Cambridge South Ladies 3s vs. Cambridge City 5s: A Tale of Whistles, Woes, and a Very Dodgy Goal

Final Score: Cambridge South 0 - 3 Cambridge City

Ah, field hockey. A noble sport, played in the spirit of fair competition, skilful play, and, in this case, an absolute farce of a first goal that set the tone for a game best filed under "Deeply Unpleasant Experiences."

The match began with promise, despite the soaring temperatures. Our defensive line stood strong, our midfielders put in the work, and our attackers had some great breakaways. We pinged the ball around with grace and composure. Cambridge City did have a few chances in the first half, but our defensive unit and the magnificent nearly-POM Zehra put on a masterclass in shot-stopping, interception, and general defiance against the odds. Our winning POM Meg was relentless in fighting for the ball throughout the entire game, giving us our few solid chances for goals of our own.

A goal-less first half led to a second half where we fought our hardest and it looked like we had it in the bag. Until. A suspect goal was scored against us (was it outside the D? We will never know … except most of us did …) with 10 mins to go. 

The outrage and confusion this left us in, swiftly followed a barrage of short corners, my last ten minutes was topped off by being awarded a green card for what I can only assume was one of my slightly aggressive body tackles inside the 23. A tackle that, had it occurred in a men’s game, probs wouldn’t even have been noticed ... But alas, we are, a team of ‘well-behaved ladies’ on International Women’s Day after all. 

As the game continued and I cooled off on the side line, short corners rained down upon us. The second and third goals came amidst the chaos, feeling like a cruel joke after our game so far. As the final whistle blew, the game left a bitter taste in our mouths. But despite the injustices, despite the frustrations, one thing remains clear: Cambridge South Ladies 3s are a team that fights, a team that defends with heart, and a team that, next time, will make sure our victory is not stolen!

Final thoughts?

• Did we lose? Yes.

• Will we be turning up next week, ready to battle once again? You bet we will.

Onward, ladies.