Ladies 2nd XI Match Report
Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead1st XI v Potters Bar Ladies 2nd XI
19 February 2011 | by Shelley Farmer
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..... Cue hero music!! Haha, The End!! Well, it was after 70 minutes of the 2's Gurus playing in the rain at 10am on a pitch in a place named Aylesbury???
The week before heroes were out in numbers after drawing with top of the table St Albans 3's, and perhaps we travelled to the far lengths of West Hertfordshire with false hopes that our teams' performance would surpass another game... Unfortunately Potters Bar lost to a 3-0 result in favour of the home team. So would like to know how this happened? No? Well here is our story anyway...
Potters Bar with first push back fell to Shelley Farmer in a new position of Centre Forward, but she was not alone with Skipper Esther Strous in Right Wing and Sam Bowen on the left, defenders attacking? Well this was Bar's Achilles heel this week, too many defenders, the usual 3 stooges for mid field and no forwards. But despite this thorn in our side, defenders are the best players right? Well, yes but Berkhampstead had some young, fit and skillfull players scattered within their ranks that may have been our undoing...
Forgetting those dam tarott cards being against us, Clare Rose, Jana Middlebrook and Lotti Pickup worked hard to steel the home teams dominant possession in the first half. With their sweeper playing beyond their half way line, the forwards very rarely saw the ball, and before long players slipped through our defence and put a couple of goals behind Glenys Chiswell, our reliable yet injured keeper.
It was clear a change was needed, and even though skipper Strous had gone to right back, leaving a keen Vicky Watts on the right wing, Bar's hockey simply wasn't working. That quick tactical decision happened on the cuff, with Bar wanting to play to our strengths, and saw Michelle Lewis return to left mid and Farmer back in centre mid. Bar's back line was held by sweeper Ruth Spencer, last seasons club player of the year Karen Lawson, and full backs Strous and Middlebrook, sounds good! Bar fought and kept possession forcing a strong play in the home teams half. It was working, and despite a missed short corner by the umpire which was created by Watts' hard work, our heads were lifting. However, it was too much too late as the half time whistle sounded after only a few minutes.
The 2nd half saw a change by the skipper who chose a 1,3,4,2 formation leaving Bowen and Watts upfront. The battle continued, Bar man-marked well with great drives up the right that resulted in a chance but with no conversion from Watts. There was also a flurry of short corners, the guru's ace card, with shorts being our oppositions destroyer. Nonetheless they were not fruitful for Bar on this occasion, with the home team simply not letting anything through.
A game of 2 halves, Bar was bringing a better game, with both Watts and Bowen having chances and the defence putting some great tackles in to deny anything from the home side. Despite this, a further goal was conceded from a one man drive off a fast break. Bar battled through but it was simply not their day.
Promotion now a distant dream...? Maybe? But It doesn't matter, we are the Guru's and we were promoted last year, this game showed we must walk before we run at this better level of hockey. Well done Bar, jolly hockey sticks!!!
Man of the Match: Jana Middlebrook
Wooden Spoon: Lotti for not wearing one piece of her own kit!
Final Score: Berkhamsted 0 - 0 Potters Bar
Goal Scorers:
Team: Esther Strous (c), Glenys Chiswell, Ruth Spencer, Karen Lawson, Jana Middlebrook, Shelley Farmer, Clare Rose, Michelle Lewis, Sam Bowen, Vicky Watts, Lorraine Gallagher, Lotti Pickup
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