Saturday 27th February 2010

CAMBRIDGE Ladies Premier League

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

Deeping’s first string will be pretty disappointed with this result which was effectively two points lost.
Premier league rivals City lie five places below Deeping but the first half was quite evenly matched, with most of the play between the 25 metre lines, and very few chances for either side.
Once again Deeping’s defence was pretty much unbeatable but they seem to lack firepower up front.
Deeping dominated the second half, and Cambridge were pinned into their own half for most of it. But a handful of short corners were missed, and Deeping managed only a couple of shots on target.

CAMBRIDGE Ladies League Division 1

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

One of the least pleasant experiences for any amateur sports person is to make a long journey and return after losing the game.– so what a great result for Deeping’s second team ladies to pip Newmarket in this Cambridge Division one fixture and avenge an 8 – 1 home defeat of just a couple of weeks ago.
The result also makes their Division One survival seem likely. Katriona Kennedy got both goals including a stunning short corner strike, and Laura Fowler and Emily Reeson shared the player of the match award.

DIVISION 2N

Market Deeping 1st XI (5) vs Ipswich and East Suffolk 1st XI (2)

Deeping eased their Two North position back to mid-table with one of their best performances of the season.
Yet again it took ten minutes for Deeping to wake up as Ipswich started the stronger and dominated possession.
Keeper Tim Beaver commanded his defence, some of Deeping’s defensive stopping and tackling was breathtaking, and they were backed by some sure saves. As if a button had been pushed, the tide suddenly turned.
Deeping, for the first time this season, remained totally disciplined and it paid dividends.
Nick Brocklehurst had been troubling I&ES down the right and in the 15th minute his clever control and turn stranded the I&ES keeper and he scored.
Ali Rowledge soon followed up with a second, cleaning up and smashing home as the ball bounced around the D.
Deeping were on top and they maintained this into the second half, keeping possession and winning a penalty corner.
Phil Arnold's drag flick is something to fear these days, but Deeping’s third goal wasn’t one of his best - fortunately they all count.
After so much dominance, a slight amount of lethargy crept into Deeping’s game and I&ES took advantage of Deeping’s poor distribution to claim a simple goal. Deeping responded in the best possible way as Russ Seton scored with a tight angled flick shot.
With Pete Jeffery and Richard Wood in command at the back the ball was transferred back and forth with ease, it was just a matter of time and patience before Brocklehurst showed some more outstanding individual skills to slot in another goal.
Ipswich scored three minutes before the end but in truth the game was all over. For Deeping, this was their best performance this year.

Market Deeping 1st XI (3) vs March Town 1st XI (4)

It was a different story in Sunday’s slip date game as Deeping lost a second tight encounter with March. After a 3-3 result last week, this one ended 4-3 to March despite goals from Phil Arnold, Henry Winfield-Chislett and Nick Brocklehurst.

DIVISION 3NW

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

Deeping go into the final month of what has been a season blighted by injuries to key players, knowing that every game is now win or bust if they are to play Div 3NW hockey next season. Deeping commited to a 3-4-3 formation right from the start. This seemed like a bad idea when 'keeper Wray was called into action twice in quick succession in the first five minutes.
But Deeping began to ease themselves into the match and Tom Allam, called up late after Deeping lost a player to work commitments, found himself alone with the ball four yards out. Allam’s flick was well saved.
Deeping then saw Jack Seton denied by Peterborough 'keeper Greene
As both teams saw chances saved, honours were pretty much even before a Peterborough short corner was well finished by Peterborough captain Thomas Handley.
As Peterborough looked to dominate a poor clearance fell straight to the onrushing Peterborough forward Simon Buckley who rounded Wray before shooting goalward, only for covering defender Graham Brewer to block the ball on the line with his hands.
So clumsy was the stop that there were smiles all round as the umpire had no hesitation in sending off the Deeping skipper, and awarding Peterborough a penalty flick.
A 2-0 halftime deficit might have been insurmountable but when Buckley missed the resulting flick, to add insult to injury, Henry Winfield-Chislett set off on one of his trademark mazy dribbles before finishing calmly to bring Deeping level. Suddenly they wondered if the luck which has deserted them for so much of this season was starting to put in a belated appearance
Brewer returned to the line-up soon after the start of the second half, and Deeping were using the pace of their forward line to expose the gaps as Peterborough pushed forward in search of a winner.
Chances came and went and Deeping were indebted to left back Terry Musgrove who made sliding goal line clearances to keep the scores level.
Neil Burford's dogged persistence down the right side, backed up by Mike Gregson and Paul Byrne pinned Peterborough in their left back position, and when the ball broke for Seton, his shot was saved but Winfield-Chislett was there to force the ball home.
The remainder of the game was not full of pretty hockey, and tempers flared, Peterborough were reduced to 10 then 9 men for dissent, before Phil Tokens picked up a yellow for Deeping for a heavy stick tackle as Peterborough looked to break. Deeping managed to keep possession and held out for a rare win.

Market Deeping 2nd XI (0) vs Cambridge City 4th XI (5)

After Saturday’s important win, Deeping hoped for a six point haul from the weekend. Both teams had chances early on but it as Deeping were starting to gain the ascendancy, Cambs took the lead.
Deeping were caught committing too many men forward and were undone by a simple straight clearance the Cambs forward seeing his shot cannon off the stick of Deeping's diving Terry Musgrove and deflecting it up and over the already grounded keeper.
Deeping had chances to claw their way back into the game, but crucially Cambs made it 2-0 just before half time.
Deeping struggled to find their passes and too often resorted to the big hit. Cambs added a third after the Deeping 'keeper took out the man but not the ball and they scored from the resulting flick.
Deeping were caught again outnumbered at the back, and a second penalty flick resulted.

DIVISION 5NW

St Ives 4th XI (2) vs Market Deeping 3rd XI (1)