First game, First Point Won

First league game of the season saw Kettering travel to Worcester. We knew this would be a test of the new formation and we were challenged through the middle of the pitch where the Worcester midfield seemed a lot more together than they were last season and we were pressured bringing the ball out of defence. Kettering struggled a little to organise their own defence inthe first stages of the game and Worcester had a few chances on goal but luckily saw the ball go wide of the post and Kate Metcalfe in goal made a few good saves. However Kettering put together some good periods of play and got the ball down the pitch to win a short corner with Cath Irvin finishing the set piece nicely with a lift over the keeper to give us the lead. This seemed to lift Kettering and we started to put together some nice passing moves. A second short corner saw Meg Forader and Harriet Goswell scramble to get the ball into the goal on the right post with Meg getting the final touch to give Kettering a 2-0 lead. However with the strong midfield of Worcester still pressing they eventually won a penalty corner of their own and an unstoppable straight strike from the top of the D saw them bring the deficit down to go into half time with the score at 2-1 to Kettering. The second half saw much of the same with Worcester still pressing and Kettering soaking up the pressure. However, one of the advances saw a Worcester forward come behind the defence to score and bring the score to 2 all. Stacy Hall at right back put in a man of the math winning performance and brought the ball out of defence strongly a few times riding some stick tackles along the way. Kettering made a few break away chances with some quick balls down the lines from Cath Irvin and Jess Austin to our forward runners in Harriet Graham, Meg Forader and Mandy Starsmore-Young. Meg had the better of the chances with some quick sprints into the right side of the oppositions D only to slide the ball narrowly wide. The game finished on a draw which seemed a fair result with both teams having chances to win the game. So Kettering start the season with a point winning performance and hope to build on this in next games.