Lions 1 vs. City 3

Result: 11 - 9

Date: 28/10/2011

Venue: Littleport Leisure Centre

Report:

Yan Wong (1), Dave Wright (3), Aggie Taylor, Jenni French
Pieter Hendrickx (2), Phil Melia, Bayley Woolridge (1), Caroline Elvidge
Subs: Gavin Belsham (2) for Phil Melia after 40 mins

A cracking start to the game from City, the underdogs against last year’s Second Division winners. Organised, spirited and on target, City took a 3-0 lead before the Lions could bite back.

Dave scored a Dr Wright signature long shot, (flat & deadly), followed by a cunning opportunist’s short shot from the feed. Bayley continued the goals with a lovely long. Lions found the time to get back on their paws and started fighting back, but Dave & Pieter added two more short shots to make it 5 – 3 to City at half time, and a slick hat-trick for ‘Dr Deadly’.

The second half started with a strong counter attack by lions, putting in another 3, and nosing ahead to 6-5. An amazingly astute decision (honest, it was almost as good as a goal, a hat-trick even!) by the Vice-Captain, saw Phil sub himself off for Gavin, who was raring to go on the sidelines and even up the score. Lions then called a Time-Out to regroup, reassess our new formation, and sharpen their claws.

But City were not in any mood to roll over to their feline foe, and thus commenced the last third of the game, a deadly claw vs. cannon struggle, neck and neck, one goal traded for another, until the dying seconds of the game. Pieter responded with a neat drop off, Yan took a superb ‘step under his player’ short shot, and Gavin added a cracking ‘running in’ and a surefire long to bring the score to 10 -9. In the last minute of the game, City had a good attack thwarted, the ball went down to the Lions end, and our furry foe put it out of reach in the time remaining, ending at 11 – 9 to Lions.

Once again, a great team performance, a good spread of goals, and a hard fought match. Particular credit to Aggie, Jenni, Caroline & Bayley who stood their ground superbly against some pretty tough opponents.

Temporarily felled, but by no means disheartened, City took the fight to the heart of the Lion’s Den and came away heads high, with a minimum of scars.

Now ... can they topple the Phoenix from it’s lofty perch?

Joint Players of the Match: Jenni & Dave

Phil