Sheffield Hallam 4's 5 -1 Barnsley 1

A beautiful sunny morning saw the 4's take on Barnsley at Abbeydale. With 15 in the side but no specialised GK Michele Daw offered earlier in the week to put on the pads to which we are very thankful. There were lots of similarities to last weeks game with the action at both ends and not so much in the middle of the pitch. Lots of good passes, runs and some solid defending it looked like the score line the end of the first half was going to be the same as the start of the game. But with about 12 minutes to go the ball was passed out left to Beth Spooner whose lifted strike made it into the goal at a lovely acute angle. That must have settled our nerves and not longer after Rachel Mead added to the score battling in her determined way on the near post to defeat the keeper. 2-0 up at half time.

Barnsley came out strong in the second half determined to level the score and the defence were put under pressure. Some amazing tackles and blocks from Karen Millar got them really frustrated, and the mother/ daughter Harvey duo ever impenetrable aided by the running of Hannah Porter and Karen Milbourn could only keep them at bay for so long and a short corner was conceded. They scored on the second attempt, running 1 Karen Milbourn got her stick in the way only for the ball to bounce up into her ribs (ouch) and land nicely for the Barnsley striker to hit it into the goal.

Not happy about conceding a goal we came back with determination and drive Vikki Beavis causing trouble in the attacking D and eventually tapping (or possible dribbling) the ball over the line. Our 4th goal is a bit of a mystery again from lots of action in their D. We have worked out that Vikki made a cross and that it definitely went in off a Barnsley stick but our forwards were being far too polite to claim the Sheffield last touch. It was eventually decided over teas that it was to be awarded to Hannah Richardson.

Barnsley fought back hard and had a number of short corners but we unable to convert any to goal. Louisa Edwards, Sandra Bloor, Nina Sanderson, Hajar El Sayed and Sarah Andrzejowska took control of the middle of the pitch time and again with some super runs and passes and Sheffield continued to battle. With 4 minutes to go we had another short corner, the initial strike defended by Barnsley for it to come back to Hannah Richardson whose lifted short was aided into the goal by Louisa Edwards.

Girl of the games goes to Louisa Edwards closely followed by Karen Millar

A very enjoyable game of hockey and some great team play, roll on next week when we face Slazengers 3 who we beat in the cup final and to the league title!!!!