| Match Report |
Saturday’s long journey to Norwich ended with an extremely open and end-to-end match and the second draw of the season (2–2) for St Neots Ladies First team.
In the first half, the L1s began strongly, their high press pinning the home team back for the first 15 minutes in their defending quarter. As both teams settled in, adapting to both the environment and their opposition, the game became a much more competitive affair. Fortunately for Norwich, they took the lead against the run of play from a massive deflection off a Saints stick, which looped over our defence to fall at the feet of their centre forward, who slotted it in.
The ladies’ determination grew and they continued to look for goals, but in vain. As the half-time whistle went, Saints were left defending a short corner for the last few seconds, all of the opposing team standing around their attacking D. Thankfully, our strong defensive line denied any chance of their scoring, and the half ended with Saints only 1–0 down.
The L1s started the second half brightly enough, pushing forwards at every opportunity. Eventually, their first goal came from Eleanor Pybus, who struck a thunderbolt from the top of the D in a well-worked short corner routine.
By then Norwich had become frustrated by the score line and found it difficult to accept they were level against such a young Saints team. Unfortunately, they scored from a short corner, again against the run of play.
Now, 2–1 down, the L1s worked extremely hard to pull the game back. Their persistence to score another goal was rewarded with Summer Payne using her speed and skill to successfully get around the Norwich defence and perform a slap hit from the top of the D, which hit the back of the net. The ladies finished the game stronger than their hosts and should consider themselves unlucky not to take all 3 points.
Holly Harper made her debut for the 1s, at just 14, and played fantastically – resulting in her deservedly being made player of the match.
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