Depleted fifths go down by a single goal!

The Ladies 5ths travelled to play Holywood seconds, having had a squad of 16 last week they ended up with 11 bodies on the pitch – the minds were all willing, but eventually most of the bodies just weren’t able!

The Holywood forwards were using supersonic speed and very fancy stick skills to get around the North Down defence of Linda Marshall, Beverley Brittain, Jill Jack, Maxine Taylor and Ann McBride who somehow managed to keep them out until a sloppy corner was given away by a foot – then the debate started with had the ball travelled five before it went into the circle and was the foot inside or outside the circle????  Holywood hit a superb strike which was somehow stopped by Jill Jack on the post but the rebound fell behind Marshall’s pads and North Down couldn’t see it, but eagle eyed Holywood did and slipped it into the net.

The second quarter North Down looked very jittery, but in the second half they became more and more confident and had nearly all of the play, with Marion Sanderson absolutely on fire giving a hundred and ten percent at least. Her enthusiasm rubbed off on the other forwards Ruby Bond and Kate McClughan who challenged the Holywood defence and North Down won a few corners but just couldn’t convert them. The arrival of Karen Jackson rushing straight from work helped. With Karen Clarke and Ann McBride swapping constantly between Centre Mid and Centre Back and Emma Johnstone and Ruby Donaldson playing really well as the other midfielders, North Down continued a relentless attack. Ann McBride finding second wind and charging into the circle only to have her shot thwarted by the Holywood goalkeeper. Unfortunately, McBride and Sanderson eventually paid the price for their awe inspiring efforts with both having to come off injured. The final score was 1 nil to Holywood, but a draw would definitely have been a truer reflection of the match.

Burch Autos Player of the Match was Marion Sanderson.