New kit, New start

Welcoming Georgia Smith, Molly Sullivan, and Lizzie Shearing back into the fold Sils took on Leamington 2’s attempting to reverse the fortunes of recent weeks. Resemblant in matching kit for once Sils took to the field with a greater sense of urgency and vigour taking the game to Leamington from the off. With a more direct threat from their forwards this week Sils were able to gain a stronger hold on midfield with Georgina Dalby and Ruth Dovey working well to provide Samantha Cooper with the space to move forward and supplement the hard running forwards who were rolled on and off to ensure that the Leamington back line were kept running around.
A new structure to the team took a while to adjust to but once the defence got themselves organised they were soon taking control of the situation allowing Ali Leeke space on the right to start a number of attacks flowing from the back through the midfield. The defensive unit were helping each other out and were for once talking to each other in their own indomitable way. Ok Joanne Brett in goal was at times a fair bit busier than one would have liked but the game was slowly being controlled by Sils in a pulsating match with much of the action taking place around the middle of the pitch. Short corners were traded evenly and Dovey, running 1 was once again often arriving at the top of the D before the ball causing Leamington all sorts of problems. The first half drew to an end with an evenly fought contest without either side managing to score.

After a rallying team talk by Jamie Fleet Sils were starting to believe in themselves and were playing well, passes were reaching team mates and there was running off the ball into space making it much easier to stretch the attack. Sils were starting to take control off the match and possession was slightly in their favour and following yet another short corner the ball was latched onto by Samantha Cooper whose ferocious shot smashed against the bar with the keeper helplessly watching. The persistence eventually paid off and with ten minutes of the second half remaining another mazy run from Cooper into the D led to the ball coming loose and Frankie Levey was the quickest to react to steer the ball home for a deserved lead.

Leamington were on their heels and further inroads could have been made with the hard working Tamara Majevadia unlucky not to add to her seasons goal tally with a number of deflections going narrowly wide. The forwards were still running hard with Smith and Sullivan taking the game high to stretch the space and Shearing constantly finding space down the right hand side. There was still the occasional mistake which could have allowed Leamington back in but the defensive unit of Becky Bakewell, Kate Huntington and Ali Leeke were coping well coupled with a number of outstanding saves by Brett.
A fully deserved win and clean sheet with much promise for the future.

MoM: Once again the award goes to Tamara Majevadia for another majestic showing and was unlucky not to add to her goal tally.

DoD: A unanimous decision this week in the best possible taste, with everyone in complete agreement with the award going to Chairman Steve Tabb, who it turns out is also the coach of Leamington 2’s and tried to plot the downfall of Sils Ladies, of all people tut tut.