Ladies 1st XI Vs Bourne Deeping 1

Pelicans Ladies 1sts v Bourne Deeping Ladies 1sts December 8th 2018 at Pelicans Hockey Club.

Team – Atlanta Stevenson (GK), Tracey Bower, Hannah Bowman, Nic Lankfer, Emily Pluck, Annabelle Brown, Laura Tea (C), Ellie Bower, Ellie Burt, Suzie Lemon, Grace Carrier, Poppy Beales, Gabby Stilgoe.  

Pelicans welcomed Bourne Deeping to Lynnsport looking to avenge a 2-1 loss in the first game of the season. An even match looked in prospect with Bourne Deeping 6th in the league and Pelicans 7th – albeit having scored a lot more goals than their opponents.

Bourne Deeping started strongly and carried the attack to Pelicans with their young left winger looking a particular threat. Pelicans having defended well, counter attacked with a fine pass from Laura Tea finding Poppy Beales who sped up the right wing pinging a cross into the well placed Annabelle Brown who was only denied by fine defending from Deeping. On 20 minutes, Deeping won a penalty corner which was well worked around the D drawing a fine save and clearance from Pelis keeper Stevenson.  

A great interception and drive forward from Tracy Bower sees her threading a pass through to Beales who bursts clear and into the D only to see her shot deflected comfortably wide by the Deeping keeper. Deeping step up their efforts and a wave of attacks put pressure on the Peli’s defence with particularly fine work by Emily Pluck doing much to keep them out. Another Deeping penalty corner is defended and cleared by Pluck. 

Pelicans begin to mount pressure with Gabby Stilgoe causing problems for the Deeping defence. On 30 minutes, Pelis win a penalty corner which is hit high and hard by Beales drawing a deflection off the Deeping keeper and nearly bundled over by Pelicans. Further short and long corners follow in a good spell for Pelicans, but Deeping just manage to keep them out. Finally, Suzie Lemon picks up the ball, drives into the D and unleashes a powerful strike which flies in off the keeper. 1-0 to Pelicans.  Just as Peli’s look forward to a half time lead, Deeping win a penalty corner which is neatly converted with a fine drag flick. 1-1

Pelicans started the second half well with Beales taking a high ball from Gabby Stilgoe under control in the opposition D, her 3D skills winning a penalty corner that was put narrowly wide via a well taken reverse from Laura Tea. Shortly afterwards, a strong shot from Pluck is neatly deflected in by Brown. 2-1 to Pelicans. 

Deeping pour forward searching for an equaliser and the Pelicans defence is under pressure for much of the second half but holds firm with a committed and hardworking display. With 10 minutes to go, Pelicans seem to have weathered the storm with Stilgoe, Beales and Carrier storming forward and Beales twice going close in the space of 5 minutes. Yet another Pelicans attack sees them exposed as Deeping pick up the ball deep in their own half and with a few well placed passes dispatch a strong and accurate shot past the Peli’s keeper. A fine goal but a tough one for Pelicans to take with 30 seconds on the clock. Final score 2-2 

Pelicans will see this as one that got away and will go into the Christmas break reflecting on a few matches where points have been dropped. On this occasion, fine defending and a particular deftness in intercepting the hard hit pass and the bobbling and airborne ball particularly from Tracy Bower, Tea, Burt and Pluck was let down by wayward or poorly weighted passes out from the back gifting hard won possession back to the opposition. Coach Sam Tea will no doubt work on the technical issues and Pelicans can look forward to the New Year with some optimism. 

A potentially controversial footnote to this game is that a simultaneous green card for Gabby Stilgoe and a Deeping player, appeared to result in the Deeping sub taking the field and the team retaining the full complement of 11 players. 

Players POM – Emily Pluck.