Ladies 1st XI Vs Cambridge City 4

Pelicans Ladies 1’s v Cambs City Ladies 4’s
Saturday 10th November 2018 at Cambridge.

Team – Atlanta Stevenson (GK), Laura Tea (C), Tracy Bower, Nic Lankfer, Ellie Burt, Grace Carrier, Mia Moore, Ellie Bower, Emily Pluck, Hannah Bowman, Poppy Beales and Annabelle Brown.

Pelicans Ladies 1sts were on the road for the second week running, travelling to Wilberforce Road, Cambridge on a glorious, cool but sunny autumn day. A number of players and coach Sam Tea were unavailable this week and Peli’s started with only the 11 on the pitch whilst Emily Pluck made her way to Cambs from a school match. Peli’s were in their customary diamond formation with Stevenson in goal, back three of Bowman left back, Tracy Bower centre back and Lankfer right back, Ellie Bower left midfield, Brown right midfield, Burt at the base of the diamond, Tea at the top of the diamond. Three player forward line up of Carrier left wing, Beales centre forward and Moore right wing.

Cambs City 4 sit a place below Pelis in the league and were well beaten last week by Long Sutton, a team Pelis had beaten 5-0 but they looked useful in the warm up and soon proved that was no flattery by going 1-0 up within 5 minutes of the start of the match. Pelis rallied and won a penalty corner on 15 minutes which was well struck by Poppy Beales drawing a fine save from the keeper. The resulting long corner saw a cross from Beales just evading Grace Carrier in the D when a goal beckoned. Pelis kept up the pressure as Mia Moore won possession just in the opposition half, beat the next player with great 3D skills before lofting the ball to Poppy Beales who took the pass in mid-air, drove into the D and calmly nutmegged the keeper. 1-1

Cambs responded almost immediately with a well worked move up field, strong cross across the D and calmly converted. 2-1 to Cambs. The second half opened with another strong Cambs move and a quick goal, 3-1 to Cambs. Pelis were not daunted and a deftly threaded through ball from Ellie Bower saw Poppy Beales beak into the Cambs D and with Grace Carrier in close support, round the keeper to score on the reverse. 3-2 and anyone’s game. Carrier made a superb break down the left wing, and with no passing option drove all the way into the Cambs D with the keeper just scrambling away what looked a certain goal. Moments later, Beales ran down a loose ball near the left baseline and with no pass on, struck a sweet reverse shot that cannoned off the post and out of play. A Cambs surge forward saw Peli’s centre back Tracy Bower take a clash of sticks on the thumb, her yelp indicating a painful knock. With Bower off the pitch and the unwell Moore coming off the bench, Peli’s were in temporary disarray and Cambs took advantage to knock in a further goal. 4-2 to Cambs and despite further chances with Moore going close from a short corner and Beales hitting the side netting, that was the final score.

A frustrating game for Pelicans who would have felt they could have won the game and were certainly good for the draw. The absence of one or two plyers and coach Sam Tea told, with Pelis obliged to play deeper than of late to soak up opposition pressure which blunted the creativity of Tea, Brown and Burt who all had good games. The biggest loss of the match is not the result with Peli’s still 5th in 2NW, but rather the broken thumb suffered by centre back Tracy Bower. Her solidity in defence, calm organisation and work rate will be sorely missed – best wishes for a swift recovery Tracy.

Player of the Match – Poppy Beales

Alistair Beales 11/11/18