Christmas comes early for the 5th Team!!

What a way to start our Christmas celebrations with the 5th team's first win of the season!! Unfortunately it was against our 3rd team and we left it until the final minute to secure the result but hey it was 3 points for the 5ths in the end. Pre match team photo was completed with santa hats for the festive 5ths some of which continued the festive dress code into the match wearing their hats (perhaps we should wear them more often!).

The game commenced with the 5th team putting pressure on the 3rds from the off. The young side certainly had the pace that the 3rd team lacked and Sam Piggin, Chloe Withers and Christina Bates were linking up brilliantly with Sam unlucky to score a couple of goals in the initial few minutes of the game. Although it was the 5ths applying all the pressure, the 3rds did break and goalkeeper Andrea Getcheffsky was kept busy saving shots from Claire Lumsden, Caroline Lumsden and Becks Evans. A scramble in the 5ths circle resulted in a penalty stroke being awarded when the umpire thought the ball had gone under the goalie (but it hadn't), however, the right result came from the incident with Andrea Getcheffsky saving the penalty flick from Becks Evans effort - it just wasn't going the 3rds way. Proven when not long after Sam Piggin found the back of the goal at the other end of the pitch and the game was on - 1-0 to the 5th team. Although the 3rds were playing well and getting the ball down the right hand side with Clare Lumsden being kept busy the 5ths closed down the play preventing the 3rds from gaining momentum.

Abi Saunders, Rachel Owens and special player Sally McRoberts were all having a fantastic game in mid field firing in some great free hits to the forwards and intercepting the 3rds attack and then switching the play with determination.

The game commenced with the 5th team putting pressure on the 3rds from the off. The young side certainly had the pace that the 3rd team lacked and Sam Piggin, Chloe Withers and Christina Bates were linking up brilliantly with Sam unlucky to score a couple of goals in the initial few minutes of the game. Although it was the 5ths applying all the pressure, the 3rds did break and goalkeeper Andrea Getcheffsky was kept busy saving shots from Claire Lumsden, Caroline Lumsden and Becks Evans. A scramble in the 5ths circle resulted in a penalty stroke being awarded when the umpire thought the ball had gone under the goalie (but it hadn't), however, the right result came from the incident with Andrea Getcheffsky saving the penalty flick from Becks Evans effort - it just wasn't going the 3rds way. Proven when not long after Sam Piggin found the back of the goal at the other end of the pitch and the game was on - 1-0 to the 5th team. Although the 3rds were playing well and getting the ball down the right hand side with Clare Lumsden being kept busy the 5ths closed down the play preventing the 3rds from gaining momentum.
Abi Saunders, Rachel Owens and special player Sally McRoberts were all having a fantastic game in mid field firing in some great free hits to the forwards and intercepting the 3rds attack and then switching the play with determination.

The 2nd goal came from Rachel Owens picking up a cross in the circle and Rachel was determined not to miss 2-0 to the 5th team which was the score at half time.

The 3rd team fed the 5th team chocolates at half time and their ploy initially worked when awarded a short corner the goalkeper's view was blocked and although Natasha Getcheffsky was well positioned on the line Caroline Lumsden's shot found its way through the defenders legs and over the line - 2-1. This lifted the spirits of the 3rd team and when Becks Evans scored their 2nd goal which was a goalkeeping error (tut!) it would have been understandable for the 5th teams heads to go down. With only 11 players and Abi Saunders having to leave early the 5ths were down to 10 players and had a bit of a mountain to climb - but climb they did!! Excellent defending from Susan Elcock, Natasha Getcheffsky and Alison Turner kept the 5th team in the game. Christina Bates had excelled on the left wing both having shots on goal but also feeding the ball across to the other forwards including Abi Dunkerly and Chloe Withers who in the final minutes of the game scored the winning goal - world cup style celebrations followed and the 5th team held it tight until the final whistle. 3-2 to the 5th team - a well deserved and hard fought win to end 2007 on. Abi Saunders and Claire Lumsden were the players of the match but well played to everyone who put on a nail biting end to end match with some excellent hockey and opportunities for both teams.