The L4’s approached their first league game with some trepidation against a side who had been playing in the league above us last season, but lots of reasons to be positive from training and the mixed side friendlies this pre-season. Shree nailed her first task as captain securing us first pushback.

The first half was evenly contested, South sounding out their new formation and the addition of some new faces quickly. About halfway through a lovely series of triangle passes between Alex and right wing back Elle attacking from the halfway to inside the 23 led to a cross by Alex into the D, “dummied” by Anna, before being put away by Camille on the opposing post. Reaping all the promised attacking benefits of the additional numbers from that new formation. We held this lead for most of the remainder of the half. However, Nomads found an equaliser, via a rocket of a ball from just inside the 23, that crossed in, bobbled over Shree’s stick, just brushing the attacker’s stick behind her, and despite a touch by keeper Selene, it’s speed and trajectory carried it over the line as an equaliser.

Before the half time whistle blew, we were graced by Naomi’s best keepy-uppy tennis skills, tap-tapping the ball on the end of her stick, not only beyond the defender she was trying to outmanoeuvre, but also the side line – promptly bursting into giggles after realising how far out of the pitch she drifted whilst intensely focused on the keeping the ball from the ground. The half finished with attacking short for South, sadly not converted, yet a positive note on which to face not one but BOTH of our dynamic coaching duo in attendance at our game for a half time chat. (Privileged times indeed, before we are half-abandoned for 3 weeks in favour of some meagre Rugby games happening in France currently…)
A little short on subs, the defence hoped for some rest and relief in the second half when they were due their 35 mins with a sub, according to the pre-match plan. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be…. Emma’s knee declaring shortly into the second half, after last weekend’s speedy Half Marathon effort it now needed some rest. Then our knowledgeable coaches running the diminishing sub bench, managed to sub on THREE left inners simultaneously, causing some confusing and a large hole in the middle of the pitch, which Nomads capitalised upon, firstly breaking through and taking a clean strike from just inside the D, which Selene admirably saved, a rebound shot, was then a partially slowed but then pounced upon and pinged home from the cluster of players contesting the flick spot area. The game remained competitive however with South also having lots of attacking opportunities and keeping out the multiple attacking shorts won by Nomads. It still felt like we could have snuck back an equaliser.

The heat’s toll and slim numbers were starting to tell on the South side, when we watched as Naomi burst forth to intercept a great ball out in a lovely pocket of space open into the attacking D, only to watch one of her legs suddenly give way and her crumple to the ground in pain. Hopefully not too serious an injury, but once time restarted reducing us now down to no subs, we battled on. Nomads sealing their victory with a third goal coming from a short strike followed by slick manoeuvring of the rebounded ball around the goal. Final score 1-3 to Nomads, but not a disappointing performance from South’s perspective. Some very warm, tired legs trudged across the road to Cantabs to discuss the POM & LOM accolades, as well as how appetising the chicken-and-onion-based pizza did or did not look… The POM votes were well spread, with goal scorer Camille, plus Alex, and Shree earning 1 vote each, then Becky and Elle securing two a piece, but defender Annabel’s effort securing her the POM crown with three votes. Meanwhile… someone had managed to tip their entire fresh can of coke across the table/floor… Helping ensure LOM was a rather less close affair. Alex’s deep offence at the poultry pizza combo leading to her relocation away from it earning her a vote, a self-nomination from our POM for kicking the ball, then hitting the ball off the side line within the same 10 seconds another, plus one vote for coaches Izzy and Ed’s sabotage attempts, were no match for the 6 votes for Naomi’s aerial skills affinity with ball and coke can. Take spelling notes for future weeks Elle… There’s no Niaomi on this team atm.