Saturday 14th November 2009

CAMBRIDGE Ladies Premier League

Market Deeping Ladies 1st XI (1) vs St Ives Ladies 2nd XI (0)

Deeping ladies produced Deeping’s first victory at their new home venue, the Voyager School. After a very poor first half from both teams, massive Deeping pressure earned them a well deserved win over St Ives.
This was meant to be the meeting of the two best sides in the whole Cambridgeshire women’s league but perhaps in the opening 35 minutes both were overawed by the challenge. Disjointed stuttering hockey produced only a few chances for both teams, mainly from short corners.
A very different Deeping team magically arrived for the second half, and instantly began to dominate the midfield and complete a lot of passes. Both short sensible ones and the occasional long glory ball found their targets.
Overlapping play down the right – often launched by fullback Marie Barber and supported by Gemma Catlin - saw Amy Gwilliam continually free to drive into the D. Jo Addison rattled the St Ives defence with her dribbling skills and pace and the strong Mandy Pearson held the ball up on the apex of the D, continually turning to get shots in. Deeping’s short passing game in the D was sublime and plenty of short corners followed. Eventually Pearson beat the excellent St Ives keeper from a powerful corner strike, the ball taking a number of touches on its way into the net.
Despite being unable to score again, Deeping then defended by attacking, and St Ives were corralled into their defensive quarter as Laura Gwilliam remained almost untroubled in the Deeping net.
MoMs: Amy Gwilliam and Marie Barber

CAMBRIDGE Ladies League Division 1

Huntingdon Ladies 1st XI (5) vs Market Deeping Ladies 2nd XI (1)

Deeping had a tough day at high flying Huntingdon’s new home ground at Kimbolton School. Nicky Buckby got their consolation goal while Fay Shepherd’s performance earned her player of the match.

DIVISION 2N

Ipswich and East Suffolk 1st XI (6) vs Market Deeping 1st XI (4)

Under strength Deeping lost a high scoring encounter in Suffolk, but will fancy their chances in the return leg.
Deeping’s goals came from a pair of drag flicks from Phil Arnold and goals from Nick Brocklehurst and Shane Greatrex.

DIVISION 3NW

City of Peterborough 4th XI (7) vs Market Deeping 2nd XI (1)

With player shortages and injuries through the club, only Henry Winfield-Chislett was able to lift the gloom enveloping the second team with his consolation goal.

DIVISION 5NW

Market Deeping 3rd XI (2) vs St Ives 4th XI (2)

Despite being under strength yet again, Deeping will be disappointed with their reward from this game. A lower league six pointer turned into a two pointer, and as Deeping just about had the overall edge in the game, it was a blow for hyperactive skipper Kev Baker. Good St Ives keeping and some disappointing Deeping finishing cost them dear.
Deeping once again went behind early on as a speculative hit in the D was cleverly deflected past Deeping’s stand-in (but increasingly competent) keeper Will Winfield-Chislett.
Deeping rallied well building down the right with Dave Grammer prominent and Matt Brown and Ben Dalgliesh causing problems with their pace.
Deeping equalised slightly against the run of play as Dalgliesh struck after a broken down short corner, and then dominated for the rest of the half and took the lead after a short corner right on the stroke of halftime, skipper Baker getting the last touch.
St Ives equalised with a fortunate goal which touched two defender’s sticks before trickling past their keeper. Not long after they were reduced to 10 as their goal scorer lost his temper and Deeping were mainly on top from then on, with a goalmouth scramble or two, a number of unsuccessful short corners, and some good crosses going to waste. Right up to the whistle, Deeping looked likely to score but they ended up frustrated with a single point no good to either side.