Timperley Vs Durham (Away) 4/10/2014

After a few games into the season new players were settling in to positions and we were starting to get familiar with our structure. We were now faced with our longest away game of the season against Durham University, and with only one sub it was going to be a testing match if they had the same strength team as last year.
We were not blessed with the best weather with a very wet start but on the horizon there was some sunshine and when we arrived at Durham we were met with blue skies. After a good pep talk from mike in the changing rooms and a re-jig of the press we were ready to stretch those legs after the long journey.
The warm up was met with plenty of communication and high energy from all the team. That was transferred onto the pitch which was like playing on a bouncing castle it was that soft. We started with a high intensity with all 11 players defending and attacking as a team and soon realised that their well-structured team was not what we had expected with holes in their defence. We soon put pressure on them and quickly the green cards game out for bad tackles on their behalf. Chances were coming thick and thin but we just couldn’t quite finish it off in the D with some brilliant saves from their keeper. Eventually we were rewarded on our second well worked short corner . That was soon followed by a response from the opposition from a tough decision off a short which saw them equalise. We battled on through the first half moving the ball well and pressing hard but were not rewarded with another goal. Half time left us still in the game with a chance to win at 1-1.

The Second half we were ready to battle on and take home some points. We were all feeling the strain with only one sub but one person who did not let her energy dip was Jay. Her persisted attack to intercept their defence was rewarded with a couple of one on ones with their keeper. A spectacular goal came from a slip from leonine to schoey and a pass in for Jay to complete a stunning overhead deflection. This again was short lived with Durham replying with another goal making it 2-2. The second card of the game came later in the second half with woody seeing a green card for tampering with the ball. We did not let this hamper our spirits and again went out united and pressed the ball intercepting play and passing well. Even with two new players to the back four Annie and woody they looked like they had always been there and also our new addition Kenny who makes some great runs down the right and transfers the ball well.
Late into the second half Durham were awarded a flick after rebounding off Kenny’s stomach which took us to 2-3, but that only made us more determined. From push off were were determined not to go home at a loss and with only 2minutes to go tensions were high. We pushed into their half and kept it there and were rewarded a short corner. The first one saw a great save and a deflection off their foot with hopes starting to fade. The second short however again came a good save but a strike from Kenny saw the ball sail into the back of the net to make it 3-3. We were then back in it, we pushed high to try and gain that last goal but the sound of the final whistle saw our spectators release a sigh of relief. We had travelled away with a bare minimum squad and had gained some points on the board. A special thanks to those players that stepped into support from other teams Annie, Nat, Woody and June.

MOM- Jay for a supberb performance and amazing goal.

DOD- For woody’s lack of hearing in listening to warning on tampering with the ball