Hedge your bets

Luton Ladies 2s made their annual visit to the “Lost Gardens of Broxbourne” this week.
Ensuring their feet were clean as one of the mums had not long been round with the hoover, they entered the Edwardian garden style pitch with care while waiting for the late finish of the previous game.
The hedges had not long been trimmed, but this still gave the effect of a small pitch (so yes Becky, you still had to run around), but maybe it was the smell that was sending them in to a weird frenzy of confidence.

When the game finally started and considering many of the players were calculating if they would get back to Luton in time for “Beer Pong” (I just need to add here that I only just got home for the start of Strictly Come Dancing), Luton started straight onto the attack and were definitely the stronger team, only withheld by some good goal keeping saves by the Broxbourne GK.

Broxbourne were able to get the occasional attacking break, and unlucky to score. However, 10 minutes before the end of the first half Broxbourne took advantage of the Luton defenders sniffing the hedges, and scored a soft goal.
Undeterred (but a bit miffed), Luton kept on the attack and were awarded a short corner. Defender Siobhan Barden was able to go up and take a good first strike of the ball to the backboard to ensure it was even as they went into half-time.

Half time chat, the team just needed the confidence to win this game as they were all working so well and moving the ball around the pitch and into the attacking zone.

Second half Luton determined again to keep up the pressure with Taz Ferdous and Leah O’ Shaughnessy both scoring from open play,. Broxbourne close to scoring a second with the ball luckily striking the post and the re-bound going past the posts for a 16yd hit out.

A goal from Helen Beattie was disallowed with the umpire whistle blown for a Broxbourne foul just milliseconds before she scored, with an unsuccessful resulting short corner strike (apparently in this league Tara’s video evidence could not be used to prove this was a goal). Emma Halsey was unlucky to be only just outside the D for her goal, so another disallowed (though her other goal not given was miles out of the D with Luton unlucky not to make contact with it)

Luton keeping on the attack, were finally awarded with their fourth goal of the match, with Emma Halsey striking the ball into the goal and just coming off a Broxbourne defenders stick after some Pinball style/ 1 touch / beer pong practice hockey just three foot in front of the goal!

Plenty of close chances again in this half with some good crosses into the D from Claire Clancey and the ball being kept in the right area with strong tackles from Ronni Dagnall

Final score 1-4 to Luton, now hoping to keep their confidence high with a home game against league leaders St.Neots next week

Player of the match went to Emma Halsey, for her energy this week and covering the whole pitch (looks like Alphabetti Spaghetti for lunch is the key ingredient)

Mare of the match…….there were two strong contenders this week. Katie Gray somehow got away with it (after making us stand outside an unlocked changing room door for 5 minutes before the match, then as if by magic, a light push and it opened)
Taz Ferdous was the winner (or is it loser?), as she managed to not only play her usual great hockey, but has now shown us her gardening skills and that her hair still looked OK after coming out of the hedge backwards!!

Luton were Top of the League for a few hours, until St Neots entered their win. Luton just 2 points behind them should make it a very interesting match next week