Early March I was afraid, I was petrified

Kept thinking next season we may no longer be a Div One side

(Jenny and Kate solo)

 

And we spent so many nights thinking how the last 6 weeks had gone so wrong

But we grew strong

And showed how to win 5-1

(all)

 

L1s are back

From outer space*

Once we remembered how to play the ball at pace 

(midfield solo)

 

 

Maybe it was the magic of the yellow sock, 

Or that we got Tasmin to show us how to block, 

Finally showed some hockey worth our £10 fee, 

And thank god that City won’t be back to bother me

(all)

 

Go on now Watton, get out my D 

Just turn around now

‘Cause you're not welcome can’t you see

(defenders solo)

Weren't St Neot’s the ones who tried to hurt us with goodbye?

Jan did you think we’d crumble?

Dave did you think we’d lay down and die?

Oh no not I

(all)

 

We will survive

Oh, as long as I learned how to score, I knew we’d stay alive

(forwards solo)

L1s did survive (actually quite comfortably), hey, hey

(all)

*Watton, Dereham, Spalding

…

 

Saturday 1st April, and the day started with a far more energetic warm-up than usual, which could have been due to any of the below: 

a) Maddy’s playlist of songs that Lucia Tamsin and Sophie politely pretended to have heard before

b) that it was quite sunny

c) the knowledge that we weren’t actually in such grave danger of relegation as previously thought

d) a Zumba class from Jess (feat. enforced chest bumps, naturally) 

e) getting to welcome back Kim after the dramatic on/off pitch injury 

f) the prospect of some Saturdays with our feet up…

 

To the match - Izzy’s self-proclaimed dry spell finally ended in stunning style (I won’t comment on her personal life). The first goal, essentially a bulldozing run half the pitch, possibly surrounded by some kind of force field as the Watton defence simply ‘parted like the Red Sea’/ dived out the way to find cover. I would have quite enjoyed it if such a good run had ended with a dramatic swing and a miss or possibly a slip at the crucial moment, however she did smash the shot home rather nicely. Watton did give us a bit of a shock and evened the score with a hard short corner strike, however we re-took the lead from a corner of our own shortly after - my hit straight at the keeper, and then after 5 minutes plotting as to in which corner to bury the rebound, gently lifted the shot straight back at the keeper, but somehow found its way in. 

 

Half-time and 2-1 up. You would think a team talk at such an elite level would focus on the tactical changes necessary to break down the opposition’s press, or maybe how to capitalise on any identifiable weaknesses. Instead Kate told us that we would all find it a lot easier to tackle if we kept two hands on the stick, and indeed it was. 

 

Izzy’s second came early in the second half I believe. Great work from our defenders to set-up the counter-attack for South, a simple one two to beat the last defender and slotted home. And our final goal, which as it’s now Tuesday I can’t quite remember, but I think came from quick passing and good movement from our midfield of Jess, Katie, Soph and Lucia up to the forward line, and a perfect pass in from Maddy for Izzy ‘the fiddler’ MacDonald Parry to deflect in. 

 

That’s quite enough about Izzy. 

 

Lots of contenders for MOM after a great team performance, but overall MOM to Sarah (and grateful winner of the largest gold chick) - for choosing to defend waist-height Watton shots on goal with a couple of topspin winners, and a defensive masterclass all game. LOM me for our 4th goal, a shot even more powerful and accurate than the last. They all count, and that is all I have to have to say on the matter. The best way to end, and thanks (quite frankly™) to Jenny and Kate for amazing captaincy getting us through a long tough season.