| Team | Ladies 5 |
| Opponent | Cirencester 4 |
| Date | March 1, 2025 |
| Result | Loss |
| Score | 2 – 6 |
L5s vs Cirencester L4s – 01/03/2025
Hold on to your (traffic cone) hats…..you’re in for the ride of your life in this week’s L5s match report.
This big, bright ball of fire thing was in the sky, meaning the sub coat (available from The Stick Club should you want one – it comes with a 5 star traffic cone rating) remained in the van. Not a drop of rain in sight.
L5s arrived early to get in the zone with some (questionable) music and the introduction of the new Traffic Cone Award!!!!! This was a big match for L5s, a win would give a glimmer of hope of not being relegated at the end of the season. Not that you would have been able to tell as the team warmed up basking in the Cirencester sunshine cool as cucumbers. (All apart from me who was immediately regretting wearing a base layer).
With Rich on the sidelines managing the team and subs, L5s took to the pitch with one almighty ROOOAAAARRRRRRR!!!!! We set out with 2.5 aims for the day: 1. Put what we’d done in training into practice. 2. Enjoy the game and play our hockey. 2.5. Try not to concede in the first ten minutes.
Off we went with the defensive back line of this traffic cone, who’s probably played as many games up front as she has at the back now, Anwyn and Lottie, with Flo as super sub and Tigs in goal.
L5s looks a little nervous but were straight out the blocks putting pressure on and tracking the Cirencester players. Early doors, Cirencester got a break and squeaked the ball past us over the line…..aim 2.5 was only the additional one mentioned in the small print anyway.
With heads held high, L5s reset and the midfield line up of Abi, Clemmie, Poppy, Daisy and Tilda made some lovely passes and through balls to work the ball up to the Cirencester D. The majority of play in the first half was down our right hand side, leaving poor Daisy wondering why she had so much space.
Play was very much end to end stuff with Cirencester making some nice plays through the middle, only to be thwarted by Tigs, and our forwards of Erin, Lilia and Seren making themselves known.
Cirencester scored another goal or maybe two I think in the first half (I was paying attention honest, but I think I was off the pitch catching my breath at that point – because Rich had clearly forgotten that this traffic cone was no longer built for midfield, more the subs bench these days, placing me temporarily in the defensive midfield screen position). Essentially there were some goals, don’t ask me what order because in all the excitement I can’t remember. L5s were piling pressure on though left, right and centre (quite literally) but that goal seemed ever elusive.
Half time came and went with Rich “enhancing” the things I asked the team to work on in the second half. One of the hardest team talks is the “keep doing what you’re doing because it will come” team talk. Haribos and various selections of sweets and off we went again, with Tigs and I skipping and racing to the goal.
What I do remember though is that screaming at the top of my voice to the point where you’d have heard me in Brockworth. After some lovely play up the pitch by midfield, the ball fell in front of the D and Tilda knocked it into the back of the Cirencester. A wonderful goal and a well deserved one for L5s.
Some more Cirencester goals went in and then Seren announced herself firmly onto the scoresheet with a brilliant reverse stick strike which went into the goal. The crowd went wild and you’d have thought we’d won promotion from all the celebrating we did (and deservedly so as it was a dream goal).
Cirencester got another couple late in the second half before L5s faced off for a short corner to finish the match (which I think may have been the first one of the match given away by L5s but don’t quote me). At this point this traffic cone had made her way to the dizzying heights of up front, so came back to be the fourth defender. Despite several saves and clearances made by Tigs, Anwyn, Lottie and Flo, Cirencester managed to still get the ball in to end the match.
Final score 6-2 to Cirencester and L5s are likely to be relegated BUT (and it’s a big, bold BUT) what this side has achieved, the way in which this side played today, the performance they put in, the sheer grit and determination on display and the fight they all displayed cannot be underestimated. Regardless of which league this L5s team will be playing in next season, they are going to be a force to be reckoned with and unbeatable.
After the match I had both the opposition and their umpire coming up to tell me what a lovely, respectful, talented group of young women I have in the team. (All things I already knew, but to hear it from opposition is a compliment indeed). Based on today’s performance, the future of the Lansdown Ladies Section is looking really bright.
Massive thanks to Rich for managing us today, (although not massive thanks for putting me in midfield for a bit). Huge thanks as well to the L2s and L4s players who joined the regular L5s barmy army on the sidelines, cheering us on and celebrating hard when we scored.
Player of the Match saw nominations for Abi, Clemmie, Seren and Tilda, with Seren taking home the bragging rights.
Brian the Lion (for sheer grit and determination) saw nominations for Abi, Clemmie, Flo, Jules, Poppy, Seren, Tigs and Tilda (the numbers probably show how much we left on the pitch today), with Clemmie coming out on top after literally being EVERYWHERE on that pitch, fighting to win the ball and chasing down the opposition.
The new Traffic Cone Award, for daftness, was awarded to Rich for not only putting me in midfield but for screaming “Anya” at Anwyn when it was written in the notebook in front of him. He didn’t want to mess his hair up though so I opted to wear it instead.
Three more games to go until the end of the season and L5s are going to continue to improve and enjoy ourselves.