The match against Singapore Recreation Club started off well for both teams with the ball featuring at both ends of the pitch. Strong support from the tornadoes defence and midfield meant that the forwards were able to have moments of pure brilliance in front of the goal, but frustratingly unable to find the back of the net. A well organised SRC defence and some excellent goal keeping skills meant that going into half time, the tornadoes were left wondering where they were going to get a goal from.
Patience paid off and the tornadoes started the second half strong. It was going to take more than a few rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightening in the distance to put the tornadoes off the task in hand.
A ball driven down the left wing by Rosie Clarke was hit in to the top of the D. The ball was deflected off an SRC stick and with some excellent timing, skill and luck we saw Charlie White volley the ball into the back of the net to secure a 1-0 lead for the tornadoes.
This did not stop the determination from SRC to fight back and as legs began tiring gaps began to show in both teams with SRC having the upper hand. Thankfully for the tornadoes a hard fought short corner for SRC was halted abruptly when the umpires decided that the fast approaching thunderstorm should stop play.
With 23 minutes left to play it was the tornadoes who had the 1-0 and due to poor weather the rest of the match would be completed at a later date.........
........and on a Tuesday evening as the flood lights were just coming on, a re-fuelled and determined side of 18 Tornados ladies 1's (down to 17 when one omitted to bring footwear...) turned out to play their 23 minute game.
Aware that time was of the essence and that we needed to be fired up from the whistle, adrenalin was high. But to raise the game another notch, we hadn't kept things simple for ourselves - finishing the first round of this match on the blow for a short corner, against us.
So we began on the ultimate back foot. But shorts practice at training had paid off and our brilliant defenders (led by Sayj doing an ever increasingly seasoned and honed job in goal) rose to the challenge, keeping the sheet clean.
But we weren't in the clear yet, and three more short corners were conceded under the pressurized start before we took the ball out of our defensive half, shortly after which Teej was struck in the face with the oppositions stick and had to take to the bench (ever committed, she stayed to see the game out before heading off to A&E!!)
After a challenging start though, the play returned to our court, and a strong game was played with slick breaks and great team play through the midfield and up both wings to our attackers.
No goals were conceded and none scored in the strangely short game of hockey, leaving the Tornado's Ladies victorious on a Tuesday night!
Alex & Hilary
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