This win was achieved without top scorer Akvile Gerbenyte (in bed with a temperature) and our still injured captain Eleanor Pike (knee ligaments).
The Moorlands pitch was something to behold - something just larger than a postage stamp marked out widthways over a full sized pitch and very stony.
After peppering their goal with shots going close but wide or collected by the keeper it became a bit “end-to-end, with both keepers opting for long kicks into the other area.
The other team took the lead from one of these punts, after a melee in the area.
Two defenders and our keeper, Poppy Hallam all went to the ball and missed - the ball then bobbled into the net with the slightest touch.
The girls then took the game by the “scruff-of-the-neck”, with great purpose.
There were ten minutes left to play in the first half.
Jessie Leigh Slater who had been playing well up front, was taken off and Hannah Dunderdale
was pushed up from defence, Lottie Bates was replaced by Hattie Pickford to play alongside Thea Thompson who has proved to be an excellent defender over the last three games.
Vice Captain and main defender Annie Walton, had already been given the centre midfield role as tried to good effect in the Wyberton home game, Madelaine Woollford was also enjoying her new role in left midfield.
Just as Jessie was taken off, she had to go back on on the right to replace Abbie Weatherstone who had gone over on her knee. Abbie, as always, never stopped running and came back on in the second half showing no ill effects.
Hannah picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran into the opposing area where she was tackled, but eventually found the ball at her feet and blasted it into the net for the equaliser.
What a cheer! This was like a cup game.
We had a few corners in succession and I suggested that Annie leave them to Madelaine as she was bigger and would be more imposing in the area as well as the strongest on the ball.
It proved to be a good decision as Annie scored a great header for what was the winner just before the end of the first half.
More of the same in the second half made it a bit of a nail biter with the other team looking for an equaliser, and nearly getting it - against the run of play!
We should have had about another 4 or 5 with Madelaine playing up front and working excellent one-twos with Jessie. Both players were fantastic throughout, but Player-of-the-match goes to Annie Walton for her brilliant captaincy and forcefullness (and a great goal!).
All of the players played really well and were really pleased with their own efforts - this was a proper team effort.
