January, the start of the new year - many of us trying out our new resolutions: being fitter, clean eating, dry (or moist) January and even paying our match fees on time! For me - less amateur dramatics on pitch perhaps… [Yet to see evidence of this… Ed.]

For the L1s the season started a night early, eating Turkish and discussing how much our fitness levels may have decreased if we had done nothing since 10th December…surely not that much?!

Despite this match being a friendly it was important for both teams to set out as they mean to carry on for the second half of the season. South started the first half strongly, passing well and scoring an early goal by a great run from Flix to let Ellie unleash her swing. Tensions grew through out the half as both teams had opportunities to score while neither were able to convert. Bury flooded the midfield which meant hard work for Heather, Harriet, Hannah and Robyn. They worked tirelessly in an attempt to get back. The defence held strong with Lou, Robyn Mc and Roisin frustrating the Bury attack. Bury equalised sometime in the second half - our Christmas holidays perhaps catching up with us.

Havoc spread as I managed to get tangled with at least two Bury ladies, Hannah ran herself into some netting (while still winning the ball, might I add) and Loopy's helmet somehow unfortunately got in the way of a stick, while Robin Mc got a green and yellow card right at the end of the match for annoying the umpire as much as he had annoyed her.

We played well, demonstrating some great passing as well as some resilience against a physical team - with much more to come for the rest of the season.

Loopy made some great saves throughout the match but none better than her penalty stroke save as the last play of the match. I would love to talk you through it but you will have to ask her yourself - nothing says confidence better than closing your eyes and not watching!

Off to McDonalds we went, to break another one of our resolutions!