Date: 16/01/2005
Fixture: Richmond & Hampton V BAWFC
Result: 13-3
Author: Belinda Hart

The performance of everyone yesterday was very impressive, nearly as good as the pitch we play at (first time I've walked out through a tunnel anyway). The team we played against were faster and passed well but we worried them in the second half when we matched their skills, especially in defending. They started off with the first goal, a shot from outside the box which sailed over everyone's head. But we retaliated with a header from Petra to Heidi, who took it down the right wing, looked like she was just going to make a cross but it went perfectly into the top left hand corner of the net (1-1). One of their players somehow got injured and went off with no sub available so down to 10 men (which I'm not sure how many people realised!). After what seemed like a 10 minute talk from their coach, play stated again. I then lost concentration but remember some backward kick clearances from Preeti (I don't know how you do them), Stacey interpretating what they were going to do and intercepting at the back, and a great pass from Harriet which Nav ran onto and nearly managed to take it down the field. But the final half time score ended up being 9-1 (to them).

At half time, with Char and Jo coming on, we started as if it was 0-0. Again, everyone defended well, Char and Heidi passing together up front and it was Petra's pass down the wing which Heidi picked up and did another (what looked) effortless shot into the left hand corner (1-0 to us!). They got 2 more goals and then Char or Harriet passed to Heidi, who chipped it over their defender and goalie, managed not to get tripped up by them and gently touched it into the net. (2-2)

The final score ended 13-3 but the second half score (4-2) reflected our performance, everyone had worked really hard.

Thanks to Waqas for shouting instructions on the sideline until he got told to stay in the box, Luke for running the line instead of being able to shout support (although I heard him doing that too), and John for videoing the first goal until he could bear it no longer and came to offer some invaluable advice.

And everyone has to stop playing so well so that I get more than 5 minutes next week! without my tracksuit bottoms on. (sorry if I've got anything wrong).