Brooklands Ladies 3s V Crewe Vagrants

Saturday 10th October 2015 – Home to Crewe Vagrants…

On a hazy sunny day at Brooklands the Mighty Ducks welcomed Crewe Vagrants…it was certainly an exciting match to watch with goals galore, players sin binned, players refusing to come back on, fantastic team play and ultimately another win for the Mighty Ducks!

Brooklands started strong with a great attack by Lottie Kielty and Katie Cuttle and we were unlucky not to score in the opening minutes. The Ducks kept the pressure on and were awarded a short corner for their efforts and Holly Dixon did the honours putting the first one in the net past the Vagrants…1 nil to the Ducks.

The Vagrants came back fighting but Brooklands retaliated putting pressure back on the Crewe midfield and defence with fabulous attacking play by Lottie and Katie with some excellent crossing by Ellie Cronin. Crewe keep the pressure on but don’t really threaten the Brooklands goal.

Katie Cuttle breaks through the midfield and crosses to Becky Latham lying in wait who chips it in and the Ducks go 2 nil up!!

Crewe rally and are dangerous on the break. Despite some great defensive work from the Ducks and 2 great saves from Luci in goal Crewe sneak one back making it 2 1.

The Ducks responds with Lottie crossing an excellent ball to Becky who was unlucky not to get her stick down to chip it in. Crewe come back again and break through but a fantastic double save by Luci thwarts Crewe again. Crewe are awarded a short corner which is well taken and a great hit in. Even super goalie Luci couldn’t save that one. Level pegging at 2 all. Tension is obvious both on and off the pitch with the end of the first half fast looming.

In all the chaos and excitement of the end to end play, Emilie Chandler has controversially ended up off the pitch. Pam attempts to calm the Ducks and restore their confidence. Crewe keep up the pressure and catch Brooklands unawares and make it 3 2. Crewe have upped their game and the Ducks having started so well leave the pitch at half time 3 2 down.

Crewe come out fighting in the second half but nothing can get past Luci who clears. Crewe attack again but go wide of the goal. The Ducks start to get their confidence back with Lottie and Kielty carrying on their fantastic partnership and keeping the pressure up on Crewe. A fantastic cross to Ellie Cronin but the Ducks were unlucky not to make it 3 all. Becky Latham has another attack on goal and is unlucky not to get it in the net. The Ducks are awarded a short corner but Lottie hits it just wide. The crowd feel that all these attacks and pressure must result in a goal and following a fantastic run through by Katie Cuttle who takes it and runs and crosses through to Becky who chips it in. The Ducks are quacking well back on it and it’s 3 all with Becky on her 2nd.

Crewe retaliate straight back but great defending by Pam and Amy keeps them at bay. Crewe fail to capitalise on a controversial short corner. Brooklands respond and break through the Crewe midfield, Lucy Shea puts the pressure and hits a fantastic goal into the far corner of the net. A great goal and the smile and jump in the air from her says it all….the Ducks are 4 3 up.

Crewe aren’t going to lie down and attack but a great tackle by Pam thwarts them again. Pam responds with a great run and play down the wing. The half time team talk paid off with the Ducks playing with confidence and as a team again. Emilie C keeps the Vagrants on their toes and the pressure on Crewe continues to build. Jonesy breaks through their midfield and crosses to Ellie Cronin who puts it in the net. The ducks are 5 3 up.

Unfortunately, after the great goal Ellie Cronin gets green carded and is off the pitch. Despite losing Ellie the Ducks keep the pressure on. Crewe feel the pressure and an incident occurs resulting in both umpires, Laura Timms (coach), Mel Smith, and Pam getting involved. The result of the fracas was the Crewe player being yellow carded & off the pitch. Ellie Cronin yoyos back onto the pitch only to be sent straight back off by the other umpire to return again seconds later! Pam calms the team down after the incidents. Crewe break straight away despite being a player down (who later refused to come back onto the pitch) but Luci does a spectacular save and throws herself down the pitch . Brooklands respond with another attack and are awarded a short corner which results in a fantastic goal by Katie Cuttle…she most definitely deserved it! The Ducks are 6 3 up…Pam not satisfied asks for another one!! Katie breaks through to Becky Latham but it goes wide of the open goal……she won’t forget that one!

Crewe get a short corner which is well defended by the Ducks but are awarded another one immediately and this time after initial good defence it ends up in the net and it’s 6 – 4.

It’s nervous on the sidelines but Katie keeps the pressure on and Becky sneaks the ball, breaks and runs and is unlucky not to score again…

The final whistle goes at 6 4 to the Mighty Ducks!!! It was exciting to watch and the win was very much well deserved. It was a real shame about the incident with the Crewe player but the Mighty Ducks didn’t let that ruin their fantastic win and fantastic team effort. My own personal MOM for her sheer hard work, excellent pressure in midfield, contributing to the goals, and scoring her own goal is Katie Cuttle!

The opposition’s Player of the Match was Lottie Kielty.

DOD (and for the first time no votes for the lovely Pam) – nominations for Becky missing the open goal/ Ellie for being feisty & sending off/Emilie C for green card too…but Beckly L won the vote for DOD ( well done on the 2 goals though Becky!)

MOM – nominations for Katie Cuttle, Lucy Shea, Luci (GK) – Lucy got the final vote – a fab goal, a great game and best celebration of the match.

The win puts Brooklands 2nd in the League!