COWHC Ladies 1s vs London Edwardians Ladies 2s - 20 February 2016

A team effort for the match report from 20 February, composed late into the evening at the postponed and rearranged Mighty COWs Ladies 1s Christmas Dinner when some of the assembled company were, without question, at the peak of their literary fluency. This is as much as I can piece together and allow to be published on the website ...

A multi disciplinary team left Croydon's borders this morning. The team began like 11 rabbits, energetically running and hopping all over the pitch, sniffing out the ball.

However, this didn't last and, on a slow day at Raynes Park, the sloths were moving faster than the Mighty COWs, but the absence of speed took London Eds by surprise as we hoofed in an early goal for which Rachel took the honours. The defence were heard to describe the goal as 'a wonder that unfolded before our eyes - it seemed spectacular.'

The pouring rain may have wiped away any prior knowledge of the game plan, as Hoops turned up to support us following his own game.

Jelly babies at half time revived us, allowing the defence to push forward and attack up the right with Shetland Ponyish tenacity. Nicky decided she no longer needed any of her team mates, taking on the entire London Eds defence, and skilfully putting the ball past the keeper for Croydon's second goal.

Kate surprised the team when, as she removed her helmet, she spoke calming words to soothe a difficult umpiring decision. As Alex recovered from a head injury, Rachel's diplomatic tones were heard giving the umpire a 'talking to' and the London Eds goal was disallowed.

Despite the oppostition looking leaner and younger than us, they did not run rings around the Mighty COWs. We totally took it to them and nearly triumphed. An amazing team effort - and more of the same to come in the next few weeks.

(A brief summary if this is making no sense: we were 2-0 up with 10 minutes to play against a fast and feisty London Eds side who had beaten us easily before Christmas. Unfortunately we couldn't quite hang on and the match ended up with a 2-2 draw.)

Thanks to Hoops for enduring a miserably wet afternoon on the sideline and to Bronwyn for her excellent umpiring.

The team was: Kate, LBell, Lena, Dicko, Santy, Kat, Emma, Alex, Becky, Rachel, Nicky, Andrea and Amelia.

PoM votes were: 0.5 each for Andrea and Alex, 1 for Lena, 1.5 for Santy, 2 for Nicky, 2.5 for Kate and 6 for 'defender of all that is right and just on the pitch' Rachel.