The L4s are in a tough run of games – playing the Uni, City, St Ives and the L3s – on the back of a very loooong Christmas break.

The Uni beat us fair and square; unlike our previous fixture they knew each other’s names, had got over Freshers week...and they were in a different gear: we lost to the better side.

However, yesterday I was a sore loser. I’ve played City a few times now and some games they totally dominate, but others we are able to ‘stick it to the man’, as they say. And yesterday, for the first 20 mins or so, I thought that’s what we were going to do – because we were not outplayed in the bleak, flood-lit landscape that is Wilby in the rainy dark. But then - suddenly – out of nowhere, at half time we were 2-0 down having been caught on the break, and then we went 3-0 within the first 5 of the second half.

Feeling a bit stunned by the scoreline, Martha stepped in with some awesome clearances and manifested some goals! Plus, Fi got a strop on and thought ‘sod this for a game of soldiers’, and [thanks to Fi for the following technical summary …] we got a penalty corner sent in by Holly, rebounded back to Molly who nailed it to the back left post! Then we were energised, made a lovely play from the backs up to Fi who crossed it to Hol, who redirected it to Naomi, who dinked round the back of the keeper! Then – we scored number 3 to draw level: the equaliser came from another short sent out to Hattie, and was saved by keeper into Kendra’s waiting stick on left post - she needed no invitation to nail it to the back board!

So – sticking it to the man? We were so, so close….. until … with 6 mins to go City squeezed the ball inside the right post. I could see the ball, I could smell it, I could have darned well touched it, but could I stop it? Nope. Absolutely gutted.

Anyway, to focus on some more positive aspects, Zehra made some hugely brilliant saves – she leapt about with the ball pinging off her glove, stick, padding, etc. You name it and she made a save with it – player of the match! And thank you to our lovely and loyal young supporters Daisy and Ivy who stayed and cheered in the Wilby wet night.

Well done team, you were brilliant (ToM!) and it will be lovely to get to play in the daylight next Saturday