Carlton Park I 9 v Lowestoft Ladies II 0

14/02/09

On a cold and frosty morning with the umpires giving the go ahead for the game to take place Park started the game very positively. The on form Vicky Le Fanu caused problems on the right and constantly managed to get some excellent crosses into the ‘d’. It was only some excellent saves by the visitor’s goalie that kept them in the game. Park then got their breakthrough when a shot by Sarah Whatling beat the goalie. Park were moving the ball well and had found their rhythm very early on in the game. Some excellent passes were being made with the ball being pushed rather than hit on the very quick surface. They quickly added their second goal when a good pass by Kirsty Marshall found Vicky Le Fanu who pulled the keeper out and slotted the ball unselfishly to the unmarked Denise Manning who had the simple task of pushing the ball over the line. Emma Tuckwell caused problems running from the depths of defence and was unlucky not to add her name onto the score sheet when her shot was saved by the keeper. Park then got their third goal when a shot on goal by Roo Mackie was about to be cleared by the advancing keeper when Denise Manning’s got the extra touch and hit the ball under the keeper and into the net. Park continued to dominate and the attackers were fed well by the hard working midfield of Justine Howe, Wendy Corneby, Roo Mackie and Tori Walton. Park finished the half three goals to the good and playing extremely well.

In the second half Park continued to put pressure on the visitor’s defence. The visitor’s struggled to clear the ball which immediately put them under more pressure. Sarah Whatling opened the scoring in the second half with a well taken penalty corner strike into the corner of the goal. Justine Howe was unlucky not to score when a cross from the left failed to get the touch it needed to guide it into the goal. Kirsty Marshall was also unlucky when she ran onto a cross from the right only for her touch to steer the ball wide. Sarah Whatling then got her hat trick when again her shot beat the keeper. Vicky Le Fanu then added her name onto the goal sheet when she lifted the ball into the goal over the advancing keeper. She quickly added her second when a few shots on goal were cleared but then the ball ran loose to her on the left and she slotted home under the keeper. She then got her hat-trick when she skilfully pulled the keeper out and slotted home with a reverse stick tap in. The visitors tried hard to contain Park but they just didn’t have any answers. They were awarded a couple of penalty corners but again the defence of Emma Tuckwell, Kirsty Marshall, Tori Walton and Mel Rodwell were quick out and blocked any chance of a shot on goal. Again Karen Fletcher was a spectator in Park’s goal protected well by her hard working defence. Park finished their scoring when Emma Tuckwell carried the ball from defence and slipped a pass to Vicky Le Fanu who pulled the ball back to Sarah Whatling whose shot finished in the corner of the goal. Another excellent team performance.

Squad: Karen Fletcher, Emma Tuckwell, Kirsty Marshall, Mel Rodwell, Tori Walton, Justine Howe, Wendy Corneby, Roo Mackie, Vicky Le Fanu, Sarah Whatling, Denise Manning

Report by Denise Manning.