COWHC Ladies' 1s vs Guildford Ladies' 2s - 04th February 2017

Some would say that it's unfair to score a hat trick and not win POM. I would say what is truly unfair is to end up MOM when a) you've been voted not for any heinous crime during the game but simply for getting a teensy weensy, tiny bit tipsy the previous Saturday night and b) when some of the team still don't know what MOM actually means and therefore how to vote sensibly.
Anyway....I'm not bitter....

We eventually arrived (some of us having taken a more scenic route than others) at a cold and damp Guildford for our night time fixture against the top of the table team.

Having filled in the missing pieces of last Saturday night (apologies to those involved!), discovered that Andrea can't touch her toes but is very flexible in other directions (!), brazenly questioned the integrity of the opposition and popped some 14 year old drugs, we were ready to play.

Guildford have won or drawn all but the last two of their games so we were interested to see which of their many players they had 'recruited' to this game. Turns out probably the ones who can't get into the local pubs for a Saturday night out. Several of the Guildford team appeared to have spent the morning completing their GCSE homework - it's fair to say they had the legs on us!

The game didn't start well. Guildford are a strong, fast and well drilled team. Their pitch can best be described as unpredictable and within five minutes they took full home advantage, broke at pace and scored. Two more goals followed and we went into half time 3-0 down but nevertheless confident that we could keep going and win something back.

Unfortunately, despite holding them brilliantly for the first twenty minutes of the second half, the last fifteen were a repeat of the first thirty five and we conceded a further 3 (the last of which has to be the best opposition goal we'll see all season).

So not our finest hour result wise...but what the numbers don't show is the grit and determination that went into our game. We're an exceptionally tenacious bunch and we didn't once let our heads fall. As the writers of our team song say in another of their smash hits we always 'keep the faith' and there were some moments of fantastic play.

Mrs B charged authoritatively out of her goal on several occasions to boot the ball way out of the D. Dicko and Santy worked the right and left defence well, picking up the ball and clearing it up the line.

Well deserved POM Lena was her usual calm, unflustered marshall of the back line, drawing admiring comments from the opposition, seven year olds and seventy year olds alike.

Emer worked selflessly and tirelessly to take their danger number 14 out of the game.

The forward line of Sally, Andrea and Hannah battled to get in front of some excellent marking to win balls and create chances.

And the midfield of Alex, Nicky, Chloe, Emma and Lbell ran, jabbed and tackled, dodged or absorbed head high balls and then ran some more.

As we walked off the pitch, several people were heard to comment 'I couldn't move another step'. My Fitbit showed I did almost as many steps as last Sunday morning's walk home from somewhere called Naughty Pear (or something). So whatever the result, how can you ask for more? To put in 100% to the end is surely the true mark of a team.

If you're going to lose big, lose to the top of the table. We will take the way we fought and supported each other into the games to come and with Emer's ridiculous what's app beep ringing in our ears, we'll be back to our winning ways before we know it.

Thank you to AJ for making the long trip to umpire - you did a brilliant job - and to Matt for his ever present sideline support.
Team was Mrs B, Lena, Santy, Dicko, Emer, Nicky, Alex, Chloe, Emma, LBell, Hannah, Sally and Andrea.

So to finish I leave you with a few words that I think sum up the fighting team spirit of the wonderful ladies ones much better than I can.
Come on girls - on and off the pitch this team can!!
#hockeyfamily #44not24

Teamwork by Edgar Albert Guest (with a few amends by me...)

It's all very well to have courage and skill
And it's fine to be counted a star,
But the single deed with its touch of thrill
Doesn't tell the woman you are;
For there's no lone hand in the game we play,
We must work to a bigger scheme,
And the thing that counts in hockey today
Is, how do you pull with the team?

They may sound your praise and call you great,
They may single you out for fame,
But you must work with your hockey mate
Or you'll never win the game;
Oh, never the work of a season is done
By a girl with a selfish dream,
For the battle is lost or the battle is won
By the spirit of the team.

You may think it fine to be praised for skill,
But a greater thing to do
Is to set your mind and set your will
On the goal that's just in view;
It's helping your fellow CROW to score
When her chances hopeless seem;
It's forgetting self till the game is done
And fighting for the team.