Sunday lunch nail biter

It never augurs well when you have the ball to start the game and contrive to go 1-0 down after 35 seconds. Just to compound that going 2-0 down after 3 1/2 minutes makes your day just that bit trickier.
Fortunately Kettering stabilised the ship and showed Bishop Stortford that they could actually play a bit of hockey. With the hosts looking to score a hatful Kettering knuckled down and weathered the next ten minutes. Gaining a short corner skipper Shez Coe fired into the corner to make it 2-1. Kettering were buoyed by this and almost immediately Coe set up sister Kirsty Smith to level the scores. Kettering finished the first half in the ascendancy as Bishop Stortford struggled to get their passing game going again.
The second half saw the game ebb and flow. Helen Keyworth was flying down the wing and the midfield of Mandy Starsmore Young, Linzi Webster, Michelle Tanser and Cath Irvin took more control of the ball. The back four, a combination of Dusty Mason, Julia Telford, Louise Storey and Jill Livingstone marshalled by Mel Linnell were resolute in keeping the hosts forwards at bay. When they did get through returning Kate Metcalfe was dominant in goal.
Clear chances were hard to come by and the game looked like it was heading for penalties as Bishop Stortford gained a final short corner when time was up. This was well kept out and off we went to penalties.
Shez Coe scored via the post, they missed as Kate Metcalfe saved it.
Mandy Starsmore Young missed, they scored.
Julia Telford scored, they missed.
Dusty Mason scored and Kate saved another.
3-1 win on penalty strokes and off to Cambridge City, so often Kettering’s nemesis, in the quarter finals.
Bishop Stortford played an excellent game and were one of the strongest sides Kettering have faced in recent years. An excellent game and a great result.