15/3/09 Ashford 3 vs Surbiton 1
It was a lovely Summery day when the U16s played Surbiton. With only nine players to start, with one more on her way, they were lucky when it was revealed the opposition too, only had 10. The whistle started and the girls were forced to adapt with having 9, with LIV GIBBON playing in defence and ROBIN WHEELER playing left-mid. The girls had also decided to play a different formation with GEORGINA SUCH in goal, BECKY HEWES sweeping and Skipper, ELINE SIBIA bottom of the diamond. It was a pretty even, if not messy game to start with. Ashford put the press on immediately and within minutes KELLY TAYLOR had a shot on goal which the goalie saved. Luckily, not long after, CHARLOTTE BURRELL made an appearance which really made a difference. Throughout the game, Surbiton had a vast amount of short-corners, double figures in fact, with none of them developing into goals due to the super-defending of BECKY HEWES, GEORGINA SUCH, MEGAN CONNELL, CHARLOTTE BURRELL, ELINE SIBIA. The team played well, and the short corners were thought out. KELLY TAYLOR scored a hat-trick, two from a short and one from free-play, but it came at a price – of needing stitches in her leg due to a wound from Surbiton’s stick. RAQUEL GRACIA played with confidence, MEGAN CONNELL really held the defence together and ROBIN WHEELER played with maturity beyond her 10 years. ABBY COWELL had some good runs down the left and battled hard for the ball. Surbiton scored on the break, there is little left to say except it was a good shot which GEORGINA SUCH had no chance of stopping. In the last few minutes of the game, a short corner was awarded, ELINE SIBIA took a straight strike but unfortunately it went slightly wide and Ashford weren’t able to get a stick on it.
Thanks to David Such and Jackie Wheeler for coaching, Lorna Burrell for her help on the side, Bryony Smith and Kirsty Hull for official cheerleading, Shane White and Philip Lewis for their, if not dubious ;-), umpiring and Kelly Taylor for playing her second game of the day.
Written by Eline Sibia
15th March 2009.
