8.30am: Wake-up, look out the window. Light snow covering the ground and cloudy overhead. The game will probably be cancelled.

9.00am: Everyone looks at their phone with expectation. Any minute now, the captain will confirm that the game is called off. Any moment now…

9.10am: bzzt bzzt “We are on.” You can almost hear the collective groan of the L1s across Cambridge. Everyone hastily puts on kit, clears away the avocado and egg breakfast that could have been and piles into cars.

9.30am (optional): Cheeky breakfast at Costa

10.15am: The first few arrive at Sharnbrook school. The weather is still miserable. ‘I can’t believe the game is still on,’ echoes with each arrival. The changing room has its own music: it does little to motivate the team to move outside. There is no question about base layers this week.

10.45am: The team finally muster up the courage to venture into the cold outdoors. The pitch is still half frozen and it’s snowing lightly. Echoes again.

11.10am: The match starts. Movement is sluggish as the L1s get used to the cold. The Hunters are known for their impenetrable defense, boasting a positive goal difference despite their position in the table, and wave after wave of attack falls flat.

11.20am: First substitution from the mysterious manager on the sidelines in a move that would later be described by some as ‘seamless’ and others as ‘helpful’.

11.25am: South win their first short corner. A short discussion, then set-up. A polite Kim, waiting to inject, asks ‘Can I go?’ A quick injection to the top of the D, a slip to the left and a hit: the ball goes wide.

11.45am: 0-0, half time whistle blows. Hunters put up a fierce battle with plenty of pressure in the South twenty-five. Loopy was getting her £8s worth of action already. The score could’ve gone either way in the first half.

Half time talk involved such lines as:

“We only have thirty-five minutes to go all out, then we can relax. It’s a mere thirty-five minutes, guys.”

“Patience, build up the play and then pace. We have the pace, outrun them.”

11.50am: A reinvigorated South set up on the pitch. Play restarts.

11.52am: Kim gets the ball in South half, runs it up to Hunters’ twenty-five, passes out to Heather on the left, Heather slots it home. Bonus mention to Ellie for making sure the ball hits the backboard after it had crossed the line.

11.53am: Kim intercepts a wayward Hunts pass, makes a fifty yard run through two players and fires the ball into the goal. Two-nil South.

12.05pm: Some slick passing between Robyn and Hannah in the D, a great pass from Robyn to Ellie on the post sees another goal for South. Three-nil South.

12.10pm: A tumble between two players causes the umpires to stop play. The captains are called to the middle. Teams huddle together for warmth. Captains return with warning about appealing. The next appeal will lead to a card; keep it calm ladies.

12.15pm: Hunters player dribbles into Kim. Kim objects to the umpire, ‘wins’ herself a green card.

12.20pm: Whistle blows for full time. Another win for South! The players shake hands and walk off. The cold is evident from the very red thighs and pink cheeks. It’s still snowing… Off to the pub for the thoroughly appreciated soup and chips for teas!

Special mention to the South supporters on the sidelines. Thank you for watching on the coldest and most miserable match day we’ve had this season (and bringing the best lemon drizzle cake to boot)!