Ladies 3rd XI Vs Buxton 1

BUXTON 1STS 4  -  DERBY 3RDS 1

What a lovely day for a jaunt in the Derbyshire countryside. I was up here for a holiday only 2 weeks ago and here we are for a Saturday game.

Buxton have started well so we knew we were in for a hard game. This was made harder with Kerry out ill, Jan and Ruth suffering and only 11 players. Good for the fitness training. Odders starred in goal in the absence of Gemma, and the rest of us found a position, somewhere! 3 of us failed to find the changing rooms and happily changed in some lovely school hall, before warming up around the school grounds.

On the whole this was an even game though I suppose in fairness they were more clinical than us. The first half saw them score 3, off not many more attacks. The first was poor marking at a short. The second following poor marking, had the ball stuck in Julie's pads, but they dealt with the freed ball quicker. The third followed an horrendous kick forward by their CF so doesn't count!

In the meantime our team, beginning to gel together in week four, and understand each others play better, pushed forward and had numerous shots on goal, which their outstanding keeper saved. Claire, Sue, Alex, and  Steph pushed through and Ella and Jan worked tirelessly up front. We did everything but score.

Second half, and Claire had convinced us all we were just saving ourselves for this, saw a match of great intensity, totally equal, and a 1-1 draw.

Rach dived around, sat on the floor, and even tried to tackle having lost her stick. How can such effort not get any MOM votes? Ruth, Amy and I marked all we could  and the opposition were forced to play much deeper. Jan won a stroke following a great shot, which Claire calmly converted. Unfortunately they scored a fourth late on when Odders was left facing an unmarked forward, but this was a great performance across a very tired team.   

Julie "abandoned" Jan in the changing room, and then we both headed for the "No entry" exit road from refreshments!

I had the joy of dropping Sue off at her Care Home in Chellaston. Didn't realise this was where they were moving to!

Thanks to Biff for umpiring.

MOM votes : Alex and Claire 3 each, Ella 2, Ruth and I 1 each.