THD W7s 3-1 London Academicals W3s
Saturday 11th March 2023
It was a difficult start of the season for the 7s, with 3 players moving up, 4 players injured and a few leaving THD Club. A pretty amazing new 7s team mix made of new Club members, Juniors and totally new to hockey players had to learn how to play together.
3rd from bottom of the London Division 6 East League only 4 weeks ago, the 7s have steadily grown as a Team and steadily moved up on the table, drawing with top of the League Edwardians and with W6s, in the THD intra Derby.
Knowing that the team can put up a really hard fight in the hardest matches against with the strongest team of the League, the team went to St Dunstan's with high spirit and the hope to contain the loss (Academicals are 2nd in the League) and enjoy the match!
14 players available on Friday.. the 7s went on the fight with only 11 players and 1/2 sub (myself, coming back from 5 months of injury) against Academicals, gearing up with 3 subs!
Before the start of the match, our over excited 7s captain made a false twist on her motivational speech, reminding the team 'We know the match is going to be hard, but we have already given a hard time to top of the League....we don't know how!", to which the team replied 'What do you mean? we do know how!". So it all started with the best start of all... the team laughing together!
In the first half of the match, the 7s diamond triangle made of junior forwards Grace and Cecily and fresh a addition to the team junior mid Hero (name and role!), covered the entire length of the pitch back and forward with no rest (bless the young legs!) giving extra support to the 7s mids and defence and topping up with two goals from Cecily.
Notwithstanding Academicals reaching the 7s goal more times in the second half than in the first (the extra legs of 3 subs helped), the entire 7s defence held strong giving the Academicals lessons on Italian 'catenaccio', while GK Mandy performed some amazing saves.
Half-time break, between sliced oranges, M&Ms and sweets, a second motivational speech came from the 7s GK, Mandy, reminding the players not to lower their guard, as in the previous match with K&A the 7s lost their 2-0 advantage in the second half, ending the match in a draw.
Academicals did finally get a goal from one of their short corners, but the 7s kicked back with a rocket bullet ball of the 7s captain Ola in one of their short corners.
In the end, fighting to contain the loss, the 7s ended up winning against the 2nd in the League team, paving the way for THD W6s promotion next year. Next match of the W7s is with W6s and there will be no concessions.
MOM: Cecily, for her two goals and for running full length of the pitch during both halves of the match, while not feeling well in the morning.
Honourable mentions to GK Mandy for keeping the 7s door almost goal proof, and to captain Ola for her amazing work as sweeper and for a rocket bullet short corner 3rd goal.
LOM (Lad of the Match). New category introduced by our defender Narnia, who educated the 7s team on the day and on the new category giving the example of our newest midfield Hero, junior player, taking alone 3 Academicals players and passing through them with seamless effort. .. Well, no guess... LOM went to (the) Hero.
