Saturday February 25th 2006

Cambridge League Div 2

Cambridge City Ladies 4th XI (2) v Market Deeping Ladies (1)

Market Deeping Ladies did not have much luck against a much-improved Cambridge City 4th team. From the off Deeping controlled the game, Cambridge chased hard but Deeping worked as a team and dominated play.  For twenty minutes the ball stayed in or around Cambridge’s D - but time and time again they narrowly missed the goal.  Shots came from almost every player on the Deeping side; they did everything but score. Deflated by their efforts Deeping began to tire and Cambridge made a few breaks.  Several solid saves from stand-in keeper Shelley Winbourne kept the sheet clean but finally a short was conceded. Winbourne saved the first shot but the rebound was cleanly struck into the goal. Deeping immediately placed the pressure back on the Cambridge defence but yet more shots from Smith, Goddard, Eagle-Smith and Young skimmed the posts.Finally a short was awarded and the first shot was deflected and picked up by Karen Goddard but her second shot was saved too.  Undeterred Jenny Brassington battled on and the defence scrambled unsuccessfully to stop her strike, the umpire spotting that the ball had crossed the line.

Deeping continued to hound the Cambs defence in the second half, but they were caught on the break in the last five minutes and a quality Cambs shot found the corner of the goal.

Deeping retain second place in the Cambridgeshire Ladies League 2nd division and if they beat Peterborough Town next week they’ll secure that position.

East Div 3NW

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

Nothing but a win would do for Deeping in this bad-tempered second versus third 3NW game, so the final whistle saw more heads down than up.
Town started the better of the two teams and put Deeping under early pressure. However a well-taken goal by Paul Tancred halted Town in their tracks. But 10 minutes later poor marking resulted in Town scoring with a well-struck shot into the far corner of the goal.

Deeping had one or two players with heavy colds so they made several changes at half time. The second half was close but Peterborough probably had the edge and all of the 50/50 umpiring decisions somehow seemed to go their way. So it was against the run of play a little when Paul Tancred deflected James Sharp’s goal bound effort into the net without about 20 minutes to go. Unfortunately Peterborough went straight down to the other end, won a hotly disputed short corner, and the rebound from Jason Purllant’s save was flicked savagely into the net. Strangely Town never really threatened again, and Deeping didn’t look like scoring.

Deeping have another potentially tough fixture at home to St Ives 1st XI next week in their quest to retain third place and a half-chance of promotion.

East Div 5NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (6) v Wisbech 4th XI (2)

There was great news for Deeping’s second team after this game when they heard that closest rivals St Ives 4th had lost, at last opening up a real gap between second and third places in 5NW.

A Wisbech side that bore little resemblance to the side that thrashed Deeping before Christmas was quite easily despatched. After a tentative five minutes Deeping woke up and played with their usual pace and power, Pete Smith smashing probing balls in from the top of the D, and the forwards pouncing. It was the usual suspects, as Muddy Waters (seven goals in the last three games) opened the scoring in a goalmouth scramble, then Magnus Windsor (five in the last three) slapped home a switched penalty corner. Sloppy defending at a short corner threatened to let Wisbech back in the game, but after a few minutes of losing direction, Mike Gregson picked up a loose ball and restored the lead. Wisbech then made it 3-2 at half time with a bobbling free hit that was cleverly turned home at the far post.

Deeping’s second half performance was a vast improvement and they deserved better than another three goals. Mike Allam was outstanding at left back, and the hard-working Phil Tokens made up for the occasional error with consistent tackling and attacking flare. The first goal came from a wonderfully calm four man passing move in the D finished by Waters. He struck again, somehow persuading Windsor’s shot cum pass through the keeper with a delicate touch, to complete yet another hat trick. Then defender Dan Medd joined an attack and forced the ball under the diving keeper. Three second half goals was poor reward for all their pressure, but their goal difference is handily mounting, and they now have a psychological advantage for their vital game at St Ives next week.

East Div 7NW

St. Ives 5th XI (2) v Market Deeping 3rd XI (1)

Deeping faced a surprisingly strong St Ives 5th team on a cold night under dim floodlights and it was quickly clear that the misfiring league leaders were in for a struggle. The form of recent weeks, where wins have come despite poor performances, was about to come home to roost. There were few Deeping attacks in the first half and Andy Brown was forced to clear off the line.

Deeping improved in the second half and for 20 minutes it looked like a nil-nil draw was the likeliest result as neither side got a shot in and Deeping’s attacks were snuffed out by a very strong St Ives defence. Then a daft error at a 16 metre hit let St Ives in for a simple but well-taken goal.
A superhuman effort by the midfield and forwards let the hard-working Jack Seaton in for a well-deserved equaliser, but St Ives were constantly probing on the top of the D. Deeping had lost Andy Brown at left back and his replacement, the outstanding Andrew Gregson had limped off too. Sadly it only took a moment’s disorganisation in the Deeping defence to let St Ives in again for very late winner.

Deeping’s lead at the top is cut to two points but they appear to have excellent availability for next week’s home game against lowly St Neots.