Sils bounce back with home win

After last week’s reversal Sils welcomed back several players with hopes of a quick return to winning ways against Sutton Coldfield 3’s who had been relegated from the Midlands the previous season. There were several changes to the team with a new centre back pairing of Becky Bakewell and Ali Leeke following the enforced departure of the experienced Kate Huntington through injury.

Sutton were the quickest off the mark and put the Sils defence under constant pressure for the opening minutes of the game but Sils weathered the storm and manged to make inroads up the field gaining a free hit on the opposing 25 which was played through to Samantha Cooper to slot home for her first of the season. Sutton were straight back on the attack but seemed to insist on heading trough the midfield which meant battering their way through the ranks of Ruth Dovey and Samantha Cooper with the ever busy Tamara Majavadia picking up the pieces to feed the hard running forwards.

As Sils kept pressing holes were beginning to open up in the Sutton defence with the through balls causing disarray as the defence attempted to counter the speed of Phoebe Harland and Molly Sullivan. Short corners were starting to be won on several occasions for Sils now and they finally converted a chance into a goal when Frankie Levey calmly powered home to take a deserved 2:0 lead which remained into the half time interval.

Sutton came at Sils with a re-newed vigour at the start of the second half creating numerous short corners which were ably dealt with by the well organised defence. Sils were countering well and the attacks were starting to gel with good passing moves between Harland and Naomi Ennis. However, fortune was not to favour Sils for ever and Sutton clawed their way back into the game as one of their short corners was deflected high into the net off a Sils stick. Heads momentarily went down but within ten minutes Sils extended their lead following an impressive period of passing between Harland, Majavadia, and Ennis which swept through Sutton and as Ennis slipped the ball into the D Majavadia who had made up acres of ground was on hand to place it wide of the keeper.

As time went on Sutton became more frantic and following a disputed free hit Sutton were the quickest to react with the ball being quickly moved into the Sils D where an unmarked forward was just able to lift the ball over the flying efforts of goalkeeper Joanne Brett to score but Sils defended the remaining time well and held out for a fully deserved win.

MoM: Ruth Dovey who dominated the midfield breaking up attack after attack and finally pushing Sutton down the flanks rather than the battleground in the middle.

DoD: After last weeks award our very own Naomi thought she would capitalise on the selection early by wearing some rather skimpy shorts to training. Nothing to do with the Mens 1’s also training that night I’m sure. But Naomi is Naomi and Sils very own “special one”.