| Match Report |
Pelicans Ladies 1’s v St Ives Ladies 2’s
13th October at Pelicans Hockey Club
Team – Atlanta Stevenson (GK), Laura Tea (C), Tracy Bower, Emily Pluck, Nic Lankfer, Holly Nash, Lucy Lim, Annabel Brown, Ellie Burt, Mia Moore, Poppy Beales, Emily Tomkins and Meghan Howard.
Pelicans Ladies 1sts welcomed St Ives Ladies 2 to Lynnsport on an unseasonably warm and sunny autumn afternoon (around 25 degrees C). Pelicans coach Sam Tea had a full squad at her disposal and the team looked strong in the warm up routines and ready for a good match.
Pelicans started strongly and with only 2 minutes gone, Holly Nash saw a strong airborne shot well saved by the St Ives keeper. Pelicans won a penalty corner minutes later which St Ives kept out, but Pelicans kept up the pressure, and with just under 15 mins gone, Poppy Beales flicked a lovely little pass into the D to Lucy Lim whose shot was smothered by a grounded keeper. A further short to Peli’s and the rebound from a powerful straight strike was stopped on the line by a St Ives foot. Penalty stroke. Ellie Burt stepped up and flicked strong and high towards the left corner, rebounding off the keeper and into the net. 1-0 to Pelicans.
The play was now nearly all Peli’s with great work in midfield from Meghan Howard and Annabelle Brown set up by solid tackling and distribution from Tracy Bower at centre back and Laura Tea at the top of the diamond. Lucy Lim driving into the D won the latest of a series of Pelicans short corners which was slipped to Laura Tea, across to Ellie Burt and a great reverse strike. 2-0 to Pelicans. Moments later, Emily Tomkins drove down the right wing, squared to Poppy Beales who surged into the D, weighting a pass for the well placed Mia Moore on the far post to sweep home. 3-0 to Pelicans. As half time approached, Annabel Brown drove into the D, flicked from a tight angle and scored. A great goal! 4-0 to Peli’s.
Pelis continued to dominate and soon after the break, Poppy Beales pounced on a loose ball in the D and swept it home. 5-0 to Peli’s. Moments late the youthful trio of Poppy Beales, Mia Moore and Emily Tomkins raced forward towards an overloaded defence – Poppy Beales smashing home to make it 6-0. Another break saw the increasingly confident Emily Tomkins drive into the D and power a shot into the left corner. 7-0.
Laura Tea continued her dominance of midfield and weighted a delightful pass into Mia Moore whose silky stick skills in the D culminated in a neat pass to Emily Pluck, well taken for 8-0. Peli’s continued to win short corners which were well defended by St Ives who, despite the flood of Pelis goals continued to keep their shape and play good hockey. This endeavour was rewarded in the closing minutes when St Ives won a short corner which saw a powerful straight strike deflected into the goal.
Final score 8-1 to Pelicans.
A great performance from Pelicans who are really seeing the benefit of Sam Tea’s coaching and her game management from the dugout and via substitutions. The youthful influx into the team will have tougher days but their pace will be a problem for any defence and allied with the knowledge and skills of the experienced players, the team looks to have great potential.
Player of the Match – Tracy Bower. (Well deserved for a fine display of tackling and distribution and rather a lot of hard running on a very warm autumn day).
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