CAMBS LEAGUE Div 1

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

In a repeat of last week’s cup match, Deeping travelled back to Cambridge to play City’s fourth team in their first league game.
Deeping were able to apply pressure immediately, keeping the ball in the opposition’s end, giving Cambridge few occasions to break away. Faye Logan created continuously created opportunities down the right that were initially not converted into goals. 
Despite a barrage of  physical tackles by Cambridge, Deeping kept their heads and calmly worked the ball around the midfield taking advantage of some neat quick passing between Ellie Allam, Janet Eagle-Smith and Anya Mackenzie. 
Although Cambridge were able to create some chances to score, the tireless defence and the sharpness of goalkeeper, Laura Gwilliam kept them out. The first half ended goal-less with Deeping still needing to convert the many chances they were creating.
Deeping altered their line up slightly due to injury, and became ever more determined to take home the points.  Eventually the hard work of Anya McKenzie let Jo Addison put the ball firmly in the back of the Cambs net.  Then the persistence of Becky Allam and player of the match Amy Gwilliam combined to force a penalty flick which Janet Eagle-Smith converted.

EAST 3NW

Cambridge University 3rd XI (0) vs Market Deeping 1st XI (3)

Deeping haven’t lost any players this season but injuries and absentees saw them playing a new formation for the first league game of the season. That may be why they got off to a slow start but after 15 minutes thay began to gel and started to turn the screw.
New skipper Richard Woods had a short corner goal disallowed before Paul Tancred fired in a well taken short corner of his own.At the turn round it was 1-0 but Deeping made the perfect start when Tancred scored  his second early in the second half with a tap in. It was set up by the James Sharpe back in the side after a couple of years with the high flyinf Bedford club. His higher level experience shone through in his driving run into the D. 
Another Deeping’s success story is Ben Dagliesh, promoted from Deeping’s very successful third team. He scored half way through the second half with a tap in at the far post after Andy Brassington set him up with a lovely pass across the D.
Simon Wilmot was solid at the back and Andrew Kind played very well in a new position at right back to be voted man of the match.
Skipper Woods called it “A very good performance against a well organised team”.

Div 4NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (3) vs Boston 1st XI (5)

Starting the match with only 10 men meant that Deeping were always looking at an uphill struggle. Boston exploited the extra space and were 1-0 up within 10 minutes. Back to full strength, Deeping rallied, but a shot was blocked on the line by a defender’s foot allowing Boston to double their advantage from the penalty spot.
Deeping refused to lie down, and when a scramble in the D fell to Jack Seaton, he calmly swept home to halve the deficit. A succession of short corners then gave Deeping the equaliser they had been pushing for when Russ Seaton’s drag flick hit the top corner.
Deeping now had the bit fully between their teeth but it was Boston who drew the first blood of the second half, Ben Hotchkin making the initial save only for the rebound to fall to a Boston player who tapped home for 3-2.
Russ Seaton and Daniel Medd formed an effective partnership in the centre of midfield and the intelligent running of Ben Walden and Mike Gregson up the wings kept carving out chances leading to Jack Seaton doubling his tally to make it 3-3 with another cool finish.
Unfortunately more poor defending cost Deeping dear, with slack marking allowing Boston to retake the lead. Despite massive Deeping pressure, Boston scored a 5th from a short corner and should have had a 6th when a defensive mix-up between Brewer and Hotchkin led to penalty flick. Hotchkin saved well.
The last fifteen minutes led to numerous Deeping chances and penalty corners and they could easily have won the game. They showed some excellent passing and kept up a fantastic workrate throughout the game.
New skipper Graham Brewer said, “We will need to defend better to convert this type of game into a victory.”

EAST Div 5NW

Boston 2nd XI (3) vs Market Deeping 3rd IX (7)

Deeping made a dream 5NW debut in a game that was far closer than the score might suggest. Boston were unlucky to find Deeping with an unusually veteran based side. The big question was whether the 100s of years of experience could compensate for the fading physiques. The answer was that Deeping simply passed their way to success and saved their legs. Boston dominated the first ten minutes and Alex Gale, debuting in the Deeping goal, tipped over a searing drag flick at a penalty corner.
Then Deeping put some passes together and made a string of short corner chances most of which seemed to go in. Kev Richardson’s perfect shot was almost brilliantly saved by Boston’s first team keeper but cannoned into the roof of the net. Graham Barnes and Dave Grammer pounced on loose balls to score from close range.
It was 4-1 at half time after Nick Maxey cleaned up another short corner.
Three goals came in eight minutes after half time. Deeping got two of them – Simon Taylor bagged one at yet another short corner then Tom Allam scored from open play. Boston scored a fabulous goal from a deflected free-hit and Deeping looked nervous as they scored again before Gale saved a penalty flick.
However Deeping continued to break well and fast - and a short corner with about ten minutes to go saw Simon Taylor get his second and put the game beyond doubt. By this stage tempers were fraying but Deeping’s legs were still moving.
Skipper Taylor nominated Deeping’s “oldest man” the ultra fit semi-centurion Graham Barnes as Man of the Match as he snuffed out a superb Boston midfielder. Taylor was delighted to see six of the goals come from short corner routines.