ANNA NEILSON gets 50 for the season as ladies 1st XI win 6-0

Derby back on track.

The previous 2 weeks had seen Derby drop points for the 1st time this season and the trip to Ashbourne was going to be a true test of their character with this must win game. With a total change in approach to the pre-game the relaxed atmosphere of the changing room and warm up was a gamble but it paid off with great results.

From the 1st push back though it was Ashbourne who were the more threatening causing Derby problems on the break but they didn’t quite manage to find the final pass to worry the Derby defence. With only 2 goals in the last 2 games the biggest worry was could we get out of this poor run and return into our usual style of play and luckily Anna Neilsen did just that and the day turned into a day to remember for her.

On 11 mins Derby won their 1st penalty corner of the match. As the team settled the call came for “Take That” and up stepped Anna to rifle in her 48th Goal of the season to settle the Derby nerves at 1-0.

From this moment on Derby totally dominated the game with Captain Marie Dymond causing major problems for the Ashbourne defence with her marauding runs from right back and with both wings in fantastic form the Derby team were playing with total confidence.

Derbys 2nd goal on 14 mins came from an unlikely source with a brilliantly taken strike. Tash found herself driving down the left wing with Amanda offering support and from a great in-field pass the ball was slipped back to Tash who thundered in a great goal from 10 yards out that was almost priceless – Well it certainly cost coach Taylor £5.00 !!!!! – so funny.

With Derby now in full flow Ashbourne attempted to put as many players behind the ball as possible but Derby just kept on plugging away and creating chance after chance.

After a well won penalty corner on 23 mins by the superb Kath Lee it was time to show Derbys flair again from the well practiced penalty corner drills.

This time it was the call of “Elvis” from the huddle and following a slick move, Anna Neilson found herself unmarked 7 yds out to slam home Derbys 3rd and incredibly see her on the verge of greatness with her 49th of the season.

Unfortunately on 25 mins what appeared to be an innocuous ball on the foot by the Ashbourne centre half saw the game held up for 15 minutes as concern from the rest of the Ashbourne players as to the severity of the injury to their player, saw an ambulance called for and the player receive treatment in the vehicle for a damaged foot.

Last week Derby suffered a similar fate with the injury to Zoe and Coach Taylor pointed out just how it disrupted Derby after the restart and how important it was that Derby went at Ashbourne from the restart to re-impose themselves on the game.

That turned out to be another expensive comment!

On 32 mins once again brilliant wing play from Tash and Amanda saw Tash drive into the area and slip a superbly unselfish ball for Anna Neilsen to hit her 50TH GOAL OF THE SEASON…………………..and then be subbed off !!

Note to self: Do not offer Tash again the deal of £1.00 to Comic Relief for every Goal she sets up - now £6.00 !!

As ½ time came and with the game won the relief on the teams faces was evident for all to see and Derby set about cruising through the rest of the game with the flair they are truly capable of.

On 42 mins Derby won another penalty corner and as Marie Dymond created space for the shot she pushed the ball at the keeper who saved well only to see the ball bounce up to Amanda Petrie who slammed in the ball at waist high. Unfortunately though the umpire hadn’t seen Marie’s 1st effort and ruled the goal out for a too high shot.

However Marie was not to be outdone and on 45 mins from a terrific left side cross field ball she drove in at the near post to deflect the ball past a stranded keeper – a move straight from training on Tuesday Night - to send Derby up to 5-0.

NB: Marie was playing right back when she scored getting ahead of all the midfield and strikers !!!

But the final say was left to Anna Neilson as on 64 mins she again lost her marker inside the area to finish Derbys day at 6 – 0 and score her 51st goal of the season.

A comprehensive and thoroughly deserved win.

Coach Taylors Comments:

Thank God For That !!

I had a lot of concerns about todays match when you consider that we still had no 1st choice Keeper, Centre Back Zoe is out for the rest of the season, Right back Val was playing with a raging chest infection brought back from skiing and Captain Marie Dymond was having to fill in at Right and Centre back. On paper we certainly were weak at the back, but to a player they all played superbly.

Coming into this match on the back of a couple of very poor results and against a dangerous opposition I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Great goals, great passing, great team play, great Penalty Corner routines, great adaptations of training ground set plays and 51 goals for Anna…brilliant.

Everyone played superb today but for me there was one outstanding performance, Marie Dymond.

She has matured into a quite superb leader and now wears her armband with pride and is leading the squad very much from the front. Wherever she played today she dominated the play, weather it be her covering from centre back, her driving and distribution from right back and her crowning glory today, a great goal at the far post taken with aplomb. A thoroughly deserved Man of the Match performance.

Our next fixture is away at Ilkeston on the 23rd March which could possibly be for the league title, all support from those not playing would be appreciated.

Wooooooooooo Hoooooooooooo!