| Match Report |
Caradon 1st team played thier first ever game in the EH west area premier league on Saturday at Lux Park and put on an impressive display to earn themselves a 2-2 draw with league favourites ISCA 2s.
After a tough pre season run of games Caradon knew it was going to be a hard game but there seemed to be few nerves as Caradon played with a real confidence from the off. Players were hungry for the ball and ISCA looked the more inexperienced.
On 8 minutes Caradon were awarded a penalty corner. A well rehearsed routine saw a perfect stop from debutant Jules Butterworth and a powerful strike from Clare Mitchell. The shot was going just wide but Libby Walsh brilliantly deflected the ball into the net to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Caradon looked comfortable in possession and with the pace of another debutant Daisy Heal, Caradon were always a threat on the ISCA goal.
Half time came at just the right time as ISCA began to get themselves in the game and Caradon players were allowed time to re focus and cement their game plan.
With 4 new squad members playing their first league game for the newly promoted team you would expect a few phases of play to look unjointed but the team looked solid and continued create attacking chances.
ISCA were beginning to pile in the pressure and scored a deserved equaliser from open play but almost immediately Caradon answered back with a goal of their own when Mitchell made no mistake from a straight strike at a penalty corner.
Player of the match, Abbie Ingram, was a constant threat on the right and linked well with her forwards and fellow midfielders.
Caradons defence were starting to receive lots of pressure in the circle, but their excellent flat stick tackles were frustrating ISCA. Bekki Eddy was having a great game in goal and it looked like Caradon may be able to pull of a shock first win but ISCA scored from a penalty corner 2 minutes from full time.
Caradon were extremely pleased with thier performance and it will prove to be a good platform for the rest of the season. A new look team under the captaincy of Amy Batty did not look out of place playing against a team that last year were playing national league hockey.
The next game will see Caradon travel to Cardiff, a journey which will be sponsored by Bond Timber.
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