Ladies 3rd XI Vs Belper 3

BELPER 3RDS 4 - DERBY 3RDS 0

Season 2018/19 began with a friendly fixture at Belper, which we knew would be a hard challenge but typical of our fixtures for the season.

Belper were happy to show us their new club house, in which we can at last enjoy the luxury of hot showers and clean changing rooms (be careful of the broken bench Ruth sat on!) . More important is the disabled lift for Jan and myself, to reach after match teas! We must be escorted though.

The game had a familiar ring to it with Belper on the front foot, but us attacking them well on the break. While we missed converting 3 good chances in the first half they converted one of theirs, following a strangely twice taken free hit, which caught out our marking. On the whole, with Ellie (the elder! how ageist! you don't have to be old in this team to be discriminated against) saving well and the defence marking soundly this was a good first half.

Was it early season lack of fitness, defensive substitutions, or Belper being more clinical in the second half, whichever, they were by far the stronger, and although we still created a few chances we didn't have enough force up front and conceded 3 more goals, two from penalty corners. This was a game we will learn a great deal from ready to start the league season. I'm not spending every Sat afternoon writing about us losing!

On a happier note Liverpool beat Spurs 2 -1 to maintain their perfect start to the season, and the team welcomed youth in the person of Ella, and experience back in Colette.

While it's good to be back safe in my home (I appreciate being taken out for the day) I realise that many of my fellow residents are quite sane compared with you lot. After all we have Alex (I know I don't know the rules) locking herself out of her car at Belper, and Jules (with the most beautiful kitten, Henry, her new excuse for lateness) locking herself out of her house. She was last seen disappearing over the neighbours 6 foot wall! I've managed to get out of the bath with the type writer intact, and am now ready for geriatric bingo. 

I got the honour of writing this report because I won MOM by 1 vote from Rachel, Ha Ha.

We thank Sue for umpiring and helping us with rules during chip butties, and Ella's dad for being our only fan.