A game of firsts and lasts.

Our first game of 2023 was the first of two back-to-back fixtures against Wisbech. We had the pleasure of playing this at home. Personally, I felt it was a game fuelled with mixed emotions; joy at being back ;to playing, sadness as it would be my last game for South for the season and quiet delight at avoiding the return away fixture to Wisbech.

Everyone was clearly eager to get going after the Christmas break, meeting on time and getting in a solid warmup, a new year first. We were revved up and ready to go, firing on all cylinders from the off. After dusting off a little of the Christmas rust, we found our groove mid-way through the first half. Some joyful team passing in the middle from Emma, Alice and Katie was swiftly followed by fast attacking play down the left wing from Izzy before a delightful pass into Hannah S, who calmly slotted the ball in past the keeper from the P spot. 1-0. South on the team sheet first, where it stayed till half-time.

The second half set off at the same high intensity. The Christmas legs weren’t giving in yet.

With some speedy running up the wing from Lucia and some sick skillz from Izzy, South won a short corner which was beautifully slotted away by Laura (which Maddy T almost tried to steal, but then honesty got the better of her, admitting she touched it when it was over the line!) 2-0 South.

Wisbech weren’t giving up easily though and came back at us with some fast forward play. Our defence held their ground well, with excellent calling from skippers Jenny and Kate, and stepping up from Kim in central defence in her first game back for the 1s (welcome back Kim!).Loopy made some fabulous saves, until a free hit outside the D and a deflected reverse hit snuck past her. 2-1. Game on. Into the final 10mins of the game, and my legs were starting to cry out, but there was enough in the tank for a dart through a space in the middle, and a slip pass up to Izzy who showed us her silky skills once more to put the ball past the keeper taking it to 3-1.Final Score.

A fabulous win for the first game of the year, with some beautiful, fast flowing hockey. A sign of more fabulous hockey to come in 2023 I believe. MOM was kindly awarded to me (potentially a pity vote?) and deservedly LOM was also awarded to me for leaving to go off to New Zealand in a campervan half-way through the season. I will miss you all, good Luck girls, you’ve got this!