Fareham Outplay League Leaders For Majority Of Game Until Late Goals

Saturday was a special day as the Ladies’ first teams of Fareham and Trojans finally met in a league game. There are no old league tables on the internet to give a clue as to the last time this happened but Trojans have been members of the national league since 1992 so you have to go back well over thirty years at least.

The two sides began the match at opposite ends of the league table but for almost three quarters of the match it was Fareham who played the better hockey and gave the leaders plenty to worry about. Eventually the home side broke the deadlock with a contentious goal before increasing the margin of victory in the final ten minutes.

A squad of 16 made the short away trip for Fareham. Tegan Lyne was missing from those who played the previous game but Emma Boddington was back in the line up and Sarah Brimyard was able to make her second appearance of the season.

Both sides had half chances in the opening quarter. Trojans had a couple of shots off target whilst Izzy Austin almost managed to create a chance in front of goal for Sarah Brimyard but the ball was just out of reach.

The 2nd quarter was dominated by the visitors who put the Trojans goal under pressure. Libby Jones had a shot which went just wide in the 19th minute and three minutes later Sarah Atkinson combined well with Poppy Roddis before Sarah’s shot, heading for the top corner, was turned away by Anna Morley in the home goal for a long corner.

Good work down the left by Gracie Coleman set up another half chance but the keeper cleared the danger whilst the final chance of the first half fell to Sarah Brimyard who shot across the goal.

It had been an excellent first half from Fareham. They had played the better hockey and looked the bigger threat to open the scoring. Trojans looked rattled and did not appear to have any immediate answers to the questions they were being asked.

The opening minutes of the second half followed a similar pattern and Fareham came very close to opening the scoring after a break by Gracie Coleman who set up the best chance so far for Izzy Austin but a slight delay with the shot enabled the keeper to smother the danger.

Finally Trojans started to look a little more dangerous in possession and it was they who took the lead in the 47th minute with a controversial goal. The ball pinballed around the Fareham ‘D’ before JESS CARR-DEAR had the final shot. There looked to have been a Trojans foot involved in the build up but, despite a brief discussion, the umpires chose not to disallow the goal.

The visitors came back strongly and moments later Alicia Caillard broke through the middle and created a chance for Sarah Brimyard on the left but the keeper denied her and kicked the ball clear.

As the 4th quarter began both sides were pressing for a goal and the next goal was going to be crucial. It came in the 61st minute when a Fareham attack down their right was broken up and the home side countered. A quick diagonal pass into the area found POPPY EGERTON who turned and finished well with a shot inside the far post.

It had taken a long time but Trojans were finally playing with the confidence that goals bring and they added a third goal in the 66th minute when their captain, AMY SHEEHAN, received the ball just inside the ‘D’ and fired an unstopppable shot into the far corner to finally settle the outcome.

Despite conceding the late goals, Fareham kept playing well and continued to look for a consolation. In the final minute a pass across the area was picked up by Sarah Brimyard whose high shot was turned away by the keeper.

Yet again this was another match where the final score fails to give a true picture of the game. We played some very good hockey and were the better side for a long period. Unfortunately, once again we didn’t make the most of the chances we created whilst Trojans gave us a lesson in how to finish clinically.

The league table has a strange look at the moment with just two points separating 2nd and 8th and then a big gap to the bottom two teams which unfortunately includes ourselves. We have competed closely with all our opponents this season but unfortunately the table fails to reflect how close it has been most of the time and that we have deserved better outcomes from several matches.

Next Saturday we visit another new opponent, Cheltenham, where we have a late start (16.00).