ladies F 2-1 Phoenix

 Foxes v Phoenix – Sat 9^th January :  View from the Last Defender 
Final Score Foxes 2 - Phoenix 1 - PHEW! 

At a pondering moment pre-match, myself (Diane, GK), Rhona and Super Backs (Christine and Mel) were moaning that, given we were playing the underdog team (bottom of the league), this game was going to be:-   
a) a Sam GoalFest (5 goals – heck, make that 10!) 
b) Most if not all forwards and mids would score as well (Hooray!) 
c) Us defenders and particularly me - the GK - would not touch the ball (Get the deck chairs out – Boo!) 
But Hey, LETS GET LOADS OF GOALS!!!! 

However, true of course – moment of madness matched with moment of sense -  mon Kapitan, Helene (French WW2 speak)  and super sub, chappie (said with a Shh in WWII speak) said, let’s not underestimate them, treat them like we’re playing the Skyers……sure, no problem….. we walked the John Wayne walk (well I certainly do)…onto the pitch………………… 
Complacent. Us. Nooo. Sluggish after a break. Us.Noooooooo. 

Phoenix rising from the ashes….YEEESS! 

The first half – View from a GoalKeeper –It’s tough – every  loose ball has three of our players going for it, nobody owns it – and when they reach the ball each wants to give way to the other player – THIS IS NOT US.  And I watch Phoenix come down the pitch towards me, they play in triangles, they look for people – it’s co-ordinated, it’s working….They switch it side–to– side, into the middle – my backs and mids are flat out, (the forwards help out, thank you!) and I am busy. We are shocked. Forget about the league position, they are here and now and they ‘Vant to Vin’ (WWII german) 

We still dominate, but it’s a far cry off our game level before Christmas. We have a number of short corners.  Even though they have no GK, they have gutsy defence and they clear everything away. And then, a cross, a dribble, a pass that bounces and there is Sam (apologies if it wasn’t, Sam jumped immediately after the goal was scored, so that was my judgement from the other end of the pitch!)  1-0!!!! We’re off and running – let the Goalfest commence! 

But they press. They force a short corner. It’s taken, I see the shot, I am there. I take a direct hit, I stop the ball but I cannot clear it. Christine swoops behind me to clear, but no, their No18 CF doesn’t stop – she pushes it over the line 1 – 1!! We are GUTTED.  Our play just seems to be settling down when - Thwack! Was a bird, a plane or a rather delicious Superman? NO – it was a ball bouncing up to give Helen a rather nasty hit on the head. Our skipper is out for the rest of the match – OUCH! Could things get much worse….. 

Half Time:  Chappie team talk – eerr – underwhelming…. are you the FOXES?? HHmmmmm…Numerous shots on goal – and what happened to our passing? We get a tough team talk, we need it – we get that we’re not playing well and how to change. We see how to begin again… 

Second half: 1-1. The team begins to work from side to side, passing is suddenly better.  Alex, Ellen, Louisa, Polly, Ali and Viv move the ball seamlessly up the pitch for Nia, Gen and Sam to do their best, but it still is tough. No GK means that have an extra player mid-field – it confused us in the first half – but we’re ready for it now – we have a chappie plan and it’s working. In the last few minutes of the game the tempo suddenly increases. Phoenix can sniff a win, they throw everyone forward – Bad Decision! With 2 minutes to go Phoenix commit a foul outside our own D which sees a fast Foxes pass move swiftly down the pitch, a perfect cross and who else but Sam waiting patiently by an open goal – It’s In!! 2-1!! 1 minute to go. Everyone from Phoenix attacks, everyone from the Foxes defends. It’s around our D the entire 60 seconds, we are clearing, defending and then – Final Whistle! Phew! 
What can you say? Phoenix deserved the win. But they didn’t. We did. So there. 

Moments of Madness/Inspiration 

Chappie – ‘this ain’t pretty - stop being girly and go in tough’ 
Nia (“The Bruiser”) – apologizing to the phoenix defender after cleaning her up in a tackle – I think she landed about 20 feet behind her hockey stick. She listens to her coach. 
Helen (“The Bruised”) – Have you got through an entire game yet without injury? 
Louisa (“Supermum”) – Welcome back – great playing – looks like you’ve never been away. 
And the Moment of Madness Award – to Sam for The Most Amazing Goal Miss Ever – it was awesome. Sam shall provide a demonstration on Thursday to all who missed it – or at least we’d like to see you try!!! 
Christine – A Goalkeeper’s Dream defender – actually managed to get behind me when I needed help. 
And our MVP? For Gazelle-like advances down the right wing, and generally always being in the right place at the right time – there to defend, poised to attack – who other than our very own right back – MEL! Well done, Mel! 
(personally - I think it was all a bit hit and miss as a result of having to wear those smelly bibs -  oh, and who cares that it was ugly - a wins a win! WELL DONE FOXES! - HELEN)