Ladies 1st XI Vs Leicester

Captain  Eleanor (Rock of Gibraltar) Wallace and her team sprinted out on to the pitch for our opening match of the season, a “friendly”  v Leicester Ladies. Noisy cheers from South Notts’ supporters. Andy Wallace and Ken Shapland as match umpires summoned team captains  with stern male authority (!) for the usual pre-match toss of a coin.

But South’s growing band of supporters counted the numbers of our team players and found we were one light, needing a keeper. Missing the elegant Elizabeth (They shall not pass) Turner, abroad on ‘international duty’ basking in the sunshine.

Captain Eleanor assembled her troops and welcomed the following  South Notts Sensations, All-Stars all:- Vice-Captain Freya (Meteor) Beaumont, Caroline (the Incomparable) Brackenbury, Becky (Comet) Humfris, Ruby (Rocket) Ryan, Gemma (the Jet-Propelled ) Robinson, Sophie (Tigress, Swift to Pounce) Atkinson, (Lightning) Liv Biddulph, (Electrifying) Ella Pearce, and Evie (Shooting Star) Bates.

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

Pre-Season nerves affected both teams. 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, showing our team’s personality and character.

Leicester had come down this season from a higher division, and provided a challenging start for us all. South opened with a cunning movement started by Caroline (the Incomparable) Brackenbury in centre midfield, up to Evie (Shooting Star) Bates who shimmered through a tiny gap, a blistering pass sideways to (Electrifying) Ella Pearce, who made a dazzling breakthrough, cheered on by the loyal band of South Notts spectators. Ella made a clever swift inside pass to Becky (Comet) Humfris who was met by a sturdy defender who cleared it out.

Undeterred, Leicester 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 Freya (Meteor) Beaumont and Lightning Liv at full back and Eleanor (Rock of Gibraltar) at sweeper who were all showing real hunger for the ball. Even using their special brand of Star Trek style “force field” preventing the ball from passing our keeper-less goal line. This caused Leicester to grind to a halt, needing to rethink.

Undeterred, our South Sensations regrouped and with Eleanor calling the shots, (Lightning) Liv Biddulph showed her 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 who capitalised on this by her usual subtle swaying and darting, giving opponent defenders a continual real headache. As usual.

Then inside to Becky (Comet) Humfris, then from her, a sensational opportune bullet pass out to unmarked Ruby (Rocket) Ryan on the wing.  Clearly released from what ought to have been Olympic sprint duties, Ruby powered through and rifled the ball past the astonished Leicester keeper to let our South Sensations take the lead. 1-0. Phew.

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 Leicester noses, again and again. She created opportunities for us at the same time as-trying to shut down those of our opposition.

Newly relegated Leicester 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. After a very high-risk move by Leicester, the ball trickled back, just over our line, one which our keeper (if we had one) would have despatched with ease. 1-1. All our valiant team efforts in the remainder of the first half proved in vain. At half time we were 1-2 down. But battling.

At half time briefing, everyone in our All-Stars XI, plus able supporters from the men’s teams, contributed positively to what was felt to be necessary to get back a positive score line. A zest-filled moment, but we still lacked a keeper.

In the second half, Leicester got their act together and kept trying to push us back into our 25. Our over-exposed defence kept showing traces of last Spring’s all-seasons dependability of a weatherproof fence.  Lightning Liv and Meteor Freya kept up purposeful skilled pressure in support of midfield[ET1] , giving Caroline 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 counter attacks.

But this strategy had some success as Comet Becky, Shooting Star Evie, Electrifying Ella and Rocket Ruby kept raining thunderous strikes on the Leicester keeper, who was having an outstanding game, and who held us out.

Wicked crosses from Rocket Ruby and Electrifying Ella showed pulsating exciting attacking stuff. Jet-propelled Gemma and Tigress Sophie kept tackling back, showing real hunger for the ball, to counter the frequent Leicester breakaways. All this plus moving shrewdly up in regular support of our speedy forward line.

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 Leicester goalmouth pressure. “Multi-tasking”.

Then Comet Becky got herself unmarked and at high speed received a sensational pass from Electrifying Ella and made our second goal. But the over-exposure of our defenders in trying to crate attacking hockey bore its own risks. The match ended a 2-7 loss but with honour.

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

 [ET1]