Ladies 1st V Belper Badgers

Derby Asterdale Ladies 1st have so far had a fantastic season with win after win after win and although all of the wins have been well deserved, never have they played as well as today.
Derby Ladies have recently recruited a new coach Andy Taylor who's structuring of the team is now apparent.

Derby started the game a little slow, still finding their feet in the game but soon the first goal was scored by Taran Badachha. Belper soon hit back with a defensive stance and no more goals could be scored in the first half.

Second half gave Derby a new boost to win as every pass was finding its player and movement off the ball was brilliant. This soon led to an influx of goals (and tons of missed opportunities). Goal after goal then found its way in the back of the Belper net leaving the final score at Derby 6 Belper 0.

Goals scored by:
Anna Neilson (4)
Taran Badachha (2)

Player(s) of the match this week for Derby Asterdale Ladies:
Kath Lee
Taran Badachha
Marie Dymond (Captain)
Ali Palin

Over all a fantastic performance!

View from the Bench

Right from the off today we began to see the changes in the team structure beginning to pay off, even in the changing rooms (the dirty Boys one’s) where the banter and team spirit was evident right from the meet time.

Just a little re-emphasing of our tactics and style of play was all the squad required today and they implemented these with absolute aplomb during the game.

From the off we pushed Belper onto the back foot with several early chances going astray but we were always aware of what a dangerous side they could be particularly on the counter attack and at times they showed just how good they are with clever intricate moves causing a few nerves within our team.

The nerves where soon quashed though as on 12 mins up popped the returning Taran for her 2nd game back with the 1’s to score Derby’s opener from close range.

The rest of the 1st half enabled me to try a few positional and tactical changes within particularly the forward line and wide midfield, which to all the players credit, didn’t disrupt their play at all. Marie and Kath at centre midfield where instrumental in stubbing out any threats from Belper and protecting the back line at times with consummate ease.

The 2nd half again saw some final changes to formation into how I would like to see the team potentially line up and what a period of Hockey it was.

With only 5 mins gone in the 2nd half we were awarded a penalty stroke after a Belper Player stopped the ball on the line with her foot. Up stepped Captain Marie Dymond and looked to place the ball at pace low to the keepers right only to see her pull off a remarkably agile move to get down to save.

Often this can put a team on the back foot but Derby's heads remained high and only 5 minutes later Marie more than made up for the missed opportunity.

She picked up the ball on the half way line and with Kath by her side began a move straight from the training ground. No fewer than 6 one two passes around the Belper midfielders and defensive line by Marie and Kath saw Marie able to slip a simple ball inside the Belper ‘D’ to Anna Nielson waiting on the back post who lifted the ball over the advancing keeper to double the score. WHAT A GOAL !!!!!

With confidence now high the flood gates began to open as the forward pairing of Anna Nielson and Taran Badachha proved just how dangerous they are.

Over the next 15 mins Anna scored her 2nd, 3rd & 4th Goals of the game closely followed with 5 mins to go by Taran doubling her tally for the day to finish the scoring at 6-0.

A terriffic performance.

I want to take a moment to mention the Belper Girls. They stood up to Derby today without any fear and proved just what strength in depth that club has. Led all the way by Ruth Lane in Midfield and Becky Lamb at the back they played excellent hockey that on another day may have provided them with a more positive result. Well done.

Back to Derby.

There was a very very poignant moment after the game when it was commented on that – “the team historically was carried by 2 or 3 players but now every players’ game has quickly risen to the levels of those 3 and there are without doubt now no passengers at all!” – this is a team of great individuals but more importantly one very united squad.

If you wanted a measure of the teams’ performance today after the match there were no fewer than 4 players who were joint Player of the Match, that says everything about a superb all round team performance.

We thoroughly deserve to be where we are and I am a very proud coach this morning.

Andy Taylor
Coach

CURRENT LEAGUE POSITIONS

Team…………………….. PLD…W…D…L.…F….A…DIF…PTS

DERBY ASTERDALE…..15…15…0…0…78…06…72…45

MATLOCK 3……………...14…11…1…2…35…11…24…34

BURTON 2………………...15…11…0…4…44…16…28…33

STAVELEY……........….13…10…0…3…59…17…42…30

BELPER 3………………....13…08…2…3…30…14…16…26

WOODLANDS…………….15…07…2…6…44…28…16…23