Losing narrowly on Penalty strokes in Round 1 of the Tier 1 women’s masters over 45 competition to Cambridge City – Sevenoaks entered the Tier 2 draw and beat Marden, Bath and Blueharts before reaching the final at Lee Valley against Telford and Wrekin on Saturday 29th April.
The weather was wonderful, the team excited, the support great with several travelling and leaving the Sevenoaks Vets festival which was very much appreciated.
Coach Sue Chandler gave an excellent pre match talk and along with wise words from captain Amanda Bishop the team marched out with determination, a few butterflies and a fabulous team spirit.
The match started slowly and it really took the first half for Sevenoaks to truly settle in the heat and difficult pitch. First touches and errors crept in from both sides and it was a scrappy half with Sevenoaks dominating on the whole with Telford looking for quick breakaways.
Fay Smith had a great chance well saved by the opposition Goalkeeper and Laura Den Daas and Britt Stephens were beginning to make inroads on The Telford defence. At the other end Karen Drake and Brenda Peterson-Hogg held firm in the middle with Sarah Burnham, Sarah Lock and Lou Curry doing a sterling job at the back ensuring Oaks kept a clean sheet. With goalie Lynn Dawson not letting anything past her Oaks needed to just settle and believe that the match was theirs for the taking.
However Just before half time Telford were awarded a penalty corner which they scored from leaving Oaks 1-0 down arguably against the run of play.
Chandler used all her experience to ensure the team had various options for the second half and despite being behind the team was positive and started the second half in a much more aggressive and controlled way.
It didn’t take long for Laura Den Daas to score the equaliser from a long pass from Bishop. Bishop, Jacquie Ward, Sue Acott and Jacqui Hudson gained more control in midfield with Drake stepping up and pushing on.
Up front the forwards were working tirelessly with Lou McCabe-Arnold, Annelize Holtshausen also making life difficult for the opposition, alongside Stephens, Den Daas and Smith.
Sevenoaks won a penalty corner and a perfect slip from Bishop found Acott in space and she smashed the ball into the back of the net putting Oaks 2-1 up. More chances were coming and Fay Smith was very unlucky not to score a spectacular goal. Den Daas was proving to be tricky and scored Sevenoaks 3rd goal after a superb pass from Leanne McCabe-Arnold to put Sevenoaks justly ahead.
The match seemed safe and so it was to be with Oaks becoming the champions.
The strength across the ladies section for the Masters team is great and it has been a wonderful season for the Vets with the over 35’s just missing out on a tier 2 final too.
Those that played at Lee Valley did the club proud as usual and a special mention should go to Pia Tucker and Magda Muscar who contributed hugely along the way.
Thanks also to Karen Taylor, SJ Marshall and Fran Walton for all their side line support throughout the competition.
