MATCH REPORT

Long Sutton were once again at home at their new normal start time of 11:00am. Ordered to bed early by Captain White, they were hoping to put a run of poor results behind them. However with the ladies section suffering a number of injuries, it was to be no easy game, and they were dealt a further blow on the morning of the match, when they learned that they would have no substitutes. Charlotte Walsh calling off after a late fitness test!

They were however dealt a good hand when it became clear, that although Dereham had turned up with a large squad, there appeared to be one important component missing, the GK!

Sutton knew that they would have to take the match to Dereham and whenever they got into the D, they were to ensure that they got a shot off or at least earned a short corner to try to capitalise on this situation although with Dereham able to play 11 outfield players knew that this would not be easy. In fact the first ten minutes played out in a way that was not to Sutton's liking. Dereham bringing the game to them at an electrifying speed, in a bid to keep the game in Sutton's half and well away from the danger of a goalkeeperless D of their own. Sutton did however begin to settle having held Dereham at bay with excellent defending from Lisa Baker, captain White, Maisie Sullivan and Lauren Cooper. They began to get a foothold in the game, with Jess Burton in an unfamiliar role just in front of the back four, but looking as if she had played there for the last couple of seasons, starting to pick off Dereham's attacks and spreading the play nicely to the youthful midfield of Amber Jones, Emmy Gittins and Katie Collingwood-Smith. It wasn't long before Sutton took the lead, with Emmy Gittins on the 25 finding Katie Collingwood-Smith on the top right of the D and her first time shot took a deflection from a Dereham player and found it's way into goal. The next goal was a little fortunate, with the umpire seeing an infringement in front of goal and awarded a penalty stroke. With no GK this was always going to be a harsh situation for Dereham to find themselves in and up stepped captain white to make no mistake! 2-0 Sutton. Finally the Dereham GK arrived and entered the pitch, although Dereham forgot to take a player off and so for a short time had 12 players. With an attacking move in full flow from Sutton, with a series of one, two's down the right, Umpire Jackson saw no reason to stop the game, despite protests from the crowd and Connie Gittins finished from the top of the D. Great advantage played by the umpires! There was just time for Sutton to extend their lead with a similar passage of play down the right but this time Connie Gittins finished with a reverse stick strike. A skill that she has clearly been practising.

Half time 4-0 Sutton.

Sutton were keen not to be complacent and Dereham had shown enough in the first ten- minute spell to suggest that they were more than capable of a come back and again they came at Sutton from the first whistle. After gaining a few short corners, they reduced the deficit with a thunderous strike from the top of the D which left keeper Wallis and post-player White with no chance. Sutton were in no mood to allow Dereham back into the game though and they recovered the 4 goal advantage, with Hannah Baker shooting and Katie Collingwood-Smith capitalising after a couple of rebounds. To their credit Dereham never gave up and continued to bring the fight to Sutton but Sutton rounded off a great performance when another shot which rebounded to Jess Burton who slipped the ball to Connie Gittins to calmly slot the ball through the keepers legs.

Final score 6-1!

Man of the match could have gone to anyone of the outfield players of Sutton and voting was tight, but having scored a hat-trick was rightly awarded to Connie Gittins.