MATCH REPORT

Almost sub-zero temperatures at the Peele this week, well 5 degrees with wind chill. A very cold day indeed as Long Sutton entertained Spalding in a local derby. This fixture always throws up an entertaining game and this season was no different. Long Sutton fresh from a week's rest were keen to make amends for the Peterborough loss 2 weeks ago and Spalding ladies wanted a win that would enable them to climb into the top 5 in the table. With Long Sutton coach Neil Evans joining the side-line this week the home side were keen to demonstrate their abilities and from the first whistle took the game to Spalding. The first 15 minutes saw intense pressure to the Spalding goal with Leah Goodley, Charlie Leuty and skipper Jo Bland setting up high to pressurise the middle of the pitch and enabling striker Lyn Tancred to run the Spalding centre half's around. Ball movement was excellent and the wings of Emmie and Connie Gittins started to come into the game as Long Sutton played some lovely hockey. Goodley had a chance in the D which was stopped by a defender just in front of the line, which led to a short corner. Fortunate for Spalding as their goalkeeper managed to get back towards the goal otherwise it could have been a flick. The resultant corner came to nothing for Sutton as the strike was stopped by the keepers pads. Soon after Tancred from a well worked move had the ball in the net only for it to be unluckily brought back for a short corner to Long Sutton as the whistle had blown. This early pressure should have settled Sutton but it seemed to galvanise the away side and Spalding soon got into their stride with incisive moves down the left flank which was causing Sutton concern. Lauren Cooper had to cope with the trickery of the Spalding left winger, who managed to secure short corners. From one short the Spalding set play was rewarded with a goal as the strike was turned past home keeper Lorraine Wallis by a deft deflection from the corner injector. 1-0 to the away side and now we would see how Long Sutton would respond. Spalding threatened again and were the stronger as the first half went on but Gemma Parr, Tania White Lisa Baker and Cooper were in the zone and responding. Rotated players Amber Jones and Rianne Goodge also playing their part to nullify the away team. Solid defending kept the score at 1-0 as half time came. The second half was a very different affair as Long Sutton pressed. With Parr playing higher up the pitch the intensity of Long Sutton grew and Spalding were pinned back into their own 25. Time and time again Sutton moved forward and time after time the Spalding defence stood resolute. Again the Spalding keeper's pads came to the rescue and Jones unluckily had a shot just fall wide of the back post. It was indeed one of those days. Spalding were reduced to sporadic breakaways but to in all honesty these were few and far between. In total Long Sutton gained 10 short corners and each time the Spalding defence stood tall. Then on the final corner and with the final whistle blown by the Umpires it was all or nothing for the home side. Connie Gittins stopped the ball, Tancred hit the strike from the top of the D and with a defensive deflection the ball hit the backboard to give Long Sutton a deserved draw as time ran out. A very good 1-1 draw and a hard fought local derby played in very good spirits by both teams, with a fair result on the day. Long Sutton move to 4th in the table 3 points behind second place University. Next week an away match against St Ives 2's where Sutton will very much be looking for the away win.