Ladies 1^st XI v Gore Court

Saturday 6^th December 2008

Lost 2-4 

Burnt Ash hosted Gore Court who are a good side with a reputation for being physically strong. For that reason Ash seemed to begin the game apprehensively and found themselves rather static and defending hard for the first 20 minutes. However, Ash found their stride and put together some good attacking moves, one of which resulted in the first goal of the match – with Charlotte Whelehan holding her own and scoring a great goal. Gore Court came back strongly with an impressive individual goal coming down their right wing all the way across the Ash D and slotted into the goal. This was followed up by a number of short corners, all awarded to the visitors and certainly not all deservedly. Although Ash defended these well, Gore Court scored again, to make it 2-1 at half time. The second half began in the usual way for the home side; with Ash being slow to find their rhythm and slow to get out of their own half. This put great pressure on the team and the structure was lost for much of the half. Again, a great number of short corners were awarded to Gore Court with two of these - both awarded on questionable decisions - converted into goals. Ash did fight back and demonstrated some good quality passing play, moving the ball round well. They were rewarded with a goal by Anna Saunders, who showed great determination and the result was a well-earned goal. Nevertheless the match finished with Ash losing 4-2. Hopefully the team with fare better in the New Year.

Ladies 1^st XI v Bromley & Beckenham

Saturday 29^th November 2008

Drew 0-0

Burnt Ash travelled to Bromley & Beckenham on another bitterly cold afternoon. The hosts were bottom of the league and yet to put a point on the board. Ash knew this was an opportunity to get another win under their belts and start to move up the table. However, things did not go to plan. The impressive form Ash showed the week previously eluded them and the team seemed to lower themselves to Bromley & Beckenham’s level. What followed was a scrappy, bad-tempered game – the standard of umpiring hampered both sides, set the match off on the wrong foot and made it especially hard for Ash to play their game. Ash found themselves making basic errors; running into flat sticks, inaccurate passing and missing crucial opportunities. On a positive note, Lisa O’Neill was totally solid in goal and the defence worked the ball round the back confidently, switching the play well. Ash had plenty of attacking opportunities and several corners, but were unable to convert them into a goal. The result was a frustrating no-score draw and two points lost by Ash, when the team really needed them – a missed opportunity.

Ladies 1^st XI v Sevenoaks

Saturday 22^nd November 2008

Lost 2-3

 Burnt Ash traveled to Sevenoaks on a freezing cold winter’s day. Sevenoaks sat mid table, but they are a better side than their league position suggests and were expected to be confident after an 8-1 thrashing of Blackheath the week before. Sevenoaks started the game more positively and so were the first to score with an unfortunate lapse from Burnt Ash. However, Ash did not let this early slip affect them and played some excellent hockey with the new system working well. Unlike previous games this season, Ash were far more attacking, and so came close to scoring on a number of occasions.  Following a great deal of pressure, Ash finally won the first short corner of the match. A hard, accurate injection from Captain Anna Palfreyman was struck extremely well by Loo Brackpool at the top of the D. The ball forced its way under the keeper and into the back of the net. A well-earned goal to level the score to 1-1. The play that followed was fairly even and end-to-end stuff with some great saves from Lisa O’Neill in the Ash goal, but it was Ash who took the initiative with a number of great balls coming from the mid field to feed the strikers. Ash were next to score with great cross from Rachel Bennett which found Anna Palfreyman and then across the Goalie to Kathy Morrison who was well-placed at the far post to sweep the ball into the goal. Ash were well-deserved to go into halftime in front. The second half started badly for Ash though, the team struggled to get back into the flow on the first half. The home side took full advantage, working the ball down their right wing and across into Ash’s D. After much pressure Sevenoaks converted a short corner to level the match. The freezing temperature and tiredness took its toll on Ash, who found themselves under increased pressure. However the visitors did not give up and spent their fair share in Sevenoaks’ D with a number of shots on goal and two short corners. A goal was not forthcoming though and inevitably the winning goal came from the home side. The match finished 2-3, however Ash played well and looked forward to building on their strengths next week against Bromley & Beckenham.

Ladies 1^stXI v Upminster

Saturday 15th November 2008

Lost 3-0

Burnt Ash hosted Upminster off the back of their first win of the season against Maidstone. For this reason the new formation introduced the week previously remained the same. However, Ash did not underestimate the opposition and knew, from experience, that this would be a hard-fought game with the smallest of factors deciding its outcome. The first half was fairly evenly matched, however Ash failed to utilise the whole pitch with much of the action clogged up on the left side. Ash did do a number of attacking moves with Charlotte Whelehan standing her ground well and picking up a number of good balls. Unfortunately Ash were frustrated when once again the final pass eluded them, with much of the attacking action on the edge of the D. Upminster closed Ash down very quickly and so also put plenty of pressure the Ash goal, but the defence looked organised and held up well, with a number of excellent saves from Lisa O’Neill. The score remained 0-0 at half time. Things did not go according to plan in the second half, illustrated by a breakdown of the formation and perhaps a possible lack of understanding and fitness to blame. Another factor was the umpiring decisions which were often questionable for both sides, which was a shame. There were numerous short-corners, however Ash won just the one of these and failed to convert it despite a good strike from Loo Brackpool and a sterling effort from Charlotte Whelehan on the post. The first goal was scored down the other end after a forceful attack from the visitors and some uncertainty from the Ash defence in front of goal. Ash did try to raise their game, with Jo Hahn working tirelessly to support the strikers and keep Ash in the match. However Upminster continued to pressure winning a number of short-corners, with one eventually being converted. With the score at 2-0, Ash seemed to give up in parts, but there were still some great attacking moves out of defence, with Karen Cronin, in particular, deserving a special mention. A third goal resulted solely from an erroneous short-corner. This defeat was a hugely disappointing result and the score line did not reflect the team’s performance. However, the girls are confident that with more work on the training pitch the results will come.

Ladies 1^stXI v Basildon

Saturday 25^th October 2008

Lost 1-2

Burnt Ash travelled to Basildon, who sat top of the table having scored 20 goals so far this season. Ash started cautiously, but soon found their stride. The play and possession was comparatively even for the following ten minutes, however Ash began to play their best hockey of the season, putting Basildon under plenty of pressure. After some great team play, Anna Palfreyman carried the ball up the right the wing, along the baseline and into the D winning the team their first short corner of the game. The result was a great first-time strike by Loo Brackpool and a great goal. Both sides continued to put defences under pressure. Ash had several shots on goal, with Anna Saunders going especially close. Despite all the pressure, the team couldn’t capitalise on its chances and it was the hosts who scored next, working their way down our left wing and into the D. After a strong cross, the ball was forced into the goal to level the score to 1-1. After the half-time break, Ash were unable to replicate the level of play that so impressed in the first half. Shots on goal were scarce, although the team did win a short corner; unfortunately we were unable to convert it into a goal. The defence held up well under immense pressure with keeper Lisa O’Neill pulling off some fine saves. However Ash found it difficult to work the ball up the field and to complete many attacking moves.  The decisive goal came from the Basildon left wing. Although the initial strike was well saved by Lisa O’Neill, the deflection came back out to the same player who shot the ball back at an awkward height – making it almost impossible to keep out.The match finished 2-1, with Ash feeling unlucky not to at least take a point away with them. The game was a massive improvement on the previous weeks, especially the first half performance.  Converting our chances and keeping consistency through to the final whistle will prove key.

Ladies 1^st XI v BBHC

Saturday 18^th October 2008

Lost 1-2

Burnt Ash hosted BBHC knowing this was a must-win game - with the two teams separated by a single point, BBHC occupied the better position in the table. Ash impressed in the first half with some of our best hockey of the season. The ball was being moved around well, with Ash having the greater of the possession. A number of harshly awarded short-corners were also defended solidly by the Ash defence and worked out well through the midfield to the strikers and into the BBHC circle. Burnt Ash won a number of short-corners but were unable to capitalise on them or really trouble the BBHC goalie. Some intricate approach play and a number of other great balls into the D also saw chances generated, but Ash were unable to be convert chances into goals. A break finally came from a well-worked move resulting in Karen Woolf battling her way into the D, and Kathy Morrison scoring her first goal for the 1^st XI. The score remained 1-0 at half time. BBHC came out the stronger of the two sides in the second half, with Ash immediately on the back foot. Although Ash defended well with some great blocking, marking and clearances, the opposition eventually levelled the score with a loose ball put into the back of the net by an unmarked player. Ash retaliated with a number of good attacking moves and bursting runs but were unable to finish them off, with much of the action taking place on the edge of the D. BBHC also continued to attack, winning a couple short-corners which were kept out well by the Ash defence, including a great off-the-line save from Liz Webb. However, one well struck corner eventually made it through giving BBHC the upper hand and taking the score to 1-2. Although disappointed, Ash upped their game and for the final 10 minutes exhibited some good moves, resulting in some tangible chances, including a short-corner. However, a goal was not forthcoming and BBHC came out on top taking the 3 points. Although improvements were there, this was a disappointing result for the team who are struggling to turn their possession into points.