A “Flawless Dymond” leads Derby to victory against Ashbourne

Ashbourne Lds 1st XI 2 - 4 Derby Ladies 1st XI

Today we visited our near neighbours and old adversaries Ashbourne. Following last weeks victory confidence was high despite the loss of several key players during the week.

Keeper Lisa was unavailable through work commitments, Ali is now in a cast with her broken thumb and Jenny had family commitments. With these losses it could easily have disrupted the team in this key game, but as I have previously said we now have great strength in depth and with the re-introduction of Val back into this weeks squad all the components were now in place.

We started on the back foot as Becky Drew and Vicki Fox of Ashbourne did all they could to put pressure on our back line. But with Marie in imperious form Vicki time and time again came up against tackling of the highest order, Laura took the role of taking care of Becky and these 2 key factors enabled us to begin to take control.

An early injury to Amanda ( a real one, as she put it “I’m not puling a ***” ) saw Val introduced and fill the hole we know she is capable of doing.

As we began to dominate Kath Lee over and over again drove at pace leaving Ashbourne players continually in her wake and unable to contain some quite brilliant individual skills.

On 16 mins Val overlapped down the right eventually receiving a great return ball from Helena and as she made it all the way into the ‘D’ she powered a ball across the face of goal which Anna intercepted and shot from the tightest of angles beating the keeper to give us a deserved 1-0 lead and sending Anna into raptures, again scoring against her home town club. Ashbourne 0 – 1 Derby.

As our confidence grew we started to play great flowing Hockey, ‘H’ on the wing was causing havoc and Kelly with Theresa and Marie supporting just stopped any threats Ashbourne tried to create.

From the side you felt it was only a matter of time before more goals came. A rather robust challenge in the Ashbourne ‘D’ saw us awarded a penalty corner. As Marie looked to the sideline for the set play call I think she was shocked to see the call of “its you!”

A great injection and stop saw Marie able to crash home a sumptuous strike to double our lead. Ashbourne 0 – 2 Derby.

But the 1st half scoring wasn’t over with just yet.

As Ashbourne drove towards our ‘D’ again Marie put in a fantastic tackle, she slipped the ball out to Laura who placed a pinpoint pass to Taran who took the ball on the run and drove at the Ashbourne keeper. In an act of teriffic team play and unselfishness she drew the keeper out and perfectly slipped the ball square to Anna who, with the Keeper scrambling back, took the first time slap lifting the ball over the helpless keeper to send all watching into huge rounds of applause at a perfectly executed goal. Ashbourne 0 – 3 Derby.

It could have been even more as Anna was blatently up ended inside the area by the keeper as she drove through the back of Anna. As she got up and challenged for the ball the look on her face was a picture as in disbelief she – along with a lot of the rest of the team – saw the decision go in favour of the keeper when all knew it should have resulted in a Penalty Stroke instead.

As half time came I reminded the players that we were in no way safe yet and must remain focussed. Ashbourne are a dangerous team, remember they finished last season as runners-up scoring a bag full of goals along the way.

But we were not prepared for what we were to encounter during the following 35 mins. The game at times turned into a farce as decision after decision was given against us with every offence within our own 25 mtr line being punished by a penalty corner to Ashbourne, despite at times the most innocuous of offences and 50/50 tackles occurring.

Within 15 minutes Ashbourne were right back in the game as following 2 of the 6 “Corners” awarded during this period Ashbourne scored to bring it all back making the score Ashbourne 2 – 3 Derby.

The discipline of the whole team was exemplary in coping with the diversity of umpiring decisions between one end of the pitch and the other. Even I at one stage was warned with a yellow card for making a substitution too far away from the ½ way line, I didn’t realise 6 mtrs from ½ way was too far.

But we did have the last word.

With 10 to go we were awarded a penalty corner. Again Marie looked for the set play call, again I called "its you". As Marie got the set play team in place she said to Anna "Andy's called me but I think it should be you Anna "

Marie though trusted the call. She stepped up at the Penalty Corner to strike hard at goal, the Ashbourne defender desperatly stretched out to stop the shot but the power Marie generated saw the ball just deflect in to complete the scoring at Ashbourne 2 – 4 Derby.

Summary

We thouroughly deserved the win today and were the better team for huge portions of the game. The girls coped with the multi player loss this week superbly and the re-structuring worked. Ellie stepped in to goal and proved her worth with some great saves but always looked comfortable, ‘H’ was brilliant again as were the whole midfield 4. Anna and Taran played superb games, working as a true striking pair and at times cutting Ashbourne to pieces.

But I have to give 2 special mentions.

Marie.

In the car park after the game Laura commented about Marie with the one term that typified her performance today – COMPLETE ALLROUND GAME.

Everything she did today was exemplary, her tackling, distribution, 2 goals and most importantly her leadership and Captaincy could not be faulted by anyone. On any other day this would have been a man of the match performance but for one other player.

Kath.

Where she gets her energy from who knows but from the first whistle to the last she truly never stopped.

She continually found spaced and made passing to her very simple, her own use of the ball saw her with a pass completion rate (if I had to estimate) into the high 90% success rate. So many times Ashbourne were left in her wake, unable to even get close to Kath to tackle her let alone prevent her dictating the play in the midfield.

A superb individual display that enabled the whole team to play with confidence and style. Just Brilliant Kath.


Goals

Anna Neilson x 2 (op, op)
Marie Dymond x 2 (pc, pc)

Cards

Nil

Man of the Match (wig of wonderment)

Kath Lee


Don’t forget training this week for the ladies 1st XI is at Mackworth 8-9pm


Oh and Yes, you have a happy coach tonight.

well done girls - sounds like it was a real thriller, nail biter, exemplary performance showing both great skill and determination - sorry tohave missed it - sounds like there should be many happy households tonight!
lots of love
ali

Well done everyone on a fantastic team performance! Best game of the season so far - really enjoyed it! Think we looked great at times!

Well done to Ellie for stepping into Lisa's boots! No small task!

And welcome back Val - always feel safe with Auntie Val at the back!!

Bring on Loughbrough!

Well done Ladies...... ....

Was thinking of you whilst i was umpiring at Southwell, with fingers crossed.. Sounds as though you had the match well in your control though.

Shame about the some of the decisions....it can make you feel frustrated an annoyed, but the simple answer is to continue to play the game to your high standards and you'll get your rewards.....

Hope you continue the winning run into next weeks game at Loughborough...

Lisa, Though you were amazing sat behind your desk at work...!!! exemplary performance as always....

See you all monday, and for a drink in the pub after..

Well Done girls - sounds like a top performance !! )