March 27: Babes V Phoenix A

March 27 marked the first formal league match back since November 2020; we had all been missing our hockey due to the closure in the Autumn and were eager to get back on the pitch for a solid win...both for ourselves and for Fabian.

We had a solid start, despite the humid and intense rays beating down on the pitch. The line up was bang on 11 players, relying on each ones' tenacity and strong will to keep going even though conditions were less than ideal.

Hannah, Katy, and Sharifah were on the side line cheering the ladies on, wishing they could sub on and provide relief in some way as everyone, including the opponents, were struggling with the heat. Satchi was keeping the positive chat with encouraging instructions, empathising it was tough to play in such climes after such a long break away from hockey.

Sheryl, Char, Lucy, and Frery stacked up the striker and midfield line, flanked by Lauren and Agnes, forming some solid offensive plays through the middle. Being Agnes' last match before she relocates to the US, we all wanted to send her off in good standing. Our opponents were feisty buggers, playing with their bodies more than their sticks at times, proving to frustrate us a bit and we lost some concentration to concede the first goal.

We charged back with handy on the line defending, but unfortunately Phoenix was awarded a flick/stroke, which narrowly slid past Sharon's right foot to put them up 2 nil.

Tried as we did, attempting to equalise the scoreline through penalty corners, we just couldn't find the backboard. Midge had some great whacks which missed the post by inches, with Fennie at the top of the D to re-feed into the D for another chance on goal. Lauren popped in a few balls in the hopes that Char, Lucy, and Frery could get a stick on one.

While we were devastated and rattled by the scoreline, heat, waning legs, and aching limbs, we were re-inspired in the fourth quarter, with Sheryl banging a goal in on her reverse stick off of a lovely assist/feed in from Leela on the right.

While slim on numbers, everyone gave it their all to bring the score to from 3 nil to 3-1 in the fourth quarter.

To quote Max: 'The mind was willing...the flesh might have been weak.' We'll get them next time girls!!