For the first time this year our two Rovers ladies teams were playing back to back at the same field and in a position to cheer for each other. Add a beautiful sun and a light breeze and we had perfect conditions to play, give or take the usual schizophrenic refereeing.
R2D2 was first to take the field at 9 am against CPR White.
Little trip down to memory lane, in September 2007 R2D2 opened its season with a 4-0 loss against CPR White and lost again 6-0 in the away game in March. That year, CPR White went on to win the B division title and was promoted to the A division where it did very well and installed itself in the middle of the table. That same year marked the beginning of the ascension for R2D2 as the 6-0 defeat for R2D2 was followed by a string of victories leading to last year's title.
So the game of Sunday was very much a chance for R2D2 to assert the progress achieved in 2 years.
R2D2 took to the field with only one sub for the second game in a row but full of confidence. From the kick off we dominated the play entirely, keeping possession of the ball a good 70% of the time. Fluid circulation and possession are however not always enough and very efficient defending from CPRW prevented us for bringing serious danger close to their goal. Shots from outside the box it had to be then and Emily K, Lindsay P, Jamie, and even Mary coming from her full back position and Bridget from center back took their chances in turn, all ending in the hands of the goalie. A long free kick over the defense was flicked with a header by Stacey just past the goal. Little by little, our wings moved closer to their line to open up space in the field and when three defenders rushed to tackle Emily, Jamie saw that space in the middle. Getting the ball in her feet she didn't hesitate and took her responsibility, made for the gap, beat one defender and nailed a great shot from inside the box under the cheers of her parents, very happy to have come for the day.
R2D2 1 – CPRW 0.
From then on, the game changed completely. Getting slightly cocky we left gaps wide open between our offensive line and our defense and forgot to come back when we lost the ball. Armed with 3 extra subs having just arrived, CPRW pushed and pushed and only some heroic 2 v 3 defending allowed us to keep the score at half time.
CPR White who was 2d in the standings before the game was not to go down easily and from the beginning of the second half they threw everything at us and the rest. For 20 minutes we bended and bended and fought and didn't break, in part thanks to an outstanding run of Emily out of her goal for a 1v1 with a striker in which she dove at perfect angle and closed down the angle and capted a ball that would otherwise have gone srtaight inside the goal, and in part thanks to a post that deflected a high shot. Little by little we picked up the pieces, regained our composure and brought balance back to the game, focusing on passing again rather than just clearing the ball and running. A few times we proved dangerous and had chances on goal, including on a couple of set piece corner kicks and a beautiful header from Jamie that moved just above the post. With 45 seconds left we obtained a last corner kick. Everybody but 2 defenders went up and the coach, aka me, went livid. The corner was taken, the ball headed out, picked up by a CPR player who rushed it to the midfield, a good touch and go and a pass forward and our defense was beaten and a striker was heading straight for our goal. Emily came out perfectly but there was not much she could do. She went down. The CPR striker adjusted her shot just past Emily. The ball rolled straight towards the goal… and missed the far post by less than a millimeter. The sideline gasped, the referee whistled the end of game and we had our revenge 2 years in the making. Spirit and a hint of luck made for a great 3 points.
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