Southend and Befleet ladies 2's 5 - 0 University of Essex
Southend travelled to this match to play University of Essex (third in the league and full of young energetic students) taking with them only 10 players and no GK. Still, we like a challenge!! The plan from S&B was take them by surprise early on in the game, as they would've been lulled into a false sense of security seeing the big gaping hole where a burly GK should've been. It worked to an extent with Southend having several chances that were painfully close. However when U of E did catch us on the break and got past the last defender it would've taken Stevie Wonder to miss. Soon after that first goal Southend were very unlucky to concede a penalty flick, which was scored, not unsurprisingly seeing as Nicola Coleman had just her shin pads for protection in the goal. Southend's protests that she should at least be allowed to put a helmet on were dismissed by the umpires, strangely. Apparently league rules state that this is not essential so we just need to wait until someone gets their brains smeared over the goal before an adjustment to the rules is put in place. No room for common sense here...
2-0 down at half time was nothing to be ashamed of. The second half produced more agonisingly close shots from S&B - one just cleared from the line and two that hit the post. U of E kept pushing and piling on the pressure and scored from three short corners, giving them a flattering 5-0 final score line. |
