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Maidwell 2 - 4 Spratton
The U11 girls played with great determination in their first match against Spratton Hall. Maidwell kept the pressure on well in the opposition’s goal in the first half and our perseverance was rewarded when Megan Owens put us ahead 1-0. The game was fiercely competitive as Mimi Cleverly soon found out with a smack under the chin and Spratton were able to make it 1-1 at half time. It was apparent that the girls were tiring a little in the final quarter as play became a little scrappy but Hope Davies held the defence up admirably and Mimi Cleverly slotted in the best goal of the match.
The final score was 4-2 to Spratton but the girls played commendably for the first time as a team with many new players.
Maidwell 1 Beachborough 5
Beachborough proved to be a well structured and skilful team and the girls did very well to keep them within sight. The score after the first half was 4-0 with the defence working hard as a team under periods of continued pressure. The girls kept their spirits and did very well in the second half and Megan Owens was able to control a super cross from Mimi Cleverly to score a well-deserved goal.
Maidwell 1 Stamford 7
The girls knew that the match against Stamford U12B team was going to pose a challenge and they played with admirable determination. The backs were a little hesitant at the beginning of the first half but they soon found their flow and played with improved purpose and courage, with Hope Davies and Phoebe Plant making life quite difficult for the skilful Stamford forwards. We did have some positive forward play but we never quite had the attack to penetrate the organised opposition defence. The final score of 7-0 highlighted the hard match but the Maidwell girls were able to make it a positive learning experience.
Maidwell 1 Akeley Wood 5
The trip to Akeley Wood was made even more worth it as we had the opportunity to play Northampton High School in a round robin style event. We played Akeley Wood to start with and the first half was not pretty. The girls had no shape to their game and connecting passes were almost non-existent and we soon found themselves 4-0 down at half time. The ‘chat’ at half time turned things around and the second half had more purpose and rhythm. The final score was 5-1 to Akeley Wood. Northampton High School looked a strong and physical team but actually we matched them in skills stakes. Unfortunately for us the ball was not finding the back of the right goal and we lost 3-0.
Maidwell 6 Thornton College 1
The girls really had something to cheer about after their 6-1 win against Thornton College. They not only won their first match of the season but they did it in the finest possible style. They played their best hockey to date with accurate passing and individual players holding their positions to create more space and a sense of ease about the pitch. The forwards played particularly well with Mimi Cleverly scoring a stunning goal when she swept in a superb cross from Megan Owens, who played well on her wing. And Lara Weatherby had a brilliant match as she held her position up front and scored 3 goals through great positioning and far improved ball control. The defence were once again reliable and also had the opportunity to take the ball further up the pitch, which has been something of a rarity this season. Overall, a super afternoon of hockey; well done girlies!
Maidwell 1 Oakham 5
The match against Oakham turned out to be a frustrating affair against a physical team. We had a lot of the play in our attacking goal but the crosses were not quite working as effectively against a strong defence and there always seemed to be a few more Oakham players. They played well in the counter-attack and got some cheap goals as our defenders were left quite isolated at the back. Our attackers did score the best goal of the afternoon from a short corner in which Megan Owens and Mimi Cleverly connected well but we were well beaten five goals to one.
Maidwell 2 Witham Hall 1
Witham Hall hosted us on a chilly afternoon in what proved to be the closest match of the term so far. The girls kept their positions very well and passed with accuracy and fluency. We were possibly a little polite in the first quarter and found ourselves 1-0 down. However, the girls’ game play just got better and better with each ball being chased down. Hope Davies played really well in defence and also helped to control the game by pushing forward. Phoebe Plant had her best match of the season by making superb tackles and clearing the ball with determination. Mimi Cleverly scored the winning goals and Maidwell turned out 2-1 winners.
Maidwell 2 Spratton Hall 1
The ‘Girlies’ ended the term in fine style by beating Spratton 2-1 in a close home match on the final Wednesday of term. We had much of the possession and kept up the pressure in our attacking D but the goals were not coming readily. The score was one all for much of the match after Mimi Cleverly squeezed in a strong hit from the top of the circle which Lara Weatherby finished off. And Spratton scored a good goal after a swift counter-attack. Finally, the match was sealed when Megan Owens slotted in a super cross from Mimi Cleverly, having defeated the defence. This winning match concluded a positive finale to the hockey season for the U11 Colts.
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