GU14 Eagles Fly into Supra League
By Mark Rogers
GU14 Eagles 5 - 0 Spencer HC (H)
London GU14 Tier 1 League
The mighty Surbiton Eagles put on a dazzling performance in their final match before Christmas, securing a 5-0 win at home against Spencer HC.
In a complete turnaround from their usual slow starts, the Eagles flew out of the blocks in the opening minutes, taking control of the game right from the get-go. Within just three minutes, the home side was on the scoreboard with a clinical reverse hit from Ebba, giving them the early lead.
Immediately after the first goal, the Eagles pressed hard again, Becca seemingly everywhere in the middle of the pitch, Gemma showing some quick skills on the edge of the D, and Maya pressing hard against the Spencer defence.
Taylor was taking no risks of injury this week, protecting herself to the waist with Ceci’s borrowed shinpads, and teaming up with Leia to repel each Spencer attack. In goal, Emily was a rock, pulling off a superb save to preserve the clean sheet, and her alertness kept Spencer at bay throughout the match.
The Eagles began to turn the thumbscrews, Sofia relentlessly driving the ball forwards, whilst Charlie in the D was such a threat that the Spencer players encircled her to try to close down her magic moves.
From there, it was one-way traffic as the Eagles made their intentions clear. Cesca and Lyla showed speed and agility with some impressive runs that surged the team forwards and kept the ball safely in the Spencer half. Her advent calendar chocolate had clearly inspired Sylvie, as she scored two goals through sheer determination and hard work. Seren also got in on the action, showcasing her pace and skill to slot home another, while Violet rounded off the first-half scoring with a composed finish after a well-worked team move in the dying seconds of the first half.
Confident with their lead, the Eagles decided to revert to their usual starting form in the second half, opting to showcase some individualistic style, rather than sticking to their fast-paced passing game that had worked so well in the first half.
Despite this, the Eagles were never troubled and saw the match out comfortably, with Spencer unable to break through a disciplined defence, with the solid wall of Boo and Saffron holding firm at the back.
With the win, the Surbiton Eagles secure a much-deserved second place in the Tier 1 League and progress comfortably to the Supra League, where they will look to continue their excellent form in the new year. This performance, filled with grit, teamwork, and flashes of individual brilliance, serves as the perfect early Christmas present for the team and their fans.