Leading up to the game, it was a bit of a scramble to get players but by Saturday the team was looking great. Ready for our first game of the season (our game the previous week got cancelled), we were eager to go. We were not too sure how it would play out, they were the league above us and in the last two games against Bishop Stortford 4s we had lost. However, we seemed keen to beat the team who made us play in bibs (they had arrived in their navy blue home kit, surely they should be wearing them...?).

After only a couple of minutes, newbie Steph tapped the ball into the goal. What a great start to joining the club! This was shortly followed by a goal from Emily (no surprise there, she loves her goals!). Louisa, Claudia (who had just played for the 5s) and Rebecca did a smashing job in midfield, working very well between the three of them with some great passing to the forwards. Naomi worked well on the right, creating good opportunities for South.

Emily however didn't want just one goal, after scoring an incredible 30 goals last year she was hungry for more. Bish, bash, bosh - two more goals, getting herself a nice hat trick. The team were playing fantastically, both Anne and Julie were solid in defence, not letting any balls get past them. One of Julie's tackles Kath quoted as tackle of the year. Lucy, who had very kindly agreed to play in defence, was also doing a fantastic job - many great tackles and passes through the team. In the second half, she zipped round lots of players, made it up to the D and passed to Jess who banged it into the goal. Fabulous work from the both of them. 

Ah half time, the team were very positive. It was all going well, we were told to keep up the good work! Who knows whether it was the high from that or the tangfastics but it made a number of our players confused (Jess, Rebecca and Louisa), they all thought they were playing for Storford now and started on the wrong side of the pitch. Multiple lemon votes there..

Developing a bruise on her chin (details of this are unclear, potentially self-inflicted??), Jess continued to score some cracking goals. However, she also caught a Storford defender in the face mid-swing. Kath to the rescue (as per), looked after the player, bandaged her up and sent her off the A&E. Coming back onto the pitch, she stormed from the halfway line passing multiple Stortford players down to the baseline, nicely clearing the ball from Stortford's half.

Storford won themselves a few short corners, but none were successful. Rebecca however, was able to score from a short corner awarded to us. Bryony didn't get much action, but after her intense game with the 5s, maybe it was a nice break before her final game of the day. 

A great start to the season with a 10-0 win and hat tricks for Jess, Steph and Emily. Who knows, maybe the bibs are our good luck charm?

POM & LOM

Joint POM. Hannah: Great stepping up and tackles, awesome running and passing, "What a legend in the middle". Emily: Goals, goals, GOALS! Great assists and tackling.

LOM to Jess: For starting on the wrong side of the pitch after halftime & for causing a defender from the opposition to go to A&E.