We travelled the short trip to Harpole to find the pitch was rock hard with the wind blowing hard end to end down the slight slope. The surface had grass left on but was very bumpy and difficult to control the ball. A touch was needed as first time passes were going everywhere with the horrid bounces. No ones fault, just a dry spell and a very windy few days. Enough of the excuses.
Match started evenly until Harpole had a break through the middle of the pitch. Striker was one on one with Harriet who dived bravely at the striker's feet to block the shot and the ball went for a corner. Georgie had a strange start to the match, the bench wondered if she had been told which way Moulton were attacking. A 60 yard back pass to nobody and a headed clearance were to say the least strange. an even first 30 minutes with Harpole playing with the wind behind them. On 35 minutes the referee inexplicably gave Harpole a penalty when he was positioned almost on the halfway line, nowhere near up with play. Callie had tangled with the striker just inside the box and they both went down in a heap. A strange decision! The striker got up and took the penalty and shot firm and low to Harriet's right. Harriet dived and pushed the shot away for a corner. Just before halftime a brilliant interchange of passes between Sophie, Steph and Georgia ended with Stephanie getting her toe to the ball but with insufficient power to trouble Harpole's keeper. Half time 0-0 in an entertaining game spoilt by the pich and the wind.
After 55 minutes with Moulton exerting plenty of pressure, Harpole broke away down their left and a powerful shot caught Harriet off her line and the ball agonisingly cleared her and dropped into the net for 1-0 Harpole. A few minutes later another Harpole breakaway saw the striker control the ball and mishit her shot which crawled into the corner of Moulton's goal for 2-0 Harpole. After 70 minutes with Moulton still on top, the ball found its way to Stephanie who shot but the keeper collected below her crossbar. Immediately after, Leah made a good break down the left and saw her angled shot narrowly clear the crossbar at the far post. 83 minutes had gone when another Harpole break ended with the ball in the net but the players were well offside. Try as they may, Moulton again could not convert the chances they created and had another narrow defeat by one of the top teams in the league.
Player of the Match was Chelsee again. Hattie made some good saves, Hayley and Sophie G were solid at the back and up top the forwards worked hard without success. Next up is Crick at home so we should have a firm but even surface.