Late goals rob Derby of win against Leicester

I warned the squad players I had nick-names for each of them and today’s match report will out them all.

The KEY is at the bottom of the report but try and guess who without looking to the end first.

THE REPORT

The full squad of 15 (including 2 who were quite unwell- Squealer and Shorthouse) was available today and the visit of National League club Leicester to Wilsthorpe was eagerly awaited with positive thoughts all round for an anticipated win and 3 valuable points. But late goals robbed Derby of just that.


We started the match at a furious pace and forced Leicester onto the back foot from the off. Inside 3 minutes a great break from midfield saw Smurf and Sick Note drive through to create a great chance for Thwacker who today was to find another visiting keeper in great form, saving from close range.

The pressure we continued to exert over the next 15 mins on this Leicester team was at time relentless, with Little Miss Hard as Nails and Thwacker causing havoc inside the area but as chance after chance escaped us the doubts started to set in.

It was though an incredible save from Pit Bull that kept the scores level at half time as from a rare Leicester attack the centre forward managed to loose her marker, Aunty Thumper, and hit a great lifted shot only to find Pit Bull moving to her left pushing the ball high and wide of the post, a great save.

The change in tactics today also saw Captain Marvel thrive in her new role, constantly finding space to play and support the wide midfield players of Squealer, Derby’s IT Girl, Shorthouse & Lightweight.

As the half-time whistle blew the whole squad believed that Leicester were there for the taking! An early goal was needed in the 2nd half which duly came from a very unexpected source.

Within 6 mins of the re-start Derby began a great move starting from all the way back in our own D by Dizzy Dribbler. As she slipped the ball inside to Sick Note she continued with her run and took the ball back just inside the Leicester half. A quite brilliant mazy run saw Dizzy Dribbler carry the ball all the way into the Leicester area and fire home a great goal to finally give Derby the lead and take her tally for the season to a terrific 1!

Leicester still continued to try to play the expansive hockey they are capable of but each attack appeared to be snuffed out with ease as in particular left back “I’m not 34” cut out the threats with ease.

With just 15 mins to go Derby appeared to have put the match to bed as following a great left side move between “I’m not 34” and Sick Note, Sick Note created another great opening for Smurf who found a pin point pass to Derby’s IT Girl just outside the post who at the 2nd attempt put Derby 2-0 up from close range.

But only 4 mins later doubts again stirred as Leicester somehow contrived an opportunity and found a player unmarked outside the far post who slipped home a simple goal to bring the scores to 2-1.

We continued to press forward with Smurf in absolute imperious form, totally dominating the midfield and again creating several great opportunities.

But tragedy struck with just 2 mins left as a scrambled attempt from Leicester somehow found its way past the ever reliable Pit Bull to level the scores at 2-2.

Even I “Big Red” couldn’t believe what had happened but 2 mins is a long time in Hockey.

We finished the match encamped inside the Leicester D and in a cruel twist of fate following her best performance to date, it was Smurf who was again on the end of a great move just 2 yards out from goal with just the keeper to beat, but despite a valient effort she just couldn’t get the ball up and over the Leicester Keeper and her final attempt saw the ball go inches wide just as the final whistle blew.

An absolute tragedy for the whole team.

Without doubt we totally played Leicester off the park today, but again it seems that week after week we come across goalkeepers who appear to totally up their game when playing us and stop chance after chance after chance.

With league results not going too badly today again, we can still finish this half of the league in the safety zone of the top 5 with a win against Players next week.

Man of the Match today was a 3-way tie between:

“I’m not 34” / Dizzy Dribbler / Smurf













The Team Key (players used)

BIG RED………………………………......Your Coach Andy
CAPTAIN MARVEL………………….....Your Captain Marie
PIT BULL.....………………………….....Donna Carlisle
DIZZY DRIBBLER…………………….....Sally F
AUNTY THUMPER…………………......Val C
“I’M NOT 34”………………………….....Kelly O
DERBY’S IT GIRL…………………….....Amanda P
LIGHTWEIGHT………………………......Helena H
SQUEALER…………………………….......Donna W
SHORTHOUSE……………………….......Ali K
SMURF………………………………….......Laura S
SICKNOTE………………………….....…..Kath L
LITTLE MISS HARD AS NAILS………Taran B
THWACKER……………………………......Anna N