Ladies 5s against Wycombe Ladies 5s

Saturday's match was an excellent step up by the whole team! We all arrived ready for the game, and excited to build on our performances of the last couple of weeks.

The first half was very back and forth, with them pushing hard but we did really well starting high intensity, and working really hard. We kept the ball moving and actually managed to attack the D a few times - eventually Sophie B took the ball in and with the space the opposition gave her, took a shot and flicked it into the net putting us 1-0 into the lead!

We kept up the pressure but they got a short corner and managed to put it around the D enough that it slipped in.

Play continued to be very ping-pong but while they tried to push up the wings, Elouise and Tegan did a great job on the left intercepting time and time again with Catrin and Helen keeping the right wing well defended.

Lindsey did get smacked in the foot - it was a real wallop and the ball was given against her - a real travesty.

We did get one attacking short but were unable to convert it and the half ended 1-1.

At half time we had a really strong team talk to make sure we keep up the intensity and continue to work hard and avoid getting tired in the second half.

The second half we had a little dip right at the beginning, and left things more open that we should have - we fought really hard to keep it out but there were too many of them in the D and it just slipped in past a veritable forest of feet.

After that, they seemed to drop their energy and we really stepped things up, began really moving as a team and putting the press on whenever they had a ball. We also upped our communication and movement.

We took hits much quicker and moved for each other and really gave ourselves space - we also really used the width and put the ball up high with much more accuracy. Amelia picked the ball up, took it up to the 23, she put it across to Sophie who put it behind the keeper, equalising.

We didn't let our energy drop and kept that pressure on. We got two shorts in quick succession and while the first didn't go anywhere, the second rebounded and Boycott got on the end of it and put it in again.

That energy and intensity carried us through the rest of the game, with Pippa taking a turn up front, picking the ball up on the outside of the D and putting it in on the first touch like a real pro.

The final goal came from a deflection in the right hand side of the right from Sophie B and the game ended 5-2 shortly afterward.

We played really really well as a team this week, but Elouise almost unanimously got voted as Man of the Match - she seemed to be everywhere exactly when we needed her.