Croydon 2 start slowly but end on a highCroydon 2 travelled to north Cambridge to play their first round cup game, which was against Littleport Lions. The starting line up saw Adam Champion team up with Becki Pratt, Pete Lindsey, and Zoe Shewell in defence, with captain Julia Johnson, Ben Hale, Ed Chaney and Karen James in attack. Both teams started cautiously, with defence being the name of the game. Croydon found a small space first for an Ed Chaney short shot goal, but Littleport Lions replied with a roaring penalty to level the scores. The change of ends saw much of the same, tight defending from both teams, and shots going up but not going through the plastic. It took Champion at least 3 attempts in a row, to finally get the ball through, with great recycling of the ball from his fellow team mates. Littleport were working hard too though and were showing great skill, particularly in dropping off the post, and they were rewarded with a well deserved goal. 2-2. Johnson then seemed to decide that as captain she should lead from the front, and she did. Popping up next to the basket virtually every time the ball was in her section, she scored 2 goals in quick succession, to give Croydon a 2 goal cushion. With Pratt providing skill and height in the collect, the next goal could only come from Croydon, and so it did, with Champion working hard for his second long shot. Shewell then completed a text book drop off the back, received the ball from Champion and popped the resulting shot through the basket 6-2. While Hale, Chaney and James worked their socks off to collect, intercept and find space for their shots, it was Johnson who yet again popped up by the post for her 3rd goal of the day. The half time entertainment was provided by the Jeanes' boys, mini-league football match! The Croydon 2 players were by now much more relaxed and it showed in their play. The ball moved relatively smoothly around the section and all players made space to shoot. The shooting average was probably not as high as the coach would have liked but the style of play was good. James' free throw goal, was followed up by Shewell's 2nd long shot. Littleport then got on the score sheet again with a lovely running-in shot. Croydon 2 weren't stopping though, and after her success with the free-throw, James stepped up to convert her own penalty, which she did with ease. Littleport scored again, but Shewell was on a roll, and she dropped off again to score her 3rd of the day - a personal best for her. Lindsey finished the scoring with a penalty to leave the final score 12-4. Match Report by Anna | Updated by Andy Final Score: Littleport Lions 1 4 vs 12 Croydon 2Adam(2)Ed(1)Peter(1)Ben(0)Julia(3)Zoe(3)Karen(2)Becky(0)
Croydon 2 do the business against Highbury 3In their second match of the day, Croydon 2 took on Highbury 3. Highbury 3 had some tall players and some extremely quick players, and Croydon again took a while to settle. The Croydon players started in the same sections as for the Littleport match, but this time captain Johnson's section started in attack. In an almost exact repeat of the first match, Croydon scored first (a Shewell free-pass) only for Highbury 3 to level the scores with a drop off, followed by another Croydon goal (Hale dropping off against a 10 foot tall, very agile players). This time though, Croydon didn't let their opposition even the score, and it was Johnson who scored Croydon's 3rd through a trade mark running-in shot. 3-1 to Croydon and a change of ends, gave the Croydonites confidence. Lindsey decided he wanted to get on the scoresheet with an open play goal, and popped a delightful drop off into the basket. Pratt was putting up some great shots from distance, but they just failed to hit the target. She was outcollected virtually everyone though, and giving her player a hard task in defending her. Hale had his work cut out in defence, as his player appeared to have the longest arms and legs in Korfball. He was containing him virtually everywhere on the pitch, but one drop off just managed to slip in, 4-2. Croydon then went on to score 5 without reply, 2 before half time and 3 after. First James scored, then Hale dinked a little shot in, then Champion dropped off to the side, followed shortly afterwards by a drop off to the front and finally Johnson. Johnson's goal has to be the flattest shot EVER taken in the whole history of Korfball. From the moment it left her hands it never, ever, went higher than the basket, it skimmed the front edge of the basket, took it's time trying to decide if it was going to fall short, or whether it was actually going to go in, then plopped in. Hale, who was under the post, was already moving forward to collect the rebound, as it looked an impossibility that it could ever go in. Even the opposition players couldn't believe it had actually managed to go in. In the middle of that goal run, Ed ran into the post, banging his knee, and twisting his already sore ankle. He literally hopped off the pitch, to be replaced by coach P Jeanes, who was in the slightest bit ready to go on! As the match clock ran down, Highbury 3 scored a penalty and a runner to bring the scores slightly closer, but by then match was Croydon's. Final score 9-4. Match Report by Anna | Updated by Andy Final Score: Highbury 3 4 vs 9 Croydon 2Adam(2)Ben(2)Peter(1)Ed(0)Paul(0)Julia(2)Karen(1)Zoe(1)Becky(0)
