COWHC Ladies 2s vs Epsom 5s - 27th Jan 2018

*win big, lose cheese*

Preparations for the game began as usual the night before with a sobriety check. In a turn up for the books much of the team were either teetotal or entirely controlled....

....except our fearless leader who turned up to the pitch & within a couple of minutes lost not only her shin pads, but our reward cheese!
Warm up commenced by the whole team mucking in to sweep the mud off the pitch , with leggs showing her stable trained mucking out skills & the rest of us throwing it off the sidelines like monkeys flinging poo.

Needless to say our 1st 10 minutes were not exactly focused & we quickly conceded a goal. Apparently we like to come from behind..?
Jo managed to get us an equaliser before first half after some strong defending from howhard, netty, whatever, leggs & Mrs b keeping us in the game.

At the whistle of half time, we turned to find whatever lying on her stomach in the goal, having apparently taken the phrase 'put your body on the line' a bit literally in her successful endeavour to knock the ball away with her stick.

2nd half started again a bit tentatively from us COWS. But mids of Jo, Bruno, Nicky, Andrea & Naomi worked tirelessly to get the ball to forwards Sharon and Poppy.

Dramatic scenes were set-a squall blew in and a pitch invasion from AJ chasing a bag across the pitch.

A ball up the line from jo, with yells from Rochie ringing up the pitch to drive in to d, monkey hear, monkey do Poppy drove in to d & struck the ball (who knew training worked?), a deflection from obliging defender & keeper and we were up!
Epsom snatched a goal back to the groans of the team.

Heads did not go down & the last 10 minutes were some of the most positively attacking hockey we have played, everyone dug in & in the dying minutes we scored again to squeals all around.

3 points & 2nd in the league again. Bring on next game!

Special thanks to umpire Martin, coach Rochie and supporters AJ, Neil and Daddy Howhard