Captains flick tops it off

Ladies 1s start the season with a win

The ladies’ first XI started the season with a win in their opening game of the season at home. The team saw a few changes from last season with a new coach and new line up for their first game. A very strong and encouraging start from the home team saw them apply plenty of pressure on Hertford. Lauren Simmons and Louise Humphreys on the front line forced the Hertford defence in to making errors. They won a series of penalty and long corners which allowed Lisa Payne to push up for an injection into the dee which found Nikki Brimson for a deflection and their first goal. Brentwood continued the pressure and won themselves another penalty corner. This time the initial strike from Haylee Adams was deflected by Charlotte Holt for the home teams’ second and deserved goal. Georgina Henwood, Shirley Osmotherly, Nat Gilder and Anna Guida worked hard in the midfield to stop any advances from the away team and were strong support for Emily Wright and Ruth Tilsley on the back line.

The half time team talk was positive and the coach and captain encouraged the team to carry on as before. However, with a change of formation with the away team they started to apply plenty of pressure on Brentwood and it wasn’t before long that the team were caught in an overload situation at the back and they were awarded with a penalty corner. A straight strike at the right post gave the away team their first goal. Determined to get back into the game they continued to exert pressure with a high press. The away team had a few chances in the dee and a loose ball and scuffle from several players gave them their second goal to level score. The match seemed to continue this way but Lorna Parsons made a succession of quality saves plus a fantastic save on the line from Ruth Tilsley kept the away team from taking the lead. Brentwood managed to turn the game around in the last 10 minutes and kept possession on the pitch. They won a short corner which followed with a scuffle in front of goal and a shot on target by Lauren Simmons caught a player’s foot on the line and they were awarded with a penalty flick. With only a minute to go, Captain Emily Wright stepped up to take the flick and with a firm shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal they took back the lead and held on for the win.