Wow! Sleepy start building to a dominant display of intensity, skill and teamwork. Superb!

Although the title says sleepy start Andover actually took a very early lead from a girl on fire, Liv, who was on top of her game today as she slotted home a goal in the second minute from an early long corner.....

However, having declared their intention early Andover took their feet off the pedal and went from ace to very mediocre within minutes not playing the hockey that we have all become accustomed to watching from these massively talented young ladies.

In the 17th minute T broke free from the Basingstoke defence and lifted the Andover supporters spirits with a lovely drawing of the keeper before slotting it home, but the general game play continued to be somewhat lacklustre across the board as it felt as if the girls' heart was not really in it. This was quickly backed up when Basingstoke drew one back in the 22nd minute.

Play ebbed and flowed with neither team showing any real dominance. Polly reduced the stress levels in the 30th minute before over confidence took its toll and in the 34th minute as the clock ticked down to half time, the Andover defence let two Basingstoke attackers, including their star forward, get between them and the goal as they all lined up on the half way line. Hearts were in supporters mouths as they received the ball and rushed two on one against a lonely Josie standing in goal, with the Andover defence rushing back a yard or two behind them. Josie kept her nerve and psyched the attackers out, before rushing out and almost stopping the ball that was shot at her. It was almost as if someone had hit the slow motion button as the ball half stopped crept towards the Andover goal line as the cavalry and marauding attackers rounded in on it. Gwen made a heroic dive to try to save it, smashing herself into the post, but all to no avail as the ball trickled across the line to bring the score at half time to 3-2.

A good team talk at half time saw the girls exposing their failings in the first half and devising the game plan for the second half. It was really encouraging to see so many of them coming forward with valid observations and ideas on how to improve. Game plan set…..would the girls deliver? Oh my god yes they would.

It was as if a switch had flicked. The girls all upped their game to a seriously awesome level – their tempo and work rate was beyond any we had seen so far this season as they pounded the Basingstoke 23 with attack after attack. The girls worked so hard together passing with confidence building some amazing attacks that saw Imi the first to draw blood with a cracking shot reverberating off the back boards following a lovely pass from T having drawn the keeper in the 48th minute. Liv scored her second in the 57th minute and Imi drew even with her in the 63rd to seal the match 6-2 in what had been a seriously impressive second half that hardly saw the Andover D challenged as the Andover defence rebuffed any flagging attack with flair and determination.

As the headline says…Wow! Sleepy start building to a dominant display of intensity, skill and teamwork. Superb!

Well done girls. The league is shaping up to a nail biting finish as we approach the half way point. We are definitely in with a shout at pole position and given your last 3 performances I may be willing to put a £1 or two on you pulling it off, so don't let me down now as I need to feed the kids ;-)