The Ladies’ 4s Squashed into their cars to head to Horsforth hockey pitch, not to play Horsforth as they will later in the season, but to play Leeds Uni 4s. The anticipation was great as Sharon had only managed a small crop of 11 players ???.
Warm up done the red apples lined up ready for harvest. From the outset the apples were ploughing in hard, putting pressure on the marrows (white and green) in defence. It only took Helen 7 minutes to pick off a goal?,
At times it felt like the marrows had brought their scythes not their sticks but the apples stayed on top. Fern, rolling on like James’s giant peach, found herself in front of goal, another ? in the net.
Lucy Farnell felt like she was back on the farm with sticks flying in from all angles; she was having particular trouble with the lulo (closest I can find?) fruit.
The marrows were not giving in and found a gap in the orchard. Despite solid work from Granny Smith (Sharon) in defence they found the light through the trees, finding the goal, now it is 2-1 to the ???.
A lot of attempts to chop down the orchard were thwarted by, player of the match, Jazz Annie in the middle; she covered most of the orchard today
The marrows found a gap and got into the apple patch, a chop undercutting the ball past Cox Jenni’s head into the apple net. 2-2.
But the ???just stepped it up and some great passing down the pitch found the spaces in the marrow’s fertile land, finding Nina in space. She took her opportunity and chose to pick off another ?
Half time and 3-2.
Fruit juice and squashies on board the ??? were ready to pick up where they left off, harvesting as may ?as they could.
The marrows, having more fruit in their basket, came out strong and the attack was relentless. Encouragement from Cox in defence kept Fiji Nicola on the run, breaking down any attacks. Sterling work from Granny Smith and Cameo Stella kept the ball moving out from Abi’s Orchard.
Lulo fruit found her gap and a Penalty Corner was awarded, to the marrows, and levelled the score by picking the ball of Abi’s boots. 3-3 but the ??? are not cider yet.
Their excitement at levelling the marrow plot gave them a fresh boost of energy, and with their few extra subs they soon found the gaps in the trees. A spin from Lulo, felling Granny Smith, found another gap in the trees. The score is now 4-3 to the green and white stripes, but the ???are not crushed yet.
Despite turning her ankle early harvest Will kept up the pressure and found a gap in the marrow bed, putting the ??? back in the game. 4-4 and not long until cider pressing time
Will finding another gap passed the ball across the marrow bed and found Fern ready to harvest the last ? of the game. 69 minutes of the game played and the ??? are 5-4 up.
A last chance for Fern to howl across the pitch ready to pick another ? Final whistle, 11 happy and tired ??? ready for a fruit juice or two.