Kettering 1-2 Towcester

“A GAME OF TWO HALVES”

For the second week running the start of the game saw Kettering second to the ball and slow to pick up the Towcester forwards who were attacking in numbers. They paid the price as Towcester had an undefended shot which was fired towards the right hand post. The valiant efforts of keeper Kate Metcalfe, who managed to get a touch on the ball, was not enough to stop the ball from drifting into the goal just inside her right hand post.
Kettering settled and began to pressure the Towcester defence with great moves through the midfield with Natalie Irons in particular giving the opposition cause for concern with her weaving runs down the pitch. She was well supported by Ellie Peachment and Sandra Mandziuk who showed skill and determination as they fought their way into the Towcester “D” only to be denied by the Towcester keeper.
Sophie Richardson and Imogen Smith outstanding, as always, in midfield were an equal match for the opposition and, with Julia Telford’s telling distribution of the ball, the midfield battle continued throughout most of the first half with little to choose between the teams.
The team settled and for long periods very little found its way past Sophie Guyett, Claire Jones and Eleanor Izzard in defence and clearances by Beth Hardy set the attack in motion with Katie Woolveridge in fine form linking well with Sam Bedford. The stalemate was not to last however when a counter attack and a packed Kettering “D” saw an unstoppable reverse lob from three yards out loop over the Kettering keeper.
Being 2 – 0 down at the break was not in Kettering’s plans for the day.

A spirited constructive half time team talk energised the team and for long periods of the second half the Kettering team were able to dominate the game. Sam Bedford worked tirelessly to find space and in one outstanding move she pulled the defence wide to create an opening for Ellie Peachment who picked up the ball and after drifting past the defence found her shot go agonising wide of the post. The midfield continued to work their way through the tiring Towcester defence to create chances for their forwards and as a result forced a number of penalty corners.
A good injection from Sandra Mandziuk to Beth Hardy was well defended by Towcester but Sam Bedford pounced onto the loose ball and rolled out to slip the ball across the “D” to Beth Hardy whose first time shot flew into the Towcester goal. Kettering continued to press but unfortunately ran out of time and felt disappointed not to take at least one point from the game.

TEAM
Kate Metcalfe, Beth Hardy, Jan Randle, Claire Jones, Sophie Guyett, Julia Telford,
Natalie Irons, Sandra Mandziuk, Eleanor Izzard, Sam Bedford, Katie Woolveridge, Imogen Smith, Sophie Richardson & Ellie Peachment