We travelled to Newport Pagnell to take on their Development Team. Pitch available was lacking in facilities, not even a wooden bench, and the pitch itself was very soft and uneven. However the Ladies were all desperate to play a game despite several non available players again.
Moulton started slowly and NP attacked down the right in the first few minutes and after just 4 minutes following a throw in, a NP player turned and hit into Moulton's net for 1-0 to the home side. Shortly after Sophie T was back helping out her defenders and turned a dangerous situation into just a corner. Moulton were slowly finding their feet and getting a foothold into the game and Sophie Bendon was up joining an attack and her shot was easily saved by NP's keeper. Back came NP and a shot from the left hand side of the area was half saved by Reedy and Sophie B cleared the danger. On 30 minutes Millie made a good run down the right, cut in along the goal line and pulled the ball back to Cat who hit the keeper with her shot from close range and she was unable to get to the loose ball and the keeper cleared. Could easily have been the equaliser that Moulton's play deserved. Then on 34 minutes a speculative shot by NP from 30 yards out was parried by Reedy but somehow the ball ended up in the net for 2-0 to NP. This took some of the wind out of Moulton's sails just when they appeared to have gained some control.
Just before half time a link up between Cat and Millie saw Cat cooly lob the keeper and into the net but the referee blew for offside, marginal but probably correct. HT 2-0 NP.
Second half began and Moulton were determined to make a fight of it. On 60 minutes Moulton won a corner on the left, won by Sophie T, was blocked but Sophie B followed up with a cross come shot which looked like a goal until NP's keeper got 2 fists to the ball under a challenge by Hayley. A much improved display in the 2nd half without the cutting edge to turn pressure into goals. A lot of the play was in the Pagnell end during the 2nd half. An isolated break by NP saw a shot patted down by Reedy and then collected and cleared. Just before the final whistle Moulton were awarded a free kick some 25 yards out, up stepped Georgie but the kick came to nothing. The game then fizzled out and NP had the 3 points. A game that Moulton should not have lost, a draw would probably have been a just result. The overall display was disappointing after the previous two weekly performances. We have been awarded the 3 points from the recently cancelled match where Kettering could not raise a team.
Player of the Match, voted for by the players and Management, was Sophie Bendon. Well done Sophie you worked your socks off today, closely followed by Callie and Hayley.
A free weekend for Mothers' Day then our Cup Match at home the following Sunday.