Ladies 4th Team (Dolls) Vs Pelicans 2

The weather was ominous with glowering grey skies as the Dolls arrived at Pelicans in dribs and drabs due to traffic, fortunately nobody had been caught short and needed to use Pelicans newly installed Covid secure portaloo beside the pitch.....

El Capitano Sands and the AGK had undergone a week to remember or maybe to forget, full of "terse" or "curt" emails between teams, changing umpires and a fluctuating Dolls line up. So the game was to see Maz "The Marvellous Moderator" Doble demoted to the side of the pitch with a coach's clock, clipboard and a furrowed brow. The Dolls welcomed back Kate "Bride To Be" Welsby and Isla "The Younger" Reid to fill in for a late drop out. Rosie T and Mia B from the 3's and the surprise addition Ali "Running" Waters alongside mother and defensive factotum FiFi "So Good They Named Her Twice" Waters.

The game started at speed, the Pelicans team had clearly been to training unlike some of the more mature of the Dolls and were working the ball round the pitch in a controlled manner. However the Dereham forwards of Suzanne "Hot Shot" Thorne, Edie "Top Gun" Topping and Isla were putting pressure on the Pelicans goal but were unable to convert the chances. The opposition had started to flood forward and the first of many short corners was to be given away as Tori "Soft Shoe Shuffle" Baker toe punted the ball in the D. A smart shot from the top of the D was tapped in on the post by a Pelicans player who nipped behind the Dolls defence and left the AGK floundering - nothing particularly new there .... the AGK floundering ....

By this time the rain that had started as the whistle blew for pushback was becoming heavier, just to add to the general feeling of "meh" that seemed to pervade the pitch. Ali "Running" Waters recently back from lengthy stay in Canada, was ploughing a difficult furrow on the left, skirmishes with her opposite number were becoming more and more vigorous. This particular battle was to culminate in a short but heated "discussion" with the umpire and then nothing changed!

Suzanne "Hot Shot" Thorne was to pop up with one of her solo efforts and draw the Dolls level .... briefly!! The 2nd Pelicans goal was to be the result of a drop in concentration in defence that was to see the AGK left alone as three opposition forwards thundered towards her. And the usual result was to follow ......

The Dolls were to continue to work hard with Ali, Kate, Suz and Edie all having chances that they were unable to convert, the final ball was to just elude them or the ball was to whistle past the stick. The Pelicans were more clinical and although they did not have the same quantity of chances as the Dolls they were making the most of them. A well struck opposition ball across the D being tapped in on the post by a stray forward who had appeared as if from nowhere.

By now the weather had reached a biblical level, the wind blowing the rain horizontal, an Ark was spotted floating past but didn't stop. The AGK was having to empty her hand pad as the water started to pool around her fingers and El Capitano Sands was bemoaning the fact that she had visited the hairdressers the previous day and now looked like a wet spaniel. Half time was damp - no half time was WET as the Dolls followed the rules and stayed out of the dugouts - Sigh.

The second half was to be much the same as the first, the Dolls making chances at the front with all the forwards, Rosie T having several solo breaks but being stopped from shooting. Jane "Mum Of Freddie" Steward was popping up around the pitch including one particularly satisfying shepherding of a young, rapid Pelican's forward around the D and then pinching the ball off her stick - oldbutgold

At the back El Capitano Sands, FiFi, Natasha "Hard As Nails" Hammond and Tori were all trying to keep the well drilled Pelicans out of the D. Mia B was having a great first game for the Dolls between running in short corners - we had a few - and making telling tackles in the midfield. Things were becoming a little tetchy, with some of the umpiring decisions causing consternation, quite unusual for the Dolls!!.

But eventually the dam was breached, the defence was over run and a ball fizzed into the goal with a satisfying thump - if you are a Pelican! The AGK and El Capitano Sands decided that sometimes there is just nothing that you can do .....

Suzanne was to once again drag the Dolls back into the game with another of her individual goals ably supported by Kate and Rosie T. The AGK had a little clash with a Pelicans player, a shove in the back as they both ran for the ball was reciprocated by a push from a pad and a silent eyebrow raise under the helmet. Although that may be because the rain was running in the AGK's eyes ........

So soaked and cold, the Dolls were to concede another goal as a player ran in on the back post and it was with some relief that the final whistle blew on the game .... the final whistle for the Dolls and for hockey for nobody knows how long.

MOM - Ali "Running" Waters, for being smashed all over the pitch, still coming out with the ball and being polite to the umpire!

The Booby - Nobody - more important things going on in the world!

The Dolls are a friendship group drawn together by a mutual love of playing hockey, age, skill or standard is not important. Hockey is the icing on the cake but it is the friendship, humour, company and support that IS the cake. As we approach another lockdown it is important to remember that there is always somebody in the hockey family if you are feeling down, need a chat or just a moan. You don't have to have been in a Doll's team to be a Doll, please don't feel alone over the next few weeks, you are always welcome just send a message.