A disappointing defeat after a tenacious team performance

The 2s were out in force this wet Saturday morning. Salisbury 3s were only just below us in the league so it was always going to be a tight game. Within the first 5 minutes, we had taken the lead thanks to a persevering Verity Langfield taking on the goalie’s deflections and defiantly pushing the ball into the backboard. A surge of confidence resulted from this early goal and we played some the best hockey yet this season. Pacey, smart passes in the middle between Ciara Blackstock and Kitty Cleaver were supported by a strong defensive front of Sarah Kendall and Helena Clarke. Unfortunately, Salisbury played to our confidence, taking the scoring to 1-2. However, Jamie Parsons took a starring role in the D, scoring two goals in quick succession from the penalty spot before half-time. 3-2 at half-time and we were so sure that we had this game!

The battle continued in the second half, with a frustrating series of goals from both sides taking the score to 4-4. Despite some defensive air hockey from Lou Gostling and a series of short corners with consistent striking from Ciara Blackstock and Fiona Bailie, a strong player on the Salisbury side whacked a reverse stick hit into the goal. The last 5 minutes of the game were extremely tense, and emotions were running high. Although we fought hard to win several short corners, with the whistle blowing leaving us with one last try, we couldn’t convert despite our best efforts. Although the final score was 4-5 to Salisbury, an emotional team talk post-match was testament to the huge effort and never ending commitment the whole team showed. We played excellently as a team, and are excited for the remainder of the season playing at this level.