Ladies 1st XI Match Report
Potters Bar Ladies 1st XI v Stevenage 1st XI
06 November 2010 | by Claire Moore
Officially… “Regrettably the cliché that it was a game of two halves perfectly sums up this week’s match. Potters Bar, keen to return to winning ways started too slowly and lax defending allowed one of the many unmarked Stevenage forwards to take an early lead. Potters Bar were second to the ball, gave possession away and after 35 minutes had created few chances. The best following a link up between Anna Walker and Caroline Stanners, whilst goalie Mo Gough prevented the lead from increasing. A different team emerged after half time. Within 10 minutes, the swift, accurate passing and a melee around the opposition goal, created by captain Caroline Partridge and Lucy Edwards resulted in Lucy scrabbling the ball into the net. The pressure continued, a short corner awarded and the sporting nature of Potters Bar revealed – allowing Stevenage to restart the game after an unfortunate injury to one of their defenders (we wish her well). Within minutes though, Partridge made another of her skilful attacks down the left, passed to Walker on the top of the D who slipped it right to Emily Sherlock who found the top left of the goal. Faye Jowett, Sue Richardson and Partridge rotated their positions to good attacking effect whilst any Stevenage attacks were thwarted by Karen Lawson, with either she or Richardson finding passes to the midfielders: Swanni Herrmann and Walker. Walker collected one of these and injected the ball solidly into the D for Edwards to deflect into the goal. Edwards’ hat-trick came as Sherlock received the ball once more from the defence, attacked swiftly down the right and crossed the ball for her to slot away.”…
Yet this belies the truth and just how bad PB initially were – perhaps the cunning plan by Stevenage to turn up in the same colours, reversed, was a factor. However, the change after half time was dramatic and that first goal by the self-named “Attacking Dream-Team” well deserved. PB were unfortunate not to have been awarded a stroke when a Bambi-like jump of a defender prevented a certain goal. No-one will regret the down-grade to short corner more than the defender, injured in that set-piece. A long delay allowed Hagrid, full of his earlier victory, to sprinkle some of his magic winning pixie dust over the team. Successful attacks, particularly down the left were exciting to watch. But let’s not forget wats-on the right, that second goal from Sherlock was truly splendid!
It was a relieved team that set up the teas provided by Jowett Jnr - presumably long queues at the checkout caused her to be late…again? Overcome with exertion, Swanni struggled to control the unfamiliar teapot whilst Lucy strutted about, muttering “Sarah who?”
With sadness though, we say au revoir to Mo Gough and look forward to her return in months to come.
Final Score: Potters Bar 4 - 1 Stevenage
Goal Scorers: Lucy Edwards (3), Emily Sherlock
Team:
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