Girls' 1st XI v Dean Close

Date: Saturday 5th December

Venue: Away, depart 1140

Team:

Church, Smith, Hawkins, Mumby, Brown, Rogers, Green (c), Leigh, Johnson, Siebert, Juncker, Parkinson (12)

Injured: Krone. Rested: McCallin. At U16 Midlands Indoor Finals: Byas, McIntosh

Result:

Dean Close 1-2 Repton

Juncker (F), Green (PC).

Match Report:

In what is undoubtedly the busiest and most crucial week of this term, the 1st XI secured a good victory on the road in Cheltenham. Having won the Midlands Finals earlier in the week in a long day of hockey, and some positional changes required for this game, there were challenges to overcome today.

Freidi Juncker opened the scoring in the 10th minute after some patient build up play. Repton dealt well with the half press applied by Dean Close, holding posession for long periods and waiting for the opportunity to move the ball forward. Sophie Hawkins found Joie Leigh with a precise pass into midfield before she in turn fed Freidi Juncker to score the first goal from a narrow angle on the left. Repton's second attacking corner of the half allowed Joie Leigh to deflect a shot and force a save from the 'keeper, which Ellie Green followed up to score.

The score remained at 2-0 for a very long period of the game and Repton started the show the effects of a long week! After some good play to move the ball forward, a careless turnover in midfield allowed Dean Close to score a very well taken goal on the break and push us hard in the last 4 minutes. The experience of Sophie Hawkins, who was excellent today, and Bex Brown, who put in a very accomplished performance in her first 1st XI game at left half, allowed Repton to hold out for the win and move on to the Midlands Indoor Finals on Sunday relatively unscathed!

IMP