Match Report 18 Dec 2008

Date- 18-12-08

Venue-CRC

Match start 9:25

Phoenix 4   v.s  Vikings 4

First Attack: Alex N ©, Martin, Jazz, Jackie S  Defense: Dave, Brian, Georgina, Becky

Subs Annette (came on for Jackie at half time). Jamie (came on for Martin in 2nd half). Lee (came on for Brian in 2nd half)

Goals: Jazz, Martin, Becky, Dave, Annette, Lee, Jackie (Pen)

The first attack for Vikings was Alex, Martin, Jazz and Jackie with the defending division being Dave, Brain, Georgina and Becky.  After a lengthy warm up the referee finally arrived and the game was underway. In the early stages of the game Vikings defended well and on paper this was their game to win.  It was only a matter of time before Vikings took the lead and a short passing move was finished well with a drop-off shot from Jazz.  Vikings applied good pressure when defending and it wasn’t long before they were on the attack again.  A foul on martin won Vikings a penalty, which Jackie dispatched.  Vikings continued to defend well but could not add to their goal tally in attack.  Although a number of players came close with their shots the opportunity to increase the lead was not taken.  Phoenix scored to make it 2-1 even though the Vikings defence had restricted them well, to just a few shots.  The Vikings attack was still coming close but at half time the game remained 2-1.

In the second half the defence applied good pressure not letting phoenix get back into the game. Vikings had a large percentage of the possession, passing the ball around.  The shots continued to hammer the phoenix defence.  Becky took a short shot well to make the game 3-1 and martin scored a drop off shot: it was now 4-1 to Vikings and we were in control.  Annette came on as a substitute and scored a long shot to claim her first goal of the season.  Dave also got off the mark with a well taken short shot.  The shots were now going in and Vikings’ good defensive display was being rewarded in attack.  The scoring was rounded off by Lee, who came on as a substitute to score a short shot and the game finished 7-1 to Vikings.

A good team performance and defensive display earned Vikings 4 their first win. The solid Vikings defence meant Phoenix caused little threat and the team took advantage when in attack.  All the goals came from a different scorer, which is a good sign of a true team performance. Let’s hope everyone comes back refreshed in the New Year and the good results continue. Not just for team 4 but for Vikings as a club.

Final Score: Phoenix IV 1-7 Vikings IV

Jamie Cranwell

Match Report 20-11-08

Match Report – Phoenix 3 v Vikings 1, 20/11/08

1^st Attack –Mo ©, Loes, Jerram, Jon

Defense –Sarah, Harriet, Andy, Mike

 

Vikings 1 travelled to Cambridge for this fixture late on a Thursday night.  Vikings 2 had beaten Phoenix 2 here a week before, and Phoenix would surely want to avenge that defeat.

Vikings got off to the best start possible – three attacks, three shots, three goals, with Harriet and two from Loes putting Vikings into a quick three-goal lead.  The team was working well and the goals continued to fall, with both Loes and Andy scoring first half hat-tricks, giving Vikings an 11-1 lead at half time.  Vikings were forcing Phoenix to make mistakes and then capitalising on them.

The game slowed down in the second half, with Phoenix holding onto the ball better.  But Vikings were still restricting the number of shots Phoenix could have.  Jon coolly converted two penalties, while Sarah and Harriet also reached their hat-tricks.  Two further goals from Mo put the final score at 18-5 in favour of Vikings.

This was an important win for Vikings 1 as it keeps us in the hunt for the league title.  The ref was Reda, who had a solid match as usual, and didn’t have too much to deal with.

Final Score:  Phoenix III 5-18 Vikings I

Goals:  Loes (4), Sarah(3), Andy (3), Harriet (3), Jon (1 + 2 pens), Mo (2)

Match Report 19/10/08

Match Report – Vikings 1 v City 3, 19/10/08

1^st Attack –Mo ©, Loes, Jerram, Olly

Defense –Sarah, Allison, Alex S, Mike

 

Head coach Lee made some changes for this match, with three players who started the last match dropping to the bench, and calling up youngsters Alex and Olly for their first team 1 starts.  The visiting Cambridge City 3 team was a mix of youth and experience, and by no means an easy opposition.

The match started well for Vikings.  Although it was a close first half, Vikings managed to edge into the lead, by 5 goals to 2 at half time.  Loes scored one goal and added a penalty, and there was one each for Sarah, Olly and Alex.

City weren’t giving up, though, and brought on three substitutes in the second half to try to get back in the game.  However Vikings added 3 goals in the second half and only let in one, making the final score 8-3 to Vikings.  Loes scored two long-shots in the second half, while Alex got one more, which takes him to the top of the Vikings scoring charts so far this season.  The scoreline could have been even better for Vikings, but the home side missed twice from the penalty spot.

This was an important win for Vikings 1, coming off the back of a narrow defeat to promotion rivals Phoenix 2.  The victory takes Vikings 1 back to the top of the league, albeit on goal difference and having played a game more than our closest rivals.

Final Score:  Vikings I 8-3 City III

Goals:  Sarah, Loes (3 + 1 pen), Olly, Alex (2)

Subs: Jon (on for Alex, 2^nd half), Andy (on for Olly, 2^nd half), Harriet (on for Allison, 2^nd half)

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.