showing her shimmering Star quality, then from her, after beating their defence on the outside, a sensational opportune bullet pass in to unmarked Jo (Foxy) Foxall. Foxy managed to power through but rifled the ball into the pads of the very capable Boots keeper. Phew.

By this time the South Notts spectators had been joined by Sammy Markwick, Freya’s Ben, Will Honey, Evie’s Dad and Sophie A’s Mum. The touchline tension was such that there were quiet comments that it would be a lot easier on our combined blood pressures if we could score a goal or three and take the lead. Bout Boots had other ideas.

The awesome speed and technical skills of Gemma (the Jet Propelled) Robinson showed her to be positively Piratical in commendably stealing the ball from under Boots’ noses, again and again. She created opportunities for us at the same time as-trying to shut down those of our opposition.

Boots were having none of it and sought to move into overdrive, to try to wrest back momentum. Good team-work gradually emerged on their part and those who could get past our defenders, met the brilliant defence of Freya (They Shall Not Pass) Beaumont in goal. Our defence had Structure and Attitude All our valiant team efforts in the remainder of the first half proved in vain. At half time it was 0-0. But still battling hard.

At half time briefing, everyone in our All-Stars Sensations XI contributed positively to what was felt to be necessary to get back a positive score line. A zest-filled moment.  

In the second half, Boots got their act together and kept trying to push us back into our 25. But our defence showed strong traces of last Spring’s all-seasons dependability of a weatherproof fence. (Fleet Footed) Liz and Steph (the Wall) kept up purposeful skilled pressure in support of midfield[ET1] , giving Sophie (Tiger) A the Incomparable the chance to shimmer and dazzle our opposition. But all this kept our Rock of Gibraltar Eleanor over-exposed to the certainty of Boots’ counter attacks.

But this pushy strategy had some success as (Comet) Becky, (Shooting Star) Evie, (Bounding) Sophie R, (Stellar) Claire and (Foxy) Foxall and kept raining thunderous strikes on the Boots’ keeper, who was having an outstanding game, and who held us out.

Wicked crosses from (Stellar) Claire and (Foxy) Foxall showed pulsating, exciting, attacking stuff. (Bounding) Sophie R and (Tigress) Sophie A kept tackling back, swift to pounce, showing real hunger for the ball, to counter the frequent Boots’ efficient breakaways. All this plus moving shrewdly up in attack.

(Rock of Gibraltar) Eleanor was kept busy sprinting up to assist our creative moves as well as being all-purpose defender, sweeper, and trying to prevent Boots’ goalmouth pressure. “Multi-tasking”. Phew.

Then Lucy (Strike Force) Lloyd got herself unmarked and at high speed received a sensational pass from (Tigress) Sophie A and drove our first and only goal to make it 1-0.

The Sensations built a dominant second half performance built on hard work, desire, heart and determination. We won because we stayed Brave. If we had failed to take our few chances, that would have been it. But we did not fail. Well done everyone

Thanks to umpires Paul Vaughn and Ken Shapland for their time in umpiring the game and for doing it so well. Thanks also to our loyal noisy band of loyal supporters.

 [ET1]