Match Reports – 12-10-08

Match Report – Vikings 1 v Phoenix 2, 12/10/08

1^st Attack – Jon, Adam, Mo ©, Allison

Defense – Andy, Jerram, Sarah, Loes

 

This was always going to a tough match.  Phoenix 2 were relegated from the first division last season and will be hoping to go straight back up.  Vikings 1, on the other hand, had only missed out on promotion by one goal in the play-offs, and hope to go one better this year.  Perhaps too early in the season to be called a must-win game, but it will surely prove important in the second division race.  Vikings 1 were coming into the game a week after a good performance against Vikings 2, while Phoenix 2 had won their first game of the season only two days before, with a comfortable win over Lions 3.

The match started well for Vikings, with Mo scoring an early running-in shot.  However Phoenix equalised after a period of Vikings pressure.  Sarah then made the score 3-1 to the home team, scoring two excellent long shots.  But Phoenix pulled one back in a low scoring first half, to make the score 3-2 to Vikings at half time.

It was already a frustrating game for Vikings.  Phoenix were making it difficult for us to set up attacks and were restricting us to mainly one-shot attacks.  And just after the break, they drew level once again.  It wasn’t long, though, before Vikings were back in front.  Loes scored her first Vikings goal with a cheeky running-in shot which her defender could do nothing against.  But that would be her division’s only attack of the half, as Phoenix made it four-four and the divisions changed ends.

Both teams failed to score from the penalty spot, which could have changed the game.  But it was a mix-up in defence which lead to the winning goal – for Phoenix.  Although Vikings had chances to draw level towards the end of the game, the ball wouldn’t fall in the basket and Phoenix defended well to hold on for the narrowest of victories.  Vikings were left rueing their missed chances and the number of mistakes they had made, disappointed to be beaten in only the second game of the season.

Final Score:  Vikings I 4-5 Phoenix II

Goals:  Mo, Sarah (2), Loes

Subs: Mike (on for Adam, 2^nd half), Olly (on for Jerram, 2^nd half)

 

Match Report – Vikings 3 v Vikings 4, 12/10/08

Vikings 3;  1^st Attack – Rob ©, Ant, Liz, Jackie P

     Defense – Alex N, Alex S, Allison, Becky

 

Vikings 4;  1^st Attack – John, Dave, Annette, George

     Defense – Jamie ©, Bryan, Julie, Jas

 

Final Score – Team 3 16-3 Team 4 (Half time – 10-2)

Scorers – Team 3 – Rob (7), Alex S (4), Ant (2), Becky (2), Allison

Team 4 – Jamie (2), Georgina

 

This match got off to a great start for Vikings 3.  Within just a few minutes, Rob had scored four goals, Alex S had scored 2 and Allison had added one to make it 7-0 to the team in black.

However, Vikings 4 had started the match with only six players, as George and Jas were running late.  As well as that, four of the Vikings 4 team were playing their first league match, and the experience of Vikings 3 was definitely showing.  Rob added another two goals in the first half, one from the penalty spot, and Alex S grabbed another for himself as well.  But not before Jamie had pulled one back for Vikings 4 to get them off the mark.  He also scored a running-in shot right at the end of the half to make it 10-2 to Vikings 3 at half time.

The second half was almost like a different game.  Vikings 4 now had a full set of players on the court for a start, and the debutants were adapting quickly to the game.  Meanwhile, team 3 had made a substitution, with Allison being replaced by Loes – another playing her first appearance for Vikings!

Team 4 were defending much better now, although Ant managed to score two goals, and Becky got two as well.  Rob added another to round off his super seven.  Georgina got one back for Vikings 4, making the final score 16-3 in favour of Vikings 3.

In the end it was a comfortable win for the more-experienced Vikings 3, with Rob scoring an impressive (and Vikings record) 7 goals in one game.  However it was a valuable learning experience for the much newer players of Vikings 4, who will surely be causing problems for other teams before too long.