Oldham made the long journey to Southampton to play Viper 10 Blades on Sunday, once again with a depleted squad due to players being on England U21 duty.
It was a fast start for Oldham with Maria McAndrew and Amelia Hall feeding Krista Enziano and Kathryn Turner with ease and the two shooters rewarded their efforts. Great defence from Kerry Almond, Emma Dovey and Abby Tyrrell saw Oldham win the quarter 12-16
Quarter 2 was a different story. Oldham put themselves under pressure with uncharacteristic mistakes. It was a scrappy, low scoring, quarter for both teams with Blades edging it by one goal and Oldham finished the half with a slim lead 22-25
It was a fast start for Oldham with Maria McAndrew and Amelia Hall feeding Krista Enziano and Kathryn Turner with ease and the two shooters rewarded their efforts. Great defence from Kerry Almond, Emma Dovey and Abby Tyrrell saw Oldham win the quarter 12-16
Quarter 2 was a different story. Oldham put themselves under pressure with uncharacteristic mistakes. It was a scrappy, low scoring, quarter for both teams with Blades edging it by one goal and Oldham finished the half with a slim lead 22-25
After a stern half time talk by Debbie Hallas and the introduction of Susie Armstrong at Goal Keeper and Lucy Stevenson at Goal Shooter, Oldham took to the court looking to push on in the game. This did not happen, Blades came out the stronger and Oldham began to lose their composure, Blades took the lead and Oldham were on the back foot. A couple of time outs saw Kerry Almond and Krista Enziano return to court, with Emma Dovey moving to the unfamiliar position of Centre, Maria McAndrew took the Wing Attack bib, giving Amelia Hall a well-earned rest. Oldham, however, continued to struggle to find their rhythm. They lost the quarter 16-10 and were 3 down going into the last.
It was a fast, determined, start to the quarter by Oldham with scoring six goals before Blades got onto the score sheet. Excellent through court defence forced errors from the home team, Dovey and McAndrew were running centre court and calm shooting from Enziano and Turner saw Oldham retake the lead. However, there was one final twist, injury to a Blades player saw play halted. The umpire decision was, incorrectly, deemed contact against Oldham and momentum swung to Blades. The home supporters became very vocal and urged their team on but it was Oldham who showed their character and held their nerve with a flurry of goals seeing them run out winners 47-52.
“We should have put this game to bed in the first half, we were lack lustre and let Blades stay in the game in the second quarter. We started to struggle to get the ball through the court, and moving Emma Dovey to centre added some zest in the middle and added defensive pressure, while Maria McAndrew used all her experience at wing attack to get the ball through to our player of the match Kathryn Turner.”
It was a fast, determined, start to the quarter by Oldham with scoring six goals before Blades got onto the score sheet. Excellent through court defence forced errors from the home team, Dovey and McAndrew were running centre court and calm shooting from Enziano and Turner saw Oldham retake the lead. However, there was one final twist, injury to a Blades player saw play halted. The umpire decision was, incorrectly, deemed contact against Oldham and momentum swung to Blades. The home supporters became very vocal and urged their team on but it was Oldham who showed their character and held their nerve with a flurry of goals seeing them run out winners 47-52.
“We should have put this game to bed in the first half, we were lack lustre and let Blades stay in the game in the second quarter. We started to struggle to get the ball through the court, and moving Emma Dovey to centre added some zest in the middle and added defensive pressure, while Maria McAndrew used all her experience at wing attack to get the ball through to our player of the match Kathryn Turner.”
Play of the match: Kathryn Turner
Starting 7: GK Almond, GD Dovey, WD Tyrrell, C McAndrew, WA Hall, GA Turner, GS Enziano
Subs: Stevenson, Armstrong
Starting 7: GK Almond, GD Dovey, WD Tyrrell, C McAndrew, WA Hall, GA Turner, GS Enziano
Subs: Stevenson, Armstrong