MATCH REPORT

Long Sutton welcomed Bourne Deeping Ladies to the Peele Leisure Centre to start the slightly delayed league campaign. With an earlier start this season than Sutton are used to, and changes to how you prepare for games due to Covid-19, I think that Sutton were still in their beds, as they were clearly not ready for this one.

Bourne Deeping on the other hand were fired up and took the game to Sutton from the off. With an almost full -strength squad to choose from, Sutton were for some reason out of sorts and were being over-run in defence and midfield. Bourne Deeping bossed the game from the off and Sutton were finding it difficult to keep possession of the ball. The game was being played mainly in the Sutton half but with no real penetration of the D from Bourne Deeping due to some cool defending by Maisie Sullivan and Tania White at the heart of the Sutton defence. Sutton were struggling to deal with the press from Bourne Deeping and it was no surprise when Bourne Deeping took the lead, although slightly fortuitously with a deflection wrong footing keeper Wallis in goal. The half continued much in the same vain, and half time came with Sutton still trailing.

Strong words from coach Baker and a change in formation saw Sutton come out a little more positively in the second half but the back line of White, Sullivan and Cooper were having to work extra hard to stem the tide with Bourne Deeping intelligently leaving two players high. Sutton did start to exert a bit of pressure of their own with the ever- willing running of Emmy and Connie Gittins trying to drive Sutton forward to get the ball to Amber Jones and Hannah Baker. The final ball was lacking though and Bourne Deeping defended resolutely to keep Sutton at bay. Half way through the half Bourne Deeping got in around the back again and they found themselves with 3 players on one, and whilst keeper Wallis was disappointed to let a goal in at her near post, in fairness she had one eye on the other players free at the back post. Sutton continued to huff and puff and did manage to win a couple of short corners but Bourne Deeping deserved their win.

Man of the match votes saw one each for keeper Wallis, debutant Hoyles, Leuty, Parr and White but Maisie Sullivan was crowned man of the match with 8 votes for her superb defending throughout. We dust ourselves down, train hard on Wednesday and go again next week, when Dereham are welcomed to Sutton. With the game being played at the same time, captain White needs to ensure that her team are in bed much earlier next week to ensure that they are ready!