Old de Ferrians 1st XI v South Herts 1st XI

14th February 2009

On Saturday 14th February South Herts travelled to South Woodham Ferrers to play a side on equal points but one place above them in the league, Old de Ferrians.

The game began with both teams providing good attacks but unable to convert. It was South Herts that were awarded an early opportunity via a penalty flick when one of the Old de Ferrians’ defenders seemed to foul on the goal line. Our very trusted penalty flick taker, Claire Moore, stepped up and converted with an excellent bottom corner flick.

South Herts’ lead was short lived and Old de Ferrians found a way back shortly after with a strike on goal from the top of the circle just out of the reach of stand-in-keeper Jo Spinks. It was from the reset that South Herts kicked into action and scored one of their best goals. Captain Caroline Partridge received the ball out of defence and ran up the right wing dodging a number of defenders, passed it to Anna Walker who injected the ball into the D, a touch on from Sarah Jowett and a strike on goal from Caroline Stanners put South Herts back in the lead.

Half time approached and South Herts were determined to keep their lead and were fired up after Stanners' goal. The second half required a lot more defending by South Herts as Old de Ferrians continued to attack winning short corners that Herts defended well preventing a final shot on goal.

Herts' 3rd goal came from a quick break out of defence by Walker and up to the right wing to Shelley Farmer with a ball into the circle that was goal bound by a strike from Jowett but man of the match, Vanessa Porter, tapped it in at the left hand post to claim the goal.

Porter provided some excellent runs up the left wing throughout the game and Herts' final goal towards the end of the game came when Partridge had the ball inside the circle working hard to get around her defender and finally tapped it around her and flicked it into the back of the goal between the post and goal keeper.

This week’s game demonstrated a great team effort by Herts hoping to continue next Saturday when they play a rearranged fixture up in Cambridge.

Goals: Claire Moore, Caroline Stanners, Vanessa Porter, Caroline Partridge