This was always going to be a big match for Women's 3s - taking on Top of the Table Abingdon at Home...both teams were out for the win as those points at this stage are like gold!
The 3s started off the match in fighting spirit, with multiple short corners given to them early in the first half, which were deftly defended by Abingdon but the 3s kept at it & tried every which way around them, but to no avail after a number of short corners given went wanting
However, soon after on the 12th minute another short was given and this time the 3s worked the ball around the D from Emily B injecting to top of the D to Ange & Liz across to Lucy & a slip to Emily B on the left post & she scored...taking us 1-0 up.
It was a hard-fought battle between two very determined teams for the rest of the first half but we went into half-time team talk still at 1-0 ahead.
There were a lot of great aspects of the game commended by Game Day Captain Liz Brooks & other senior members of the team with a request to keep the momentum and the passing up into the 2nd half.
Abingdon came out all guns blazing at the top of the 2nd half - it was like a completely different team, they were forceful, extremely physical and pushing hard to get on the scoresheet - which they did at 47minutes in after 10minutes of solid pressure on our defence. They scored from a short corner, getting past GK Katie (who was having a blinder of a game) with a little touch around the back from the baseline.
AHC 3s turned it around - they kept their heads-on and heads-up and played with a renewed vigour for the remainder of the 2nd half. Defence were solid as a rock, led by Katie, not letting anything past them again and our mids & forwards working the ball beautifully to one another with great passing and communication.
Something was due to give - someone was going to score, both teams were pushing hard, working hard, defending hard but you could feel it in the air, in the dying minutes of the game it could go either way...and with a beautifully placed ball in from Lexi to Ava to the p-spot to Chloe, she stuck her stick out with the right angle to touch on the ball sweetly past the opposition Goalie into the right-hand corner of the goal on the 68th minute to give AHC 3s the winning goal.
We took home the win 2-1 against a very tough & determined opposition, but we held on, we fought hard, we worked for one another & we communicated wonderfully with each other and thoroughly enjoyed the win with a delicious Teas back at the Clubhouse.