Some good take aways despite a draw...

By Keith Maple

Something not quite right at the home of the Palace

Not sure what happened today.

Was it the draining sun?

Was it the bouncy pitch?

Was it the early start or the overlong drive?

Was it  the wearing of unfamiliar white shirts ?(light blue in the case of Issy)

Something just was not quite right .

Crystal Palace are a team we have beaten three times this year.

Crystal Palace had one less player than us. 

Crystal Palace have scored one less goal than the number of games they have played this season  (16).

Something was not quite right.

We started off brightly. A corner cleared over the bar, more pressure and then Hannah Rose  scores from Elin’s corner

Hannah Rose our rock at the back scoring her second of the season ….GOALLLLLL 1-0

Bouncing balls from the Palace long kicks, Our defence looking in control with Issy, Hannah , Sophia and Bella standing solid

Kathryn a great save and then another

And then Sadie a great run , clearance  for another corner and then a goal to beat all goals.

The glorious game captured in one movement.

The corner from Erin the volley, yes the volley from Ruby, the ball in the net, the billowing net,

THE GOAL OF THE SEASON 2-0

Something was not quite right.

And then after running the game, being on top, reducing the opposition to chasing shadows., Palace get a corner and score from a scramble past Kathryn   2-1

Two minutes later as Carlos makes his grand entrance on his motorbike, a bouncy ball from the Palace keeper , a mis-timed tackle by the defence and Kathryn injured as the ball bobbled towards the goal

SOMETHING WAS NOT QUITE RIGHT 2-2

And then in a game not of two halves but of a quarter and three quarters, Teddington just couldn’t really get going. The defence became nervous, Palace were down to seven for a while , reorganized and then to their credit put on one of the best defensive displays we have seen this season, clearing the lines , running back quickly and looking really organized. We can learn some lessons from them.

Even their goalkeeper who usually struggles with goal kicks was reaching the half way line

Something was not quite right

Yes Ruby and Ciara had one-on-ones with the keeper who had a great game,

yes we dominated possession,

yes we used our subs with Lola and Alice on and

yes we had some chances

but we were very lucklustere and not like our usual selves. Girls were not  listening to Ed and Christelle. They were getting in each others way and we struggled in midfield

Something most definitely was not right.

Jennifer takes a shot from the half way line which nearly went in

Nick, as linesman, tripped over the selection of cones marking the edge of the pitch and Christelle warmed up on the sideline doing keepy uppys (NB from me - I was trying to de-stress!)

Something was not quite right

A final flourish as Elin hits the inside of the post from a corner which then bounces out for a throw in!! Then Elin again who finishes with a fantastic shot that is majestically saved by the keeper in the last kick of the game

Something was not quite right .

It was not our day but we did not help ourselves and we need to be much more organized and play to our strengths against Barnes who are next up

We are much better than the way we played today and although we drew the game it felt like a loss. Roll on next week and we can forget the game on March 16^th 2014. (Except for Ruby and that wondrous goal)

Girl of the match – Elin and those corners , that shot and her all round contribution