Pinch PUNCH...

Due to what some might call an odd request, especially from a university team with 2 hours to travel, to move our match to 10AM we got the honour of being the first to play on the new pitch. Being the early start we also got a little longer to suss out its idiosyncracies; uneven bounce and a few sandpits being the major challenges.

Leeds Uni came out of the blocks hard and the first 10 mins was one way traffic. Becks had given us the target of winning a short corner in that period. Sadly it was our opposition who won that challenge getting a couple on the bounce. It was clear they had a range of routines at their disposal and yet it was a lucky deflection from a straight strike that sent the ball out of Amy's reach and into the back of the net- it was the first goal of the day and the first scored on our new pitch.

The pressure on our defence only increased after the goal and with the midfield being drawn into the battle we found it hard to break down their press and get the ball out to the forward line. Despite that our organisation and communication meant the back five of myself, Jenny, Emily, Zoe and Rachel held strong as a unit.

It was clear this was going to be a game where the chances would be few and we'd need to make them count. In our first significant period of possession we mounted an attack that yielded a short corner. Becca’s straight strike was saved by the keeper, as was the follow up from Katie on the right post. It was third time lucky however as Chloe put the rebound away to level the scores.

In the process of stealing the ball off the end of an attacker's stick at the top of the D, Katie was on the wrong end of the striker's follow through. Sadly her first game of the season ended there, along with a trip to A&E (no bones broken, thankfully).

Unfortunately the scoreline didn’t stay level for long. Leeds scored two in quick succession and left everyone a little stunned. As our high forward, Lottie looked most likely to get us back into the game. Putting pressure on players moving the ball across their back line she pounced on a loose pass but her shot was wide.

Leeds closed out the half with a fourth goal when they won the goal line scramble as a short corner strike came back into play off the post.

In a reshuffle at half time, Emily moved into midfield to open up our range of passing options. This decision paid off immediately when she found herself on the penalty spot ready to receive a cross. Once again though the Leeds keeper made the save.

Overall, our second half play was much better and the game felt more open. We came out with calm heads, picking the right passes and maintaining possession. Bobi and Chell came deep to receive the ball and this opened up the space behind for overlapping runs from Hannah and Chloe in midfield and the wing backs Zoe and Alice.

Our next best chance to score came when Rachel released the ball to Emily who, beating a couple of defenders, found herself 1-on-1 with the keeper. Yet again it was the keeper who came out on top and smothered the shot.

Late in the game Leeds Uni added a fifth, isolating a lone defender for a 2-on-1 then slotting ball into corner of the goal.

We came out of the game battered and bruised, not feeling the scoreline reflected the hard work put in.

Player of the match: Chloe