The L3 match vs Ely rescheduled from 10th Dec pushed back at a reasonable 11am, but the weather ensured we’d be saturated. With 12 players we were in for a fair chance of winning the game and blowing off the Christmas blues.
| Liv Wright (GK) | Sam Brooke | Zoe Bailey (C) |
| Isabel Verdonk | Edith MacDonald | Alex Lowe |
| Melanie Benedikz | Vicky Benedikz | Robyn Kennedy |
| Jess Boyle | Poppy Montgomery | Amy Young |
Newmarket started strongly attacking from the off. V Benedikz used the pushback to move forwards quickly and then held Ely in their own half for the first 10 minutes showing good pressure but lacking the attack to put the ball in the back of the net. Ely then started to play and we needed to juggle to bring the pressure back into the Ely D.
The ball was struck hit a Newmarket player, then pocketed in the goal by Ely 0-1.
Ely kept the pressure up, but Newmarket played some good balls with player of the match Kennedy working hard linking up with lots of players to try and create another Newmarket attack, but as the half time whistle blew it was 0-1 Ely.
The second half, like the first, started strong with lots of good play but just missing the next step to make it a great attack. Amy Young on her debut made some amazing stops learning as she went and fitting in well. Kennedy was holding her own defending when she ended up astroburnt with some lovely bruises to show for her commitment. Sam Brooke did some solid defending on her first game back since April.
No goals scored in the second half so the unfortunate goal was the only thing to separate the two teams, Newmarket having to settle for an unlucky defeat, 0-1 Ely.
Player of the match: Robyn Kennedy for commitment, playing where needed, throwing her self on the ground, and making a menace of herself on the pitch generally with the opposition.
There were lots of nominations for Lemon of the Match;
Jo (Liv’s mum) for what looked like a parking debacle but actually was lots of people moving around and her waiting patiently for a clear space.
Robyn Kennedy – self-nomination – for her commitment in a tackle and sporting some good potential bruises after.
Jess Boyle – again a self-nomination – for laughable comment of oh god when a lovely ball was passed to her and she didn’t expect it, despite being in an amazing position to attack / receive it.
For a first game back, it was amazing that we linked up as well as we did and played hard despite the appearance of things being against us.
Next week is a game vs St Ives 4 @ 15:30pm away.