Weekend Round Up 13/10/18
GOOD WIN FOR THE ONES
After the disappointment of the loss the previous week, the team were keen to pull together and put their stamp on this weekend’s game. Timperley are a side we haven’t seen much of but as a long established club and with mixed results to date we expected a strong and competitive battle. The game started off at an incredibly fast pace and a couple of defensive errors saw Leicester concede an early goal. Not to be deterred though the team picked up their heads and began to pile on the pressure. Flora England pulled one back and just before half time Leicester made it 2-1 with Liz George finishing off a penalty corner.
In the second half Leicester applied more pressure and created opportunity after opportunity and after a fantastic build up and a series of deft passes, the ball was calmly slotted home by Liz George to make it 3-1.
Timperley’s physicality and strength never let up, and they came close to more goals towards the end but Captain Caitlin Jeffries and new signing Emma Yanzi kept the defence solid and watertight! A good result, against a strong side that the team will be pleased with, that takes us back to mid table with a few points between Leicester and top of the table Ben Rhydding, lets hope we don’t see the blustery gales and strong winds again!
LEICESTER UNABLE TO CONVERT CHANCES
Leicester started the brighter of the two sides creating a number of opportunities that failed to test the goalkeeper. The game continued in this manner with chances falling to Sandy, Kitty and Harriet as well as six first half penalty corners. Despite their best efforts Leicester couldn’t break the stalemate. A few minutes before half time it was North Notts who broke the deadlock. Leicester lost possession and failed to react quick enough with a trademark long ball from the opposition finding an unmarked forward to ran though to score past Jenna.
The second half followed a similar pattern with Leicester dominating possession, chance creation and short corners but failing to convert. Once again a long ball forward found a North Notts player, with three of the opposition bearing down on her Jenna was stranded as they passed the ball into an open goal.
Despite all their chances Leicester failed to score and with North Notts 5th meaningful attack of the game they won and scored their only penalty corner. Five meaningful attacks, 3 goals. A fantastic conversion rate.
Leicester did manage to get a goal back a few minutes from full time with Lydia finishing calmly after some good play down the left.
A frustrating day where had Leicester converted their chances they would have walked away with three points.
THREES BACK TO WINNING WAYS
What can I say about the 3s this week. Last week, at Half Century, we were bullied off the ball, lacked conviction in most facets of our play and I don't deny I feared a similar outcome. My lack of confidence however was misplaced. Roshni arrived a minute before push back and we started the match a GK down but were strong in the tackle, moved the ball at pace and looked much more positive in attack.
Jess, Emma and Anna organised the defence brilliantly and arguably when the lack of GK was not an issue. That's not to say I was not pleased to see Cas rock up LATE....Simran, Elise and Roshni carried the ball very well in the right areas of the pitch, Karen organised everything and showed why we missed her so much last week and Katie and Anna C did a great job mixing it up by being equally physical around the pitch. The movement was great up front, Lauren, Chiara and Caitlin moved the Melton defence around as much as Melton were willing, with a little more clinical striking we could, and deserved, more goals.
Scoring goals against 11 players in the final quarter is never an easy task. When I regrettably left at half time, I felt we deserved to be a goal or two in front. A combination of composure and execution in attack restricting our ability to take a lead into the second half. We need to get high in the circle, get in front of the GK and turn defences around.
What followed was a 45 minute drive where no-one kept me informed about the state of play on the pitch. If this happens again there will be consequences. I may demand matches are streamed so I can watch the game while driving. The police will understand.
I eventually was informed that we had won 1-0. Same result as last season, a similar game and a good effort. The key takeaway for me, Anna K is a nasty piece of work when in front of the goal, literally trying to take someone's head off while scoring and what a seriously important improvement as a team from last week. I also saw Anna C smile, I did not get it on camera but I saw it and so did Roshni. We deserved more last week but got our reward this week. Possession across the pitch, movement into the right areas must now result in greater quality in the circle. Much to work on but a great win.
Congrats to Jess for her Player of the Match performance.
Thank you everyone for making my pre-game snack in Burton so enjoyable. I was seriously chuffed to hear the result
Squad: Cas Evans (GK), Simran Sambi, Caitlin Pittham, Anna Kendall, Katie Evans-Puttick, Roshni Francis, Lauren Clough, Elise Atkinson, Jess Duffy, Karen Dixon, Anna Chapman, Emma Richards, Chiara Bensi
FOURTHS OFF THE MARK AT ASHBY
After two very tough opening games against our own 3rds and Loughborough Students 4ths our 4ths had a more enticing prospect in this match against Ashby 2nds. Before the match we lost keeper Cas Evans to the 3rds, whose GK was AWOL. With no time to pull in another keeper we played with 11 outfield players. Initially, we took the game to Ashby and almost took the lead but their keeper was in good form. Ashby’s first attack exposed the problem of not having a goalie when they got behind our defence for a clonk into goal. We continued to press, with our three debuting players from DMU showing well, but Ashby’s keeper stood firm.
In the second half we dominated and from a well-struck Libby Haward penalty corner we reacted to the rebound and Sophie Levy nabbed her first goal in adult hockey. Our defence was well on top but we needed a goal line clearance from Anna Godwin to stay level. Up the other end a fast break saw Maisie Brownlow combine with Tara Bahra and when the ball went across goal Helen White was there to push the ball over the line. For the last five minutes we played good containing hockey in the top quarter to run out 2-1 winners.
Squad: Sarah Levy, Marion Godwin, Anna Godwin, Alexia Scudamore, Abi Archer (Happy 18th Birthday), Amelia Gullett, Sophie Levy, Beth Warburton, Helen White, Maisie Brownlow, Libby Haward and Tara Bahra.
GONE WITH THE WIND
Thanks to the very strong winds up at LGS this was most definitely a game of two halves. Playing with the wind in the first half the 5ths took a 3-0 lead against Ashby 3rds, all three notched by goal-hungry Lydia Cross. The first was all her own work nipping the ball past their keeper. The second included a tennis smash before the ball was forced home and the third was a fine team goal with Lydia making sure after a cross-shot from young debutant Eleanor Partridge (yes, other family members came to watch). We forced a few short corners and maybe should have had another when the ball was under their keeper for a couple of days. Ashby broke and from their attack the ball was under Aleena Moti’s kicker for a second or two and a penalty stroke was awarded and dispatched.
The second half into the wind was tougher altogether for the 5ths and Ashby came more into the game, scoring from a penalty corner and threatening the goal on occasions but Aleena and the defence was equal to the threat. Ails Bullivant was especially defiant in defence and earned the Player of the Match award from Ashby. In the end a 3-2 win was ground out.
Squad: Aleena Moti (GK), Rosemary Jacques, Hazel McSweeney, Ails Bullivant, Jane Cottrell, Gaynor Nash, Catherine Smith, Alex Peet, Jen Pollock, Eleanor Partridge, Joy York and Lydia Cross.
TWO FROM TWO
Leicester City went into their second game of the season following a week off and a long journey out to Burton on Trent to face Barton 4s. Both sides showed intent in the first exchanges of the game but Barton's young forward line stepped up to the plate and played the ball around the City defence well, creating chances against stand in GK Daryl Boyce. James Francis was unlucky with his 3D skills to take the ball around the Barton defence was deemed dangerous. The pressure told as Barton played well down the right as City failed to track their players into the D and playing the ball off a City foot in the D and calming putting the ball away on the near post. The pressure continued to mount from Barton in and around the D with some interesting unihoc/ice hockey stick skills winding up the older City contingent and causing some arguments with the Umpires. Frustration continued to build and Barton scored their second goal from a short corner. City created opportunities for the forward line with some great balls into space and the forwards working hard to carry the ball into the D but Barton held tight or shots went off target of goal and didn't challenge the keeper. The best opportunity arguably came from a great aerial from Ethan Pittham from half way to David Magill who was unable to get hold of the ball under pressure from Barton. Players worked hard in all areas of the pitch and despite creating opportunities Leicester were unable to capitalise and Barton relished the physical challenge in the tackle. Super subs Jamie Sinclair and Nic White arrived with 5-10 minutes of the half left and immediately made an impact, both players worked hard to galvanise the side and begin to take hold of the game. The breakthorugh came for Leicester when Jamie and JB were able to link up through the centre of the pitch with 1:2s for Jamie to slot the ball home and create a positive atmosphere going into half time despite being 2-1 down.
The second half was fairly even to start with but Leicester kept their heads as the game became feisty and tackles started coming in thick and fast! Ehren, Paul and Henry were given plenty to do in defence and Boycie put in a great shift in goal. Brothers Ben and Jamie linked up well to create opportunities and Jamie stepped up the pressure has he put another goal away from open play- 2-2 and GAME ON! Conor Maher fought hard on the right hand sideline carrying the ball into the attacking 23 with tackle after tackle coming in hard and won a short corner opportunity. A drag from David Hill hit the post man on target and a flick was awarded. Decision made Jamie would take the flick and calmly put Leicester into the lead 3-2. Leicester did not change the intensity and desire to score and Barton came back hard looking to draw level or win the game all the way into the dying seconds of the game. David Hill who had tirelessly battled in midfield was deemed to have deliberately broken down play with his foot was carded and finished the game on the side of the pitch with only a minute and a half left to play, Leicester however had done enough to see the game out 3-2. Commiserations to James who had to leave the pitch in the second half due to a hamstring injury on his club debut!
A huge thanks to Ben Sinclair who played despite running the half marathon and Daryl Boyce for standing in in goal and running the full marathon on Sunday!
The game was a hard old slog but shows the other sides in the league City are a team with real intent, bring on next week and the side's first home fixture as they take on West Bridgford 9s 3:30 pb
Squad: Daryl Boyce (GK), Ben Sinclair, Conor Maher, David Hill, David Magill, Ehren Chapman, Ethan Pittham, Jasraj Bhatia (JB), James Francis, Jamie Sinclair, Henry Young, Nic White, Paul Lineham
