Women 1XI vs Falmouth 2

You've gotta love getting the longest commute of the season out of the way out of the way in your first match. An hour and a half drive down to Falmouth gave the 1st XI plenty of time to build anticipation (especially when you find a spider in the car - who knew Danni had a phobia).

New season, new formation and new players, we welcomed Erin, Libby and Tilly into the fold, and they all stepped up to the mark superbly.

The game started at a much faster pace than the pre season matches readied us for. Instantly putting the defence under pressure, but Danni, Tilly and Joey remained the coolest of cucumbers soaking up the pressure and releasing the mids with some great deliveries. We were soon on the attack and earning ourselves short corners, with Libby beautifully (if not unknowingly) deflecting in a class delivery from Lally to get us underway: 1-0 ten minutes in.

With their feathers ruffled Falmouth countered with gusto, eventually earning themselves several short corners, on one occasion the ball ended in the goal, but no score, a controversial decision perhaps on what counted as a lifted first shot. But it certainly unsettled us and we began to play with less confidence, Snowy eventually having to make a stick tip save (champagne moment of the match) leaving us very relieved to be holding on to the win as we went in at half time.

Falmouth came out with dogged determination in the second half and an early swipe across the face of the goal was tapped across the line to bring them level, 1-1. Time to dig deep, Erin in particular finding her inner warrior and facing up to intimidating senior players, beating them with skill and speed. Wing backs are a new concept which we have throughly embraced as a team, none more than Katie who earnt her first assist today, sending a beautiful ball through into the D for Lally to send it away! Sweet a 2-1 lead gave us the confidence boost we needed to play more assertively. The umpires gave us plenty of opportunities to play advantage (whether called or not) and we seized these chances taking early hits, switching the ball round the back 5 and using the support offered inevitably by Chelle who seemed to have boundless energy and skill dictating play from the centre, ultimately earning herself player of the match. On the occasions we did secure a short we epitomised the text book: an accurate injection from Libby directly to Jess resulted in a bullet of a goal from the left, 3-1 and Falmouth becoming increasingly frustrated. The final nail in the coffin came from a longtime pairing; a break from the right, 1, 2 passing then a shot on from Dee, deflected into the path of Tori for a belter of a goal to finish the match 4-1.

It was truly a whole team effort today, played in great spirit with plenty of honest play. Nonetheless we did have the standard comedy moments: Katie being sent off and earning herself donkey (one too many stick tackles); Joey having a lie down (tripping over her own feet), and Chell not active being able to dress herself correctly. What a great start to the season ladies, bring on the Uni next week, we are ready for it.