Cambridge League Div 2

Market Deeping Ladies (4) v Cambridge City 4th XI (1)

Unbeaten league leaders Deeping were probably due a bad day at the office, and in the end they simply bullied a young and rather useful Cambridge team out of the points. Deeping looked out of sorts from the off and soon resorted to belting the ball up the middle of the park or running at the Cambridge defence, instead of their usual patient build-up play.

The lack of some of their midfield regulars meant that Catherine Flitton and Jenny Brassington simply upped the work-rate in midfield – but as a result, the team was denied Brassington's more creative side and Flitton's defensive prowess. Fortunately player of the match Karen Jenkins was taking no prisoners in her centre-back role and keeper Ailis Carmody made her usual sharp saves when they were required, only being beaten from short range early in the second half. Even then, if Cambridge had taken their second half chances it could have been a close run thing.

Heather Greenhalgh opened the scoring for Deeping from very short range after fifteen minutes, then after good work from Brassington and Karen Goodard, Flitton punched home a trademark short corner off several deflections through the tiny keeper's legs. Goddard banged home a switched short corner, then Deeping showed their creative and dangerous best as the speedy Sarah Smith robbed a defender 35 metres out and raced into the D before slipping the ball to Karen Goddard. She cracked home a shot that any forward at any level would have been proud of. 

East Div 3NW

Market Deeping 1st XI (1) v Peterborough Town 3rd XI (2)

This was a typical local derby with sticks flying in from all sides. Town started the better with some early pressure being rewarded by a hotly disputed goal from a short corner. This was the wake-up call that Deeping needed and they then proceeded to play some of the best hockey they have produced all season, with only the Town keeper's luck and brilliance preventing Deeping from scoring.

The second half was a copy of the 1st half with Town having the early pressure on the Deeping goal only to be denied by good goal keeper and solid defending. Deeping eventually did get their chance and Darren Hetherington superbly put it away giving the keeper no chance. In the last seconds of the match, Town threw everyone forward and were rewarded by a decidedly dodgy goal where to their credit, the town players admitted to kicking the ball over the Deeping line.

Both sides felt after the match that the standard of umpiring had ruined what could have been a great top of the table confrontation. Deeping will come to grips with one of the umpires later this year and must learn the virtue of patience.

East Div 5NW

Wisbech 4th XI (3) v Market Deeping 2nd XI (0)

Deeping were soundly beaten by an outstanding young Wisbech side, and didn't deserve any other result. Despite this, it was only their dreadful finishing in the first half that stopped the game being incredibly close. Several open goals went begging and they hit the post when it would have been easier to score.

Wisbech scored a slick short-corner early on and followed up with a tap in a few minutes later – while Deeping battered their goal at the other end. This led to Deeping playing more and more defensively, and with no width in the midfield they severely limited their chances of more attacks on goal. Rolling around the midfield players made no difference one way or the other and although Deeping only conceded one early second half goal (keeper Ray Isaacs saved a penalty) their performance in that half was woeful and merited the result.

Deeping fall off the top of the league and join a pack of teams – no less than the top five - all on 15 points, separated only by goal difference. They have, however, already played the two sides above them and have some easier fixtures to come.

East Div 7NW

Market Deeping 3rd XI (7) v St Ives 5th XI (1)

Table-topping Deeping were without some regulars for this game, but their replacements were outstanding and this was arguably their best performance of their unbeaten season so far. Deeping played with pace, excellent shape and unusually for them, quite a lot of active brain cells.

They had a slow to medium start and couldn't match their good movement to accurate passing. When they did, they began to dominate the game. The youthful combination of Phil Arnold in his best-ever performance and Jack Seaton opened up the right hand side and freed Deeping's two "liberos" - or in English headless chickens - Matt Brown and skipper Ben Walden, to torment the St Ives defence.

Matt Brown eventually placed a simple chance neatly into the corner, then as Deeping began to flow, driven on by the ever available Nick Maxey and Kevin Baker in midfield, he simply went goal mad, completing a classy hat trick in about ten minutes before adding a fourth goal to his tally moments later. St Ives were beaten, and when Walden added a fifth from a beautifully turned in short corner just before half time, the game was all but over.

At the back Deeping had looked excellent, with the lanky father and son team of back-in-form Tom Richardson at right back, and Dad Kevin excellent as ever at centre back. As a result sweeper Steve Windsor fed off the loose balls and found lots of willing outlets.

Oddly Deeping started the second half sluggishly and conceded one or two short corners, one of which sneaked in. They looked unsettled and strangely tired, until gradually the passing began to flow again, taking the self-imposed pressure off weary legs. Back at their very best for the last 15 minutes, Deeping struck twice through the prodigious Seaton, who poached a goal-bound Ben Walden reverse-stick effort, before cleverly deflecting home Kevin Baker's touched on pass in the D.

Deeping are now five points clear at the top of east 7NW, and their mix of veterans and young legs looks formidable when they play like this.