Sirens 1 - 2 Berrylands 1s (A)

The Sirens traveled to the brand new pitch in Blagdon Sports Park for a lunchtime match just when the pouring rain cleared out of New Malden! A keen squad with quite a few (including yours truly) selected for their first outing after injury, maternity leave, or other reasons for absence.

The only glitch in the matrix was our Field Captain Victoria W eating such a delicious lunch that she forgot the match time, which means Buzz was flying in her direction before warm-up even started! Luckily due to financial reasons on the Berrylands pitch hire side, a friendly man had us wait until exactly 13:45:00 before we could touch the turf and by that time the Sirens were complete.

Captain Tracey made a degree-worthy subbing plan, tailored to everyone’s fitness levels and other needs which saw lots of people playing out of their usual (comfort) zone and in new positions. In the beginning of the first half everyone was trying really hard to help everyone out in their new positions, of which the result was that Jenny M kept running like crazy (as if she hadn’t done a Park Run already…) which gave her POM nominations, and the defence line standing very strong despite having hardly any subs in the first half. Berrylands didn’t make it into our D too often and the Sirens created many good passes, interceptions and near-goal situations on Berrylands’ half of the pitch. Unfortunately no goals in the first half despite good pressure and effort!

In the second half, everyone had to get used to Phase 2 of the subbing plan, and in the confusion Berrylands scored two unfortunate goals in quite quick succession. It could have been worse if it wasn’t for Isabel who quite possibly saved a higher number of goals than her age! One of them so brilliant (a full on slide into the far corner of the goal) that everyone was cheering for her on the pitch and she quite rightly outnumbered her mum in POM nominations and received Player of the Match award for having our backs during this difficult match phase.

Luckily, the opposition was thinking about the pub a little bit too soon plus the Sirens got used to their new positions and the momentum turned our way in the second half of the second half. Some quick action passes saw Monica free in front of the goal keeper and she whacked it behind the keeper without doubt! A positive end to an unfortunate 1-2 loss but we can be very pleased with the return to hockey of some, successful continuation to league hockey for our B2H recruits, and solid improvement of the regulars.

Never ending match teas were served in the nearby pub where the third half of a good game was celebrated with our friendly oppos from Berrylands.