Ladies 5's v Sales 3's - 4th January 2014 Match Report

Christmas cobwebs blown away, focus and discipline back and best squad performance of the season combine to give Timperley 5's a key win against in what was a tight, tough and tenacious match.

Sale dominated in the first 20 minutes pressing high and making it almost impossible for the 5's to break out of our half, tight marking and team work meant that Sale couldn't take advantage of their possession.

A few breaks opened up the game and against the run of play a short corner was won and converted on 24 minutes, great injection by Suzy to Shelagh who on this occasion Suzy graciously aloud the strike to be converted without any goal line poaching of the goal ! Sale responded just before half time. HT 1-1 and a gripping second half in store !

The second half was tightly in the balance and neither side giving ground. Squad rotation was working well with plenty of fresh legs on the side line. Showing great spirit and providing extra cover in defence Grace took a stick to the head (the sound heard by the crowd and all those near by) and was on the deck blood streaming out of a nice clean 6cm cut straight down the centre of the forehead. A range of first aid was applied and we even got to use the emergency blanket in the first aid box as Grace, her dad and Natalie went to hospital to get stitched up and checked out. Thankfully she's fine now !

Within minutes Mimi was down and the benefit of the subs bench came into play ! Kicking on Timperley cracked up the pace of the game, pressing high on Sale and moving the ball quickly to Mimi, Erin, Laura, Leah and Ellie who were all fired and injected much needed breakaway pace and speed into the game.

The break through came through Natalie's first ever goal through a cross deflected in by a Sale defender and shortly followed by the text book 'honourables double act' short corner party trick to make it 3-1 in the dying minutes

Fantastic performance by all 15 in the squad and any melancholy hangover from the Macclesfield game was well and truly long gone !

Thanks to Mike I and Rachel for umpiring and congratulations to Rachel for passing her level 1 umpiring assessment

Goals: Shelagh, Suzy, Natalie
MOM: Shelagh