Cards galore

What have we learned so far this season? Well, after forgetting the balls for last week’s match, Alice forgot the GK kit for training. It’s clear the new captain needs supervision so she had a checklist supplied for everything needed for matchday... including her own kit.

In a first for the 2s, everyone arrived within 5 minutes of the meet time. However, that didn’t stop Nikki and Zoe trailing the rest of the team out to the pitch, delayed by their usual philosophical conversations.

After a full 40-minute warm-up we started the game on the front foot with a quick turnover. Good link up play between Jenny and Nikki on the left was a test for the Uni’s defence which appeared a little disorganised. Keeping up the pressure we won an early short corner. The initial shot was saved and rebound put wide.

Uni started to get in to the game with a period of possession but they were struggling to find the right pass in their attacking 23.

More forays in attack on our left and some quick thinking from Jenny brought the first green card of the match. It was given to a Uni player for repeatedly not retreating 5 metres.

With both teams now up and running play was relatively even. Our diamond of Chloe, Becca, Isla and Pippa worked well to both protect the middle of the pitch and provide an outlet to link defence and attack.

Things shifted when, towards the end of the half, the Uni started to find those passes in the final 23 and won a couple of short corners in a row. The first tested our new defensive short corner setup and the resulting shot was saved. The second was slipped left and the strike beat the keeper and rattled the back board to put us 1-0 down.

We had to weather the storm again with a short corner given just as the whistle went to end the half. This time the shot was saved and cleared, so we went into the break with all to play for.

The equaliser came not long after the restart from our combined forward line of Tiny Bob. Bobi carried the ball up the right wing, beat a couple of defenders and sent the cross in for a diving Tiny to get the final touch putting the ball past the keeper.

A change in score line brought another push from the Uni who kept our defence under pressure for a sustained period. Staying well organised we swiftly dispatched any shots and dealt with the few shorts they won.

The next event of the half came out of nothing. When Emily was unsure where to place the ball for a free hit the umpire got impatient. Finding his instructions unhelpful Craggs, our stand in keeper, politely asked if he could be more clear. This didn't go down well and the umpire went to his pocket and brought out a green card. The remaining 10 players on the pitch managed to keep the Uni at bay for the 2 minutes minus a keeper, bar a couple of heart in the mouth moments when the ball was turned over.

Yet another green card was awarded, this time for a Uni player taking a shot on goal after the whistle had gone, her hit lifted dangerously toward Emily’s head. She protested (expecting a warning before being given a card) and this resulted in the captains being called over. They were warned that any more aggressive play or back chat and the next card would be a yellow.

As the game tipped in to the last quarter Pippa took a free hit just inside our half releasing Lottie on the right wing. In an almost carbon copy move to our first goal she beat a couple of defenders and sent a cross in for the diving form of Tiny to send into the back of the net.

Searching to get back on level pegging the Uni pushed all their players forward heaping yet more pressure on our defence. This came to a head when Zoe was given a yellow card for pushing into the ball carrier. Her protest shout of “But her arse was in my face!” didn’t do anything to convince the umpire to change his mind. The resulting short corner was dealt with confidently by the remaining defence.

Down a player and with five minutes left to play the only thought was to protect the ball. There’s no one better in this situation than Chell who came back for our hit out and calmly walked the ball up the other end of the pitch where she combined with Bobi to win a short. Our shot went wide but the Uni seemed unaware that their time was running out. In no rush to take their hit out, the final whistle blew before they could get the ball past our press and we secured our first points of the season.

Player of the Match: Pippa