Saturday October 13th 2007

CAMBS LEAGUE Div 1

Market Deeping Ladies 1st XI (2) vs City of Peterborough Ladies 4th XI (0)

Deeping didn’t know what to expect from the newly promoted City of Peterborough 4ths and the match started off on a fairly even keel. When City worked their way into the Deeping D, the solid defence were always able to make well placed tackles to pick the ball up and clear it to the midfield. 
This led to the first goal of the game from striker Sarah Smith who after a superb lone run from the half way line took the ball around City’s defence to score.
A series of short corners enabled Deeping to get their second goal with Catherine Flitton expertly striking the ball cleanly into the back of the net making it 2 – 0 half time.
The second half saw Deeping dominate the game, with Becky Allam breaking down the right flank and straight past the City players.  When City did break away, they failed to trouble Deeping, with keeper Laura Gwilliam making some excellent saves.
Deeping should have extended the lead further with all the opportunities they created.
Player of the match was awarded jointly to Faye Logan and Becky Allam.

CAMBS LEAGUE Div 2

Market Deeping Ladies 2nd XI (2) vs Huntingdon Ladies 2nd XI (1)

A 9.30 fixture at St. Ives made this a very early start for Deeping but they were wide-awake and strong on the attack from the off. Anya McKenzie scored within the first 10 minutes to put pressure on Huntingdon. New member Faye Sheppard rattled Huntingdon in midfield. At the back, Deeping’s defence stood strong with sweeper Rachel Gale clearing the ball every time it reached the Deeping D.
At half-time it was 1-0 to Deeping, and Anya McKenzie scored again within the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half. Another new team member Lisa Jackman showed her skills in midfield while keeper Emma Sear (player of the match) made a number of good saves. After some sustained pressure at short corners Huntingdon scored ten minutes from the end but Deeping held on to win with few problems.

EAST 3NW

Market Deeping 1st XI (4) vs Cambridge South 1st XI (4)

For a change Deeping started very well, scoring in the first 10 mins from a very good passing move between Paul Tancred and James Sharpe, with Sharpe finally knocking the ball in to the back of the net.
From then on it seemed to go all wrong with South winning two short corners and slotting them under keeper Joe Wray. Deeping came back with a very well taken goal by Tancred, struck first time into the top corner from a peach of a pass from James Sharpe.
South then came back with another soft goal to make it 3-2 at half time.
At half time Deeping changed their formation and pressed the game. Unfortunately this opened space for South to score another soft goal.
What was a nightmare had quickly become a disaster. With nothing to loose and only 10 minutes to go Deeping had to dig deep to rescue the game. They hit back with a well-taken goal by Tancred, and just 20 seconds after the restart, Sharpe hit back to level the match.
Deeping had the momentum with 5 mins to go and carried on pressing. James Sharpe's driving run into the D should have ended up with a goal but it went over the bar.
Skipper Richard Woods described it as “A very disappointing 4-4 draw, with players needing to play 100% better, including the captain who has been very off colour so far this season”.

Div 4NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (3) vs Cambridge City 5th XI (2)

Dan Medd struck what proved to be a vital winner for Deeping, as they made incredibly hard work of beating a Cambs City 5th team so understrength that they had only nine men.
Like the third team that found themselves in the same position last week, Deeping looked edgy from the start, and the longer Cambs held out, the more mistakes crept into Deeping’s play.
Despite reaching half-time at 0-0, nobody was pressing the panic button just yet, and Graham Barnes’ accurate strike into the corner should have settled Deeping nerves more than it appeared to.
Despite having almost all of the possession in their opponents’ half, Deeping still just did not seem able to settle, with too many players simply having an off day.
The effort was there, but all around the park the men in the maroon shirts were struggling to find their game, too often squandering possession cheaply.
It didn’t help that the Cambs keeper was in inspired form, one diving stick save in particular, denying Ben Walden from point blank range, and drawing grudging praise from the home players…
Only when Paul Byrne reverse-sticked home a second Deeping goal did the home side start to relax, and when Dan Medd drove home his first of the campaign shortly afterwards, Deeping seemed assured of the three points.
Yet with little over 10 minutes remaining, Cambs forced what looked like little more than a consolation with a well struck short corner. Then, however, a bouncing ball in the D was forced home just two minutes before fulltime and Deeping were left hanging on for the final whistle to put them out of their misery.
A win is a win, but Deeping know they cannot afford too many more off days if they are to progress in this league. 

EAST Div 5NW

St Ives 4th XI (4) vs Market Deeping 3rd IX (1)

This was much closer game than the score might suggest, as Deeping improved hugely from the previous week, and played some decent passing hockey. Unfortunately they went two down in the first five minutes through a combination of clumsy defending and bad luck. The St. Ives forwards could all strike the ball well and a rout looked on the cards.
But Deeping rebuilt, with young Tom Richardson outstanding at right back and they regained some control in midfield, mainly thanks to the sheer hard work of Anthony Barnes and Matt Brown as they supported the skilful Simon Burnett in midfield.
Kevin Richardson slammed a short corner straight through the St. Ives keeper and Deeping were back in it, only to concede again just before half time.
St. Ives had their chances in the second half but gradually Deeping drove them back into their own half as the backs pushed up further and further. Some half chances came and went and if there was one criticism of Deeping it was the failure to deliver and early ball from the top of the D. Deeping were beginning to believe that they could get something from the game when a late fast break from St Ives put it beyond doubt.