Ladies 1st drop points again with 1-1 draw

Ladies 1st XI finding it hard work to cross the finishing line.

Prior to today with just 5 games to go Asterdale 1st XI knew just 3 wins would be enough to be assured of the Championship Title for 2008 but again the opposition at Wilsthorpe on Saturday came with a game plan which almost proved to be disastrous for Derby.

Woodlands arrived with a plan to put as many bodies behind the ball as possible and for around 80% of the match they did just that.

Derby dominated the opening exchanges but just could not put the final touches together inside the ‘D’ to start the scoring, even when Derby did score from what appeared to be a perfectly legal strike this was ruled out for an unseen foot inside the area much to everyone surprise on the Derby team and obvious relief from Woodlands.

With the loss of Lisa in goal until April due to her returning to India, the last thing Derby needed was to lose another influential player. But on 18 mins what appeared to be a quite innocuous challenge on centre back Zoe, saw her fall to the ground in agony with what was later diagnosed as a badly dislocated shoulder.

This meant that Captain Marie Dymond was forced into playing the Centre Back role and influential midfield player Ali having to go to right back. The shuffle certainly disrupted Derbys flow and on several occasions Woodlands were allowed to break out of defence and threaten the Derby Goal, but thanks to a couple of good saves from Gill Howarth the teams went in at half time 0 – 0.

Within 2 minutes of the restart disaster struck again for Derby when from Woodlands 2nd penalty corner of the match a teriffic strike saw the ball hit the back board leaving keeper Gill no chance and sending Woodlands into the lead at 1-0 much to the great pleasure of the travelling supporters.

Derby however are made of stern stuff and absolutely peppered the Woodlands area for the next 20 mins, but with at times over 18 players in the ‘D’ the “backs to the wall” defending of Woodlands was truly impregnable.

From one of these attacks though Derby won a penalty corner, from a well planned move Anna Neilsen found herself alone 6 yards out from goal and swept a brilliant lifted ball towards the Woodlands goal only to see the keeper pull off the save of her life to deflect the ball wide of the post, an incredible save that left Derby wondering if this was going to be another cruel day at Wilsthorpe.

But with just 6 mins to go from possibly Derbys 20th attack of the ½ it was left to Captain Marie Dymond to score what could be an absolutely priceless goal with a reverse stick strike from 8 yards out giving the Woodlands keeper no chance levelling the scores at 1-1.

Despite constant battering of the Woodlands goal Derby just couldn’t put the ball over the line and another 2 pts went begging with the final score finishing at 1 – 1.

Coach Taylor Commented:

From my school days I always remember my Julies Caesar and the infamous quote of “Beware the Ides of March”

Quote:……

Caesar summoned the Senate to meet in the Theatre of Pompey on the Ides of March. A certain seer warned Caesar to be on his guard against a great peril on the day of the month of March which the Romans call the Ides; and when the day had come and Caesar was on his way to the senate-house, he greeted the seer with a jest and said: "The Ides of March has come," and the seer said to him softly: "Yes, the Ides of March has come, but it has not passed.”

The “Ides” could be represented by Staveley last week or indeed Woodlands this, but what concerns me is the final line - "Yes, the Ides of March has come, but it has not passed.” Well I can assure you it HAS!

March has not been kind to us but we will get through this tough period. The girls are playing good hockey & just can’t seem to put the ball away at the moment but we are too good to let a 2 week blip ruin our season. Donna in the middle of the park was superb today deservedly winning her another Man of the Match vote and Kath came off with more blood injuries than is possibly healthy.

Marie Dymond led by example today and is showing just what a superb Captain and leader she is and despite the disruption to the formation I am sure on another day we would have scored possibly 5.

We are not worried but we do need to get back on track in next weeks tough encounter away at Ashbourne.

We can still afford to drop a further 3 points but we must now just follow the old adage of “Just Take It A Game At A Time” and start to relax.

Things will be OK.

TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
DERBY ASTERDALE	22	20	1	1	106	10	96	61
MATLOCK 3	19	16	1	2	54	13	41	49
STAVELEY	19	15	0	4	81	21	60	45