U14 Girls Dev7s - EH U14 girls T3 tournament

A first outing for the U14 girls team for 2019/20 season. Away versus Cambridge Nomads, for a lot of the team it was their first competitive game playing 11-aside hockey on a full pitch; the team is used to only 7-aside on half a pitch.

Cambridge Nomads played without a goalie, which unfortunately meant no attacking corners. However, the home team had some experienced older players who challenged the St Neots defence of Katie Pye, Charlotte Simmons and Louise Abel, supported by utility player Eleanor Masters, making the girls really practice their marking, tackling and clearing the ball skills. At the other end St Neots also piled on the pressure, fighting for the ball at all times despite some great movement around them by Nomads. The midfielders Ruby Lane, Nellie Purser, Sophie Gurnell and Georgie Bettsworth, led by Natasha Pope, kept going for the entire match, running back and helping the defenders whilst working the ball back up to Fi Stokes and Katy Lloyd up front. Ruby, Georgie, Natasha and Katy's skills and confidence in holding onto the ball and working round the opposition until they could find a space to pass was great to see. St Neots were rewarded with a number of shots at goal from Fi, Ruby, Katy and Sophie, and a few near misses, but the Nomads defence brilliantly held St Neots back with some great saves.

St Neots goalie Tara Bell came under similar attack at the other end and confidently kicked her way out of trouble with the visitors holding off the attack for 15 minutes or so before Nomads managed to score their first goal. It was quickly finished up with a second as the Saints shape crumbled under the attack and heads went down, but the visitors' hard work finally paid off and Fi slotted in a goal with help from Ruby and Sophie.

With Saints 2-1 down at half time team manager Phil Sargeant reinforced some game-play pointers, the girls picked themselves up and went out fighting. Keeping their shape and really working hard to chase down all those balls St Neots were rewarded with a few close shots on goal, with Katy and Eleanor missing a couple of absolute sitters! Next time girls! Pressure from Ruby and Natasha paid off with a well worked shot at goal from Katy pinging off a Nomads defender and into goal. Natasha then confidently followed it up with another levelling the match. A frantic final five minutes at the Saints defensive end put keeper Tara under a great deal of pressure from Nomads. Tara was saving shots with stick, kickers and off her pads to keep the final score level.The new goalie shorts and smock obviously made all the difference!

A well deserved draw with Ruby winning the opposition's player of the match, and Tara voted man of the match by her team-mates. A well deserved mention also to Natasha and Georgie who also played a great game of hockey.