CAMBS LEAGUE DIV ONE

Newmarket Ladies XI (2) vs Market Deeping Ladies 1st XI (2)

Deeping Ladies first team travelled to Newmarket for their toughest game since promotion. Within minutes Newmarket showed that they were a strong team looking to rack up another big win. They played fast balls down the middle and outpaced the Deeping midfield, and a quick and clearly well practiced routine between their two star players then gave them an excellent first goal.  Deeping battled back but it seemed they had not learnt, another run of play down the middle left the defence muddled and another great finish on a Newmarket cross put the home team 2-0 up in just 10 minutes.

At this point Deeping woke up and got into the game. They started to battle for the ball and mark their players. The defence worked tirelessly and some eye watering acrobatics from player of the match and obvious ex-gymnast Tash Newitt saw her clear the line again and again. 

At half time Deeping regrouped, they changed their line-up to mark Newmarket’s dangerous centre players out of the game and to give their own midfield the chance to attack. The change in standard was amazing. Deeping were now clearly the stronger side.  Ellie Allam and Sarah Smith were making acres of space and running rings round the Newmarket defence while Becky Allam and Faye Logan used the width to move the ball up the pitch. A short corner routine passed left and a great strike from Sarah Smith put Deeping on the scoreboard.

Deeping continued to dominate and, in the words of a Newmarket player, “clearly wanted it more”. Newmarket couldn’t get any decent strings of play and frustration saw them giving away another corner. Again Deeping passed left and this time the shot went right giving Becky Allam the chance to deflect it onto a Newmarket foot and into the goal. With minutes to play Deeping were starting to tire and a few attacks from the opposition started to look dangerous but Bower, Jenkins and Ellington were impenetrable at the back, keeping the score level.

A great performance and a well earned point for the Deeping Ladies.

CAMBS LEAGUE DIV TWO

Market Deeping Ladies 2nd XI (5) vs Wisbech Ladies 3rd XI (4)

Although this was a huge day in the history of MDHC – the first league win for their first-ever ladies 2nd team – it might have been accomplished more easily as 10 player Wisbech played most of the first half with no keeper. Deeping were eventually able to supply them with their spare kit. If you had seen this side’s results thus far you might have written them off but that would be wrong. They play good passing hockey to the best of their ability, and some good solid tackling and hitting gave them two early goals from Anya Mackenzie and Janet Eagle-Smith.

To their credit, Wisbech surged back and Deeping’s halves and forwards got carried away and began to push up too far and Deeping were caught on the break. In the D they were their own worst enemy, as they failed to clear their lines and kept the ball live when they could have let it roll out of play. Despite adding another two goals from Eagle-Smith and Rachel Spencer they let Wisbech back in the game at 4-4.

The second half was better, and Deeping held their shape and took advantage of the extra space in midfield to batter the newly kitted stand-in Wisbech keeper. She did well, but finally the pressure told and with minutes to go Janet Eagle-Smith completed her hat trick.

Division 3NW

Spalding 2nd XI (1) vs Market Deeping 1st XI (5)

Deeping wanted a solid performance to bounce back from the previous week. Both teams started the game at a very high pace with the game both physical and skilful and running end-to-end. Deeping played the more incisive hockey and by half time were two goals up courtesy of a well-drilled short corner routine finished by Russ Seton and a well-taken goal from Paul Tancred.

After the turnaround Deeping started to really play the style of hockey they know they can, with hard running and quick passing. Tancred scored again and Chris Mann added a fourth. A bad defensive error let Spalding in for a consolation goal from open play but Deeping responded quickly with another from Tancred.

There were no stars in this team performance and this was reflected in eight different people receiving man of the match votes.

Division 4NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (3) vs St. Ives 2nd XI (2)

Perhaps promoted Deeping will surprise themselves and the club by doing rather well in 4NW. They had no doubt that they would survive but, so far so good, six points from nine. This was a very tight game with both teams relying on excellent defences to keep themselves in it. Nick Maxey shone in defence in the absence of skipper Mike Gregson, driving his team on. Deeping scored twice before half time through Muddy Waters and Ben Walden and that really should have killed the game. But lack of fitness in midfield soon started to take its toll as St Ives equalised just after half time with two well-taken goals.

For the last couple of seasons, Deeping have been good at battling back from tough situations, and eventually a typical Muddy Waters sweep saw the game swing back Deeping’s way and Deeping held on for the last 10 mins for a well-deserved three points.

Division 6NW

Market Deeping 3rd XI (3) vs Spalding 4th XI (0)

Two newly promoted teams met at Stamford School, and with Deeping back at full strength this was a much-improved performance. Deeping started well and virtually every player deserved praise, but early on it was the high pace of Anthony Barnes and Phil Arnold as they raced up the right that caught the eye and the unselfish passing between forwards Tommo Allam and Jack Seton. Seton has added a bit of pace over the winter and his perfect first touch and dribbling skills bemused Wisbech.

Seton scored twice early on and it was one-way traffic for most of the half. Late-on in the half Seton seemed to have added a third but a foot got in the way and a penalty flick was awarded. Deeping looked around and were relieved to see Simon Taylor jogging up from centre back. He calmly flicked home. Taylor’s long passes continued to slice through Wisbech and yet again skipper Steve Allam was impeccable at left back. Kevin Richardson dominated in midfield.

Deeping kept up the pressure in the second half but they must learn how to lift the ball over a prostrate keeper. They had a goal disallowed but the Spalding keeper “logged out” to save again and again.