All the reports today will probably comment on the weather being horrendous today so we won’t dwell on that as we can’t change the weather unfortunately!

Cambridge Nomads proved to be a tougher battle for Kettering Ladies 1sts today, probably being the best team we have come up against so far, although that’s not to say we shouldn’t have won the game today.

The tackles were strong from the opposition and they moved the ball well across the pitch with Kettering having to call upon player of the match, Amy in goal to keep them in the game, alongside some good defensive work from the penalty corner team. Despite this we did have most of the pressure in the first half with Georgia B and Steph working tirelessly down each wing and Harri putting the leg work in up front. We should have taken the lead when a penalty corner routine saw a ball from Emma F pass across the goal face to Toni on the far post who had to hit it first time like a cricket stroke with it whispering agonisingly past the other post. Another opportunity came as Stephs shot was blocked by the body of the defender resulting in a penalty flick. Harri bravely stepped up to take the flick but unfortunately couldn’t convert.

The battling continued up to half time with the first half finishing at 0-0. As the second half started Kettering had to defend 3-4 penalty corner in a row which they did so with again Amy being called on the keep the ball out of the goal. Once the game got going again it was pretty much the same as the first half, both teams trying to move the ball forwards and not quite finding their stride. A goal finally came in Kettering’s favour as a scrap in the circle saw the ball fall to Harri who made sure she didn’t miss this time. A number of crosses from Cath once again sailed past the far post and movement into the circle didn’t quite avail to anything. Cambridge then equalised with 5 minutes or so left to play as Kettering started to panic and drop more players defensively. Their right back had beaten Eleanor but Toni had ran behind to cover only to then have the ball hit and ricochet off her stick into the air, a call of play on from the umpire from the lifted ball then saw their attacker slot the ball past Amy who had no sight of where the ball actually was.

We pushed as hard as we could for the last few minutes but we soon ran out of time and that was it; our first draw of the season so far.