Ladies 1st XI Vs Boots 4

Boots Ladies as the Home Team, with good local support, was seen to launch a hockey tsunami to lay siege to our goal, right from push-back. But with cool determination our defenders, led by highly capable Elizabeth (They shall not pass) Turner, dominant Captain Eleanor (Rock of Gibraltar) Wallace and athletic Vice-Captain Freya (Meteor) Beaumont, produced a bewitching display. We were all full of admiration.

All defending our D with cool, stoic determination and trying to help movement up-field to attack.

 Because of substitutions, not all players in our team were on the pitch at the same time.

The work rate by Boots’ midfield was matched measure for measure by our exceptional midfielders, sparkling Jo (Barrier of the Pyrenees) Shaw, twinkle-toed Lucy (Strike Force) Lloyd, razor-sharp Emma (Speedy Gonzales) Roberts, and shrewd Steph (the Wall) Hagerty, all acting as a seamless Team.

 If we had played like this on day 1 of the season, with usual improvement during the season, we would be National Champions.

But an improved Boots were having slightly the better of the contest, at this stage, on balance.

 South Notts midfield were having to be more than a bit quick in covering back to counter the frequent Boots breakaways. Boots forwards were raining strikes at South Notts’ capable Elizabeth Turner in goal, determined to let nothing past her. 0-0.

Similar activity buzzed at the other end by South’s smooth forwards Evie (Shooting Star) Bates and Rachael (Unseen Raider) Grupping in particular, showing characteristic deft little touches and wide vision. Boots defended heroically, and kept banging the ball back up to their midfield. 0-0.

With such pulsating ebbs and flows, it was clear to those on the touchline that either team could win, deservedly, against skilled, energetic opponents. The touchline tension in both sets of supporters was visibly growing.

South Notts midfield created lots of moments and lots of potential chances but our forwards proved unable to pierce the clever Boots defence.

Eventually Boots managed, by a well-rehearsed, multi-phase attack, to squirm one over the South Notts line to score a game-changing goal. 1-0.

In the second half, very much against the trend of play, Boots scored a second and most brilliant goal. 2-0

South Notts forwards proved diligent, disciplined and brave. Our Liv (Lightning) Biddulph decided to take the game by the scruff of its neck with her speed and clearly fast developing skills. This season they have caused chaos in many opposing defences. She burst through and hammered a precisely played shot into the Boots goal. 2-1 to set up a frenetic final quarter.

The re-introduction in this final quarter by substitution of Tigress Sophie (Swift to Pounce) Atkinson showing fire in her heart and ice in her brain, added another frisson of genuine excitement to an already finely poised match.

Sophie (Bounding Leopardess) Runciman showed characteristic skills and endless commitment. Endlessly buzzing Jet-Propelled Gemma Robinson kept racing round the back of the Boots’ defence.

Between all our forwards, we seemed to have a lot of bad luck by us hitting the goal posts so often and accidental deflections by Boots defenders.

It would be unfair to make criticism, so an observation only, it might be said that we may have had a slight excess of enthusiasm. Often we had created extra seconds of time when Boots did not, but we often snatched hurriedly at receiving the ball or rushed a strike, when we did not need to. But no-one can criticise our enthusiasm, fair play and keenness

On the run of play, Boots were very much on the back foot in the last 10 minutes, as they put up the shutters and our many shots at goal resembled the number of snowflakes in a snow storm. But Boots managed to hold out .Final score 2-1 to Boots, giving rise to seismic celebrations by the home team and home supporters.  And Boots had stopped South’s unbeaten run this season.

The icing on the cake for Boots, was that Boots had not only toppled our season-long positon at the head of our League Division, but also that Boots had become the new leaders by a narrow goal difference!