Ladies 1st Team Vs Beeston Ladies' 2s

Today saw the return fixture of the fiercely contested local derby between Boots and Beeston.

The Beeston girls were in a confident mood after winning the first fixture, so confident that they had the audacity to bring a boom box onto the pitch and blasted out music as they warmed up. This clearly riled the Boots ladies and they were determined to make them pay. The Bay has become something of a fortress this season and it seemed every man and his dog had turned up to support the home team.

After a nervous start neither team could get the upper hand with chances few and far between. Beeston were forcing the play and had the first shot after 12 minutes. Following some champagne hockey Boots won the first short corner but unfortunately this amounted to nothing.

The first goal came after 20 minutes. A short corner for Boots was well worked and Sharon smashed home past the Beeston keeper. However, the goal seemed to make Boots sit back and although Beeston applied constant pressure they were unable to convert this into any real chances. The constant pressure from Beeston and a lack of concentration from the Boots defence resulted in the equaliser.

With Beeston back in the game cracks started to appear in Boots armour. Boots struggled to keep possession and often made basic mistakes giving possession straight back to Beeston to defend another attack from the nippy Beeston forwards.

The second half started similar to the how the first half ended as Beeston went in search of a winning goal. Boots were not giving up easily and after a great run of play, a typical silky dribble and shot by Sharon forced a save from the Beeston keeper; Becky Simms followed up brilliantly collecting the rebound and flicking the ball into the top corner past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper and nestling gloriously in the net.

Beestons bad banter eventually became too much to bear with a green card deservedly handed out. As Beestons frustration increased Boots were evenmore determined to win. On the counter attack Sharon McGuckin had a shot saved by the keeper followed up by Becky Simms who tried a cheeky reverse sweep which surely would have gone in but hit the defenders foot resulting in a penalty flick. This was Boots’ chance to secure the game and Ann Fairbrother, the hockey Guru, calmly converted the penalty against her former teammate who surely thought she knew which way Ann would put the ball…apparently not.

The third goal knocked the stuffing out of Beeston and despite their best efforts Boots soaked up the pressure.  Man of the Match was Karen Stevenson whose calm reading of the game, strong tackles and interceptions contributed massively to the win.

So, Boots march on with 3 valuable points and a wonder goal by Becky Simms to savour; sending Beeston limping back to Highfields with their boom box between their legs.