L4’s vs Pelicans L2’s

There’s nothing like a 9:40 message to the team WhatsApp from one of your pre-designated lift-givers, saying “I’m a bit concerned I have had too much alcohol to drive today…” about 30 mins before we are due to depart for our furthest away game of the season… Through the powers of WhatsApp four people are rapidly reallocated, (including most importantly our chief photographer and most dedicated supporter Josh), lemon-odds are through the roof for our boozy friend, and miraculously most of the team has arrived within 20 mins of the agreed meet time in King’s Lynn, some looking fresher than others…

We recited Ginny’s words of wisdom of the four C’s: Cool, Calm, Confided and Collected in our pre-match huddle before defiantly shouting SOooo-UTH!!! & we were off.

Lots of lovely linking play, South looking confident, concentrating the pressure up in the Pelicans’ defensive 25/half. Their petite goalie being incredibly quick to recover being switched around both extremes of the posts, repeatedly thwarting our attempts to turn possession into goals. Off their 16s our press seems to be working well, Pelicans left to resort to smashing it through hoped for gaps up either line. They succeeded a few times and Zoe was required to make some great saves, before we resettled and returned the pressure to the opposite end. One lovely attacks comes up the right wing, along the base line, drawing out the keeper, across the spot to our left wing and straight into a defenders foot on the line, with no one beyond. After some debate, we are given our flick & Connie gamely offers to take it. Unfortunately, whilst swift, powerful and airborne, is sails wide past the left-hand post and upper cross bar. Nicole then loudly cheered along with Pelicans’ thinking it had gone in – earning at least 1 lemon vote in the process. Next Cat made yet another fantastic break and faced the goalie one-on-one, before experiencing the most horizontal “advantage” of her life sans her legs aided to such a perspective by the former.

Our frustrations were only compounded when another break late in the first half ended in an open play goal for Pelicans. The half ended on a South attacking short, which we sadly did not mange to score from, leaving it 0-1 against us. We resolved we were playing well, just needed to keep applying the pressure, maintaining the work-rate, subbing as needed to achieve this, we were very much still in this.

The second half follows a similar pattern, mainly South possession in our opposition’s defensive half. Early in the second half we secure another attacking short, which comes out direct to our left slip Katy from the injector, and she straight strikes to bring us back level. We are elated, but we caution ourselves to remain composed and calm, not let Pelican’s swift forwards break straight back. We largely succeed in this. About halfway through a lifted Pelicans 16 catches poor Naomi very firmly in the lower jaw. Pleased to report a later A&E trip confirms nothing has been broken, but her classes can be delighted by even more spectacular bruises than she acquired only a few weeks back. We ice-pack and wrap her up, regroup and continue. Not long after, while Shree is requesting an early sub from defence after a ball direct to the kneecap, a Pelicans’ mid slips (not sure any of us did not slip at some point) and her stick collides firmly and unavoidably with Nicole’s forehead. In spite of protests to come off from her teammates she gallantly stays on, a small egg having risen by the time she does sub herself off. She would later drive the car of injuries direct back to Addenbrookes A&E. We continue to retain possession, probing for another goal, we try a few more Katy short strikes without luck. Frustratingly 3 minutes from full time, a straight strike hits Nicole’s foot, winning them a short. A rocket like straight strike, which Zoe gets a touch to, carries on with enough momentum to give Pelicans their second goal. We quickly rally and finish the game on an attacking South short, but do not convert. Final score 1-2 to Pelicans, in a game we dominated possession of, leaving us all frustrated leaving the pitch, feeling short changed again...

Vicky made a valiant final bid to save Becky from certain lemon-fate, by leaving her stick on the pitch, but neither her efforts nor Nicole’s could prevent a landslide LOM victory for Becky and her boozy Friday night. POM votes however were more widely distributed, with Connie, Cat, Zoe and Laurie all getting one-a-piece, Katy and her goal getting three, but Daisy with her great runs up the line, great positivity and great skills, earning herself four votes for the win. We established over the last few weeks the only role we haven’t asked Daisy to try is in goal! She’s been defence, a mid and today a forward with equal competence.

We lick our wounds (or mainly ice) and prepare to hopefully turn possession into points next week against Huntingdon.