Ladies 4th Team (Dolls) Vs Harleston Magpies 6

Or The Crikey We Won It Game ..

First League game of the season ... the previous weekends sun replaced with wind, rain and a dramatic temperature drop, imagine "The Day After Tomorrow" ... without the snow or the dog.

1. El Capitano Sands was away studying consonants in Wales.

2. FiFi "So Good They Named Her Twice" Waters was still recovering from the knee injury caused from a particularly energetic cricket training session .... apparently.

3. The AGK was in a spectacularly bad mood ...

The upside was that The Dolls were able to make public their latest excursions into the transfer market, splashing the cash on proven players - Kate "I'll Be Back" Dix after a thorough medical and Becky "Brian" Cox. alongside Natasha "Asha" Hammond who was making her return from a season long loan spell and Evie "Crystal" Cleere who had arrived for a trial ...

Introductions were made before the game and then clearly swiftly forgotten ...

The AGK wandered onto the pitch under her personal grey cloud and observed that she was not only old enough to be the mother of most of the opposition team but she was old enough to be their grandmother!! Her mood was not improved by Magpies scoring from the push back after showing an impressive turn of speed to not only go straight past the midfield but dodge past Tracey "Solid At The Back" Allan, then smack the ball past the AGK with the ball pinging off the post and in. The Dolls slow starts of last season were once again back to haunt them ...

This appeared to light the blue touchpaper with Suzanne "Hot Shot" Thorne deciding to take levelling the score in to her own hands. Dribbling the ball from the centre line then winding her way into the opposition D and slotting the ball past the Magpies goalkeeper from close range.

LEVEL!!

The Dolls started to work their way into the game although the rapid counter attacks of the Harleston team were causing the midfield and defence problems. Natasha "Asha" Hammond was playing like she had never been away, Bev "Bucket"Chantry despite her protestations was warming to the position of Centre Back while Tracey "Solid At The Back" Allan was heard to comment that she "hadn't done this much running for a while" and Kate "I'll Be Back" Dix was turning back the years and her knee problems while snuffing out attacks.

SCORE LEVEL BUT NOT FOR LONG

The game was stopped by a serious injury to a Harleston player who appeared to trip over as she attempted to chase Mitzi "Marmite" Lewis down, fortunately Wendy "Nursie" Ellen who IS a nurse, was on hand to assist the opposition bench and help the player from the pitch and towards A&E. The long break seemed to have a detrimental affect on the Dereham players and the Magpies were once again to take the lead as the AGK, despite being in the right place at the right time, allowed the ball to pop between her leg guards .... the ultimate embaressment for a goalkeeper! Cue metaphorical sackcloth and ashes, bell ringing and cries of "Shame, shame" ...

The Dolls however continued to have their chances with Tilly "Saving Miss" Banks working hard to close down the opposition ably assisted by Olivia "Not Maddie" Dean and new signing Becky "Brian" Cox. The Dolls continued to get chances but could not quite get the final ball to work until Edie "Top Gun" Topping picked up the ball on the wing dribbled her way into the D, a shot on goal was parried, another attempt following from the rebound but persistence paid as the ball was squeezed over the line!

LEVEL!! FOR A FEW MINUTES ....

Until the Magpies broke through the Dolls stalwart defence, leaving the AGK to having to gallop or jog off the line for a one on one with the Magpies centre forward, a situation that was only destined to go one way! The crisp shot bouncing off the AGK's thigh (Ouch ....) and leaving the ball spinning towards goal. Despite Tracy's best efforts and the AGK trying a supertanker style turn back towards goal, the Magpies player was first to the ball and scored.

Once again Suzanne was to draw the Dolls level on the cusp of half time, with a "grab and smash " goal, the ball grabbed from the opposition then ran to the edge of the D and smashed past the goalkeeper!! It was turning into seat of the pants game that could go either way ...

Shorn of El Capitano Sands, FiFi "So Good They Named Her Twice" Waters and Kate "Still A Bride to Be" Welsby, the half time team talk was to fall to Kate "I'll Be Back" Dix .... do not treat them with respect was the message ...

The second half was to be a roller coaster with the game swinging back and forth, each team having the opportunity to take the win.

A synopsis ...

1. Becky "Brian" Cox terrorised the opposition defence and goalkeeper with her surging runs, no goals but so so close.

2. The AGK had shed her funk (the mood not the musical genre) and made a series of saves including a particularly spectacular double save from a rapid Magpies player. No applause just throw money ...

3. Jane "Mum Of Freddie" Steward was stoic in defence but also nearly scored ..

4. Carolyn "The Elder" Reid cleared the ball off the line/post from a short corner ..

5. Evie "Crystal" Cleer after a nervous start, threw herself into the game making a series of attacking runs as well as getting stuck in defending.

6. Wendy "Nursie" Ellen having done her good deed for the day was back at her best, stealing the ball, then mesmerising the young opposition with her casual stick skills as she wended (real word) her way out of trouble.

7. In short, we were all brilliant!

It was Suzanne "Why Do You Still Play Ladies 4's?" Thorne who was to break the deadlock with a goal very similar to the previous week's decider, collecting the ball on the baseline then squeezing past the defenders and firing past the goalkeeper ...

It was all a bit "hanging on" at the end of the game, the Harleston team having several chances that fortunately went wide. It was a relief to hear the final whistle!

A fantastic game, played in a great spirit, it may not last but The Dolls are enjoying every moment!