Pre-season friendlies are a great way to ease yourself back into the hockey routine; a gentle run around before the league starts proper and an opportunity to catch up after the summer. Or you can end up taking on a team that spent the previous year two leagues above – thanks Jan! That said, the L3s were relishing the chance to play a competitive game against one of their opponents for the upcoming season, a real test of their ability following the ease in which they navigated Div 5NWS the previous year.

South started well with some early pressure on the Bury D with the midfield unit of Jasmine, Rhiannon, Irina and Grace working the ball up to the front line well. We were unfortunate not to break through the Bury defence with a series of short corners, and even more unfortunate to go into half time a goal behind with Bury taking full advantage of a short corner of their own.

A second goal was conceded early in the 2^nd half before Emma-Rose pulled back a goal for the L3s with a strike from a short. An injury to the Bury keeper then led to an extensive delay while Bury first tried to find a replacement kit before deciding on de-padding their injured keeper, left clutching what seemed like a nasty injury to her wrist. The delay confused Loopy so much that she forgot to re-enter the pitch, happily chatting to spectators on the side line while the teams relined up. The rhythm of game was upset and South conceded again soon after the restart – this time a beautiful looping shot from the top left of the D headed straight to the right hand corner of the goal. A goal worthy of winning any match.

But South weren’t disheartened and went on to dominate the final third of the game with persistent attacking play. Louisa and Charlotte took full advantage of the new season formation, with some effective wing play, and Irina was unfortunate not to pull a goal back with a charging run to the top of the D after some good work on the right.

MOM went to Jasmine for a brilliant performance in the unfamiliar sweeper/bottom of the diamond position, breaking up Bury’s play with ease, and possessing the confidence to carry the ball up the pitch and some fantastic link up play with the forwards.

Lemon was a three-way tie between Loopy for the aforementioned pitch absence, Irina for temporary stick blindness and Rhiannon for taking not one but six too many balls to the face.

While not the result we would have wanted, the L3s take a lot of confidence from a strong performance against a team we’d be expecting to be on the higher end of the table this coming season and hope to replicate the performance and perhaps improve on the score line when we play Bury again in two weeks’ time.