8am to 3pm I wandered the streets of Cambridge aimlessly, adrift and unfamiliar with such an unsociably late pushback time. Sometime that evening (closer to 10 past 3) arrived at Wilberforce road, admittedly not my favourite place within the Cambridge City limits, but ready to battle our inferior local neighbours. After trying about 17 different changing rooms (and at least 3 Changing Room 1’s) in growing desperation, Jess appeared like an angel to provide rescue from such a hostile warren.

With Izzy’s hacking chest infection, Lucia’s bad back, personal current fitness level, and Jenny and Jess needing to save something in the tank ready for the half marathon the next day, I admit to personally not feeling overly positive, despite us beating City at home earlier in the season. The first half is a blur – it felt like holding back a never-ending tidal wave of talented City juniors, take one down another one appears even faster and more skilful than the last. 1 Lucia is enough to deal with at training, chasing after 11 of them in increasing breathlessness and rage isn’t my favourite way to spend a Saturday evening. A ball was bundled over the line at some point in the first half by City, but credit to our defence of Jenny Sarah Anna Hannah Tamsin Hayley and Loopy tirelessly repelling wave after wave. A special mention to Hayley’s diving clearance ending up indignant sprawled turtle stuck on its back pose head lodged somewhere deep within our own goal, but preventing City from adding another. Izzy* very nearly equalised for us after great attacking play from Lizzie and Laura, beating the keeper but just denied by the post.

A lot of defending, chasing shadows in midfield, a couple of our own very rare breaks over the halfway line, no time on the ball and barely second to breath – it was a relief to reach half time 1-0 down but very much still in the game. A positive team talk and a couple of enforced chest bumps later we were ready to go again. A far more even second half followed, better attacking play, lovely triangles and support, and lots of chances created. Katie was described as ‘terrier-like’ as ever breaking down play, and to continue the theme across our midfield – I’d say Lucia a whippet, Jess a Chihuahua, me a Chow Chow, Kate maybe a Border Collie or Basset hound. A great theme sadly thought of too late into a Monday lunch break with Jenny breathing down my neck for a match report, to be continued in full another time. We went 2-0 behind to a pretty unstoppable City goal, reverse hit into the opposite top corner and possibly one of the best goals I’ve seen in our league, and then sadly conceded another after pushing forward to try get something out of the game, but a very enjoyable half.

Joint MOMs to Jenny and Hayley for their generally heroic defending and work-rate all game, Tamsin also received MOM votes for being incredible as usual, and ‘wrists of steel’ - tackling players twice her size and coming out with the ball every time. And the ruthless flooring of a City player who dared tried to tackle her back – we didn’t teach her that. LOM Alice for a honking (a word from Kate’s strange northern dialect) but beautifully disguised back stick to break down play in the middle. All in all it was a fast and fun game (our favourite kind), and well done Jenny and Jess for breezing round the half in very impressive times the next day, I’m sure we’ll all do it together as a team next year..

*Italian Greyhound