SHC Snails 4 - 3 Teddington Tornadoes (feat. a few from Epsom) (H)

Venue: Soggy Sunday afternoon at HW
Weather: Wet, but spirits high
Supporters: One legendary Wendy Bennie (and that’s all we needed)

It was a classic autumnal Sunday with rain but high spirits. The Surbiton Snails took to the pitch against the Teddington Tornadoes, who were bolstered by a couple of Epsom recruits, in what turned into a thrilling, end-to-end contest.

The opening exchanges were lively, and the Snails wasted no time in finding the back of the net, or at least they did, but Ruth didn’t remember doing so until half time. A classic menopause moment: score first, forget later. Still, the breakthrough stood, and the scoreboard read 1-0.

Soon after, Taryn added to the tally with a well taken goal, before Teddington struck back with one of their own, keeping the pressure on. As the half ended, the Snails led 2-1, thanks in part to some gritty defending and passing linkups.

The second half brought more drama. Jo Firth showed that sometimes a gentle touch is all it takes, calmly tapping in the third for the Snails. Teddington responded with two quickfire goals, and suddenly, the game was level at 3-3. But the Snails weren’t done.

Anna, with perfect timing and a clinical finish, put away the winner, making it 4-3 to the Snails and sealing a hard-fought victory.

Defensively, the backline was immense. Emma, Sinead (our fearless captain), Louise, and Ellie put in a shift, combining composure with crunching tackles and timely clearances. In midfield, Mandy made a strong return, Sian impressed on her Snails debut, and both Val and Philippa covered miles of turf. Claire earned the Player of the Match accolade with relentless effort, silky touches, and key interceptions.

Up front, Jo, Taryn, Ruth, and Anna kept the Tornadoes guessing with smart positioning and flowing link-up play, rounding off the Snails’ attack with style and determination.

And, of course, none of this would have been possible without our rock in goal,  Annie whose saves kept the game within reach and the spirits high.

A fantastic win in classic Snails fashion down to teamwork, grit and goals.

Special thanks to our one-woman fan army, Wendy Bennie. The voice on the sideline we all needed. And to Spuggie, for her top-tier coaching skills and that all-important discount code, both equally appreciated.

Player of the Match: Claire Johnston
DOD: Ruth Fraser
Umpires: Claire and Anna’s husbands
Quote of the Day: “Did I score? Oh! I did!” - Ruth at halftime

Bring on the next match - rain or shine!