Grasshoppers I 2 v Carlton Park I 6

15/11/08

Park who where missing seven first team players from their squad this week knew they had to pull out the stops to keep their unbeaten run going. With the benefit of the replacements being strong players Park started the game positively and immediately started to attack. The game was played in midfield for the first few minutes but then Park added pressure by advancing up the pitch. Park opened the scoring when Roo Mackie (who looked dashing with her new sophisticated hair style) dribbled the ball into the ‘d’ unfortunately the ball ran away from her but the defender who called to her keeper that she had the ball covered then deflected the ball through her goalies legs. This was just the start that Park needed. Grasshoppers weren’t deterred by this and again were quick on the break with one player constantly running through and catching the defence out. The home side soon equalised when a good cross from the right was tapped into the goal. Park’s defence soon picked up on the home side’s attacking plan and Mercedes Buckle was assigned to man mark the player. She did a sterling job and took the player completely out of the game. Park worked the ball well round the pitch with Tory Walton working hard in midfield. Tracy Abraham then added her name to the scoresheet when some excellent stick work saw her slot the ball home. She quickly added her second when a loose ball was picked up by her and her accurate shot beat the keeper. Park were now settled and played some excellent hockey with some good moves coming from both sides of the pitch. Denise Manning scored the fourth when a short corner was fed out short to her and her shot deflected in off the defender and ended up in the roof of the net. Park finished the scoring for the half when a cross from Sarah Whatling was tapped in on the right post by Wendy Corneby.

In the second half Park knew they only had to keep their composure and move the ball around as they had done in the first half. Sarah Whatling and Tracy Abraham created problems for the defenders with Wendy Corneby, Roo Mackie and Tori Walton supporting well. Park’s last goal came when again Tracy Abraham slotted the ball to Sarah Whatling whose shot easily beat the keeper. Tory Walton’s continuous hard work paid off when her shot on goal was stopped on the line by a defender’s body and Park were awarded a penalty stroke. Unfortunately the stroke failed to be converted. Grasshoppers were still dangerous on the break but the defence of Maria Adlam, Kirsty Marshall and Jessica Wright worked hard to clear the ball away. Haley Charles who kindly kept goal in place of the absent Karen Fletcher pulled off a couple of excellent saves but she was well protected by her hard working defence. Grasshoppers did manage to score one goal in this half goal when a swiped shot completely wrong footed the defence and the keeper. In the dying seconds of the game Grasshoppers could have scored another goal but some excellent defending saw Maria Adlam save the ball on the line and clear it for a long corner. An excellent team performance and another win.

Squad: Hayley Charles, Maria Adlam, Kirsty Marshall, Jessica Wright, Mercedes Buckle, Roo Mackie, Wendy Corneby, Tori Walton, Tracy Abraham, Sarah Whatling, Denise Manning