Match Report: Richmond v Berrylands

Saturday 1st February: 0-2 win

Berries Get a Well-needed Win
A well earned win this week as Berries took on Richmond but it was not all plain sailing.  From the start the game was wide open with Richmond showing some promise with confident passing cutting through the Berries team but the final ball/shot was lacking.

  Berries were quick to counter attack setting both wings (Emma and Pheobe) surging forward with Grace and Nikki providing the targets in the middle for the cross.  Great play in the middle of the pitch with Abbie, Nina and Vicky linking well with the forward line.

Although having more of the ball and getting the better shots away the ball would not cross the line despite the Berries backs (Lins, Helena and Alison) all trying to blow it over and collective sighs when it was cleared.  Berries still needed to be on their toes as a Richmond were quick on the break themselves.

Emma sent some great crosses into the D but when they hit a Berries stick either the keeper was there or the ball deflected wide.  Teresa, in goal, stopped a couple of shots as Richmond tried their luck at the Berries end.  A quick ball out of defence saw Grace on her own in the D having beaten two defenders it was just her and the keeper.  The keeper won by up ending Grace!  0 – 0 at half time and all to play for.

Richmond seemed to be running out of ideas and energy as Berries began to exert more pressure. That pressure paid when around 15 minutes into the half Nina found herself at the top of the D taking a shot to wrong foot the keeper and nestle in the corner of the net. Around 5 minutes later more pressure from Berries saw Nina chasing a ball out to the right wing and hitting the ball back towards the Richmond D.

A wicked deflection off a Richmond stick saw the ball travelling off the ground towards the goal. Grace had no hesitation on meeting it full on and blasting it into the goal for 2 – 0 to Berries. This seemed to galvanise Richmond into action as they sought to get themselves back into the game. Berries had to soak up a little bit of pressure including some short corners. The closest Richmond came was the ball getting stuck between T’s feet but a slight readjustment saw the ball leaving the D.

Three points secured for Berries and a bit of breathing space on the bottom two teams.

Final score: 0-2