| Team | Ladies 5 |
| Opponent | Brockworth Badgers 1 |
| Date | March 22, 2025 |
| Result | |
| Score | – |
L5s vs Badgers L1s – 22/03/2025
TL; DR: L5s lost but played well in a tough match against league champions in this traffic cone’s last match as captain.
Having watched the first half of the L4s match, this resident traffic cone arrived fashionably late as ever, buoyed on by the performance I’d witnessed in that match.
Ahead of the match against top of the table, Badgers, L5s warmed up with some CHOOOOOONNNEEESSSS that some of us were old enough to remember dancing in a club the first time when they were cool. Half way through the news filtered through…..other results meant that Badgers had won the league!
In the final match of the season, L5s set out with two main aims:
1. Enjoy playing our game and putting our skills into practice.
2. Leave everything on the pitch (not literally – although there was a stick left behind) and walk off knowing we’ve kept our heads up and kept going.
The Barmy Army was out in force at Casa Del Brockworth to cheer us on, eager for more after last week’s performance. This traffic cone led the charge in the defensive line up which included Tiggs in goal, Lottie and Flo – and it turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks as this traffic cone finally managed to play a decent match as a CB (only taken the majority of the season for it to click).
From the off, our midfield of Tilda, Miya, Abi, Clemmie and Kelz had their work cut out to navigate the charge from Badgers but navigate it they did. Unfortunately, not wanting to break with L5s tradition, we were caught on the break and let in an early goal….but like L5s tradition, that spurred us on. L5s began some lovely passing through the midfield and up to the forwards of Seren, Eva and Liz, who applied pressure and were getting shots off left, right and centre. We were coming into our stride, but no success followed.
Shortly before half-time, we were caught by a sneaky high attacker hiding in the corner which resulted in me sprinting from almost the half way line back towards the D to intercept – Having somehow managed to get back I got so excited, I forgot to stop once I drew level, leaving me crashing into Tiggs in goal and preventing her from being able to save the shot. Traffic Cone Of Shame had been won by el capitan early doors this week. 😊
It was only 2-0 though in the first half, which considering the first half of the season had seen us succumb to a 9-0 defeat, we took that as progress and a win.
The second half saw renewed vigor with L5s coming out and piling on pressure, but with that came a bit more physicality which saw Seren’s match come to an abrupt end after taking a stick to the eye. Pleased to report she is doing fine and sporting a rather intimidating black eye. Shortly after, this traffic cone failed to get out of the way of an approaching attacker, holding firm and promptly being floored as a result. Having scraped myself up off the floor and ascertained I wasn’t seeing stars, we carried on. Continued physicality saw a green card being issued in the second half as well, but we carried on playing to our strengths. We let another goal in towards the end of the second half and were unlucky that the countless onslaught of attacks from Tilda, Liz and Eva weren’t converted.
The match finished 3-0 to Badgers, but to L5s it felt like a win. In the first half of the season, this fixture saw us somewhat outplayed and losing 9-0, however yesterday we more than held our own – so to limit the scoreline to that against the league champions (and let’s face it, one of those goals is technically mine) demonstrates the incredible progress this team has made over the last year! L5s played their own game, stood their ground, demonstrated immense maturity and skills and left everything on that pitch – achievements unlocked!!!!
Player of the Match saw nominations for Abi, Eva, myself, Kelz and Lottie, with Eva taking home the glory – not before she’d sprinted off into the distance.
Brian the Lion saw nominations for Eva, Kelz, Lottie and Seren, with Seren being rewarded for her stick to the eye with a summer of Brian sitting.
Big thanks as always to our Umpires Bill and Toby, particularly Toby who umpired three matches yesterday – without our umpires we would not be able to play each week. Massive thanks to our loyal barmy army of supporters who gee us up week in week out whatever the weather. That barmy army also included my half time treat managers (thank you to all four of them – two of which were mine and two were Kelz’s) and my long suffering hockey widower husband, who is a part of the L5s machine in the background.
This match had particular significance for this traffic cone as it was my last at the helm as L5s captain. It’s been a fantastic two seasons in charge, and I will very much still be around roaring on the pitch and sidelines, but I want to say a massive thank you to each and every player who has played L5s, whether they are regular players, occasional players or vets players I’ve bribed out of retirement. To have been part of such a successful and amazing team has been truly awesome. Whilst I’m not saying goodbye, we have one stalwart L5s player who is heading off to pastures new ahead of next season, so we wish pseudo-vice captain, Abi the very best for that next chapter!!!!
See you all next season – make a note of these players faces because you’ll see great things from them in the coming seasons!!!!! Peace out brussel sprouts!
