Saturday, 1 October 2022 @ home.

Pre Match thoughts: nerves, determination, excitement – a mixed bag of emotions in the run up to a game against a team which until recently played our Ladies Is.

First half play:   South settled into the game well, focusing on core essentials.  Under guidance and encouragement from coach Tim, we pressed the press, slapped the slaps and formed the formation. Lucy and Emma smashing their new roles as wingbacks, our inners innering it out in the inner channel, the forwards forever hopeful stretching the stretch and our backs generally just bossing it about at the back. 

The first goal went South’s way, a short corner grab from Steph. An early South lead had not been anticipated by St Ives and it left them wavering for a brief moment until the equaliser came from a slick short corner routine of their own. 1-1.

More end to end play followed. Won’t lie they were good - hard hitting, clinical and fast. But South worked as a team to match them, breaking down their play, defending our space - including their line to goal (had to get that in Tim).  A third goal then went to St Ives, they were getting confident.  1-2. But South did not give in, we responded with the fourth goal of the game, Emily slotting in the equaliser. 2-2.

Half time thoughts: We can do this.

Second half play: It’s a bit of a blur. Lots of off ball running from the forwards, a mid-field frenzy of tackles and breakdowns, and absolute resolution and determination from the back line. We moved it out into space, we worked together to defend. In short – we got louder.

Unluckily Emma took a hit to her hand for the team and had to head off to A&E. What a soldier.

There might at some point close to the end even have been some slightly heated exchanges over on the right wing at one point.

But to sum it up - South held out.  Final Whistle blew: 2-2.

End of game thoughts: TGIO.  It felt good. Abusing that old phrase associated with Julia Caesar … they came, we saw and they didn’t conquer.

Can we do better, of course. Will we do better, of course. Will Angry Anna stay calm, probably not. Did we do our coach proud – we hope so.

Match Commendations:

POM nominations: HEROIC Emma. FAB Hayley. ASSISTOR Rhi (not just one but two). INTERCEPTOR Indi.  AMAZING SAVER Lydia. BOSSING in in defence Lucy. With poll position going to Lucy.

LOM nominations: FACE WIPE Lucy (and something about backchat on flicks). TUMBLER Hayley who might have been POM if she had managed to stay on her feet. STICK DRYER Rhi (really? that vote might have been an attempted deflection from Anna). SHOPAHOLIC Indie and of course ANGRY Anna.  With the feisty (slightly foolhardy Anna for picking on someone twice her size) taking the LOM vote.