L1: St Austell 1 Reading 4

After the excitement of a 6 point weekend it would have been easy for Reading to slip up this week faced with the long trek to Cornwall and a week of inclement weather but we successfully stayed focused and returned with 3 points and had a great deal of fun in the process.

Our adventure started on Friday afternoon when the majority of the team arrived at Reading Station having decided to divorce themselves from the whole motorway/welcome break scenario and try travelling by train. Obtaining tickets hadn’t been easy but eventually First Great Western had realised that a rugby match in Twickenham did not prevent us buying Group4Save tickets.

With the train packed with half term trippers the those without reservations initially had to stand but we soon found a home for everyone and as the stations flew passed we gradually we able to congregate together as the carriage emptied around us.

For the first part of the journey we were very focused. There was lots of homework, laptops, marking in evidence but after about 3 hours the important business of gossiping and playing top trumps commenced. We managed to clear the remaining passengers in our area by starting on a philosophical debate about reason and scientific fact and whether there was any such thing as truth? Hmmmm…

So from the sublime back to the ridiculous which came when we nearly forgot to get off the train. It’s not far between Par and St Austell as we discovered and the train manager announced we were arriving at St Austell as we were arriving at St Austell which didn’t leave us much time to gather ourselves and our kit.

We then set off walking down the hill into St Austell in search of our hotel. We passed the delights of Pulse8 dance venue and the Golden Penny arcade on the way down following your leader Fi Holmes. Fortunately we managed to resist these temptations of St Austell nightlife and stayed focused.

Arriving at out hotel typically Erin and Chiara got locked out of their room. We then made it to Pizza Hut for a feast of carbs, squash and ice cream. Isn’t it funny how when you are with other athletes all you talk about is food, mused Abi. “I’m an Athlete!!!!!!!!!!” screamed Tiny for the next 5 minutes. To save further distraction and maintain our focus we went to bed.

Saturday morning dawned wet and cold but were we distracted – oh no. After a hearty breakfast we set off for a country ramble something most of the Urban Yoof our team is composed off found extremely BORING! Except for DJ who faced the trauma of walking past bungalows and Chiara who walked out into oncoming traffic rather than walk past a horse.

We then set off in the 3 cars of thsoe who had driven to find the pitch which proved to be at the highest point in St Austell. With the wind howling around our ears it wasn’t going to be the most pleasant of games but were we distracted? No we were focused.

The Game!!

The start to the game was a bit ropey. Buffeted by the wind and facing a team strong on pace this was a game played on hyperspeed when the ball was in play and at granny speed when the ball went off the backline as there was another 40m of pitch behind the goal. It was consequently difficult for Reading to establish their rhythm as the game kepy stopping and starting. Although Reading passed the ball well they were too impatient with their final pass and the game was frenetic and marked by basic errors.

Once Reading throttled back they were able to establish more control and started dominating territory and possession without finding the breakthrough. It wasn’t until the 27th minute that Abi Harper found the breakthrough shortly followed by a second from Emily Malden to go in at half time 2-0 up.

Reading had a stronger bench than their opponents and were able to maintain the tempo of their game even playing into the wind which brought tears to the eyes and preventing you hearing anything. The Reading defence did well all game to marshall one of the league’s leading scorers Linda Webb but she was able to force a penalty corner in the 46th minute. Helen Stubbs scored with a fine strike that slipped through the minutest of gaps between Helen Marsden’s outstretched foot and Kirsty Reeman on the right post.

One of the characteristics of Reading this season has been their ability to find another gear when required and it took them only 3 minutes to extend their lead again but from an unlikely source. Half back Emma ‘Tiny’ Kavanagh charged like a gazumping gazelle into the D and receiving the ball lashed in a shot that hit both posts and then the backboard. As you can probably tell from this match report I was so blinded by this moment that I cannot remember much else that happened in the game. It was also a legendary moment in Tiny’s career so much so that she couldn’t decide whether to have a shower or not as “it might wash the joy off” and caused her to prclaim the 10th February as National Tiny day.

The final third of the game was comfortable for Reading with them able to exploit space thanks to their passing and only occassionally threatened on the counter attack by St Austell and the game glided serenely to a close after Reading scored their 4th in the 55th minute thanks to a Claire Kerr tip in at a penalty corner.

Reading had successfully negotiated a fixture that could have been tricky, taking 3 more points and extending their goal difference further. All they then had to negotiate was the trip back to Reading.

First however there was a lovely chunky cornish pasty and scones oozing with jam and cream to gorge upon thanks to the St Austell post match tea.

The Return!!!

Then it was back to the station to sit and wait for the train like a group of refugees. This time we were able to find space to sit together although we did manage to encircle a poor lady Ramona from Hungary who soon made a hasty departure to a less bewildering seat, drive one poor man quietly reading his paper to another seat so “we would have room to do our crayoning” and were briefly infiltrated by Sunderland supporters getting on at Plymouth.

We enjoyed a fun filled journey back full or crayoning, travel operation, magazine reading, gossiping, music listening and sipping a small amount of alcoholic bevergae to celbrate. Abi managed to retain her discipline throughout and was still reading Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath.

The final highlight of the trip had to go to – who else – Tiny as she came back from waiting for the toilet shouting

“There’s a man in the toilet, there’s a man in the toilet”.
“How do you know it’s a man?” we inquired
“Because he left the door unlocked”.

With a small cluster of parents waiting to greet us at Reading to make sure we delivered their daughters back to them safely our epic St Austell advneture finally came to en end.

We now how two games at home to look forward to: firstly against Southampton (17 Feb) and then against Sevenoaks (24 Feb) both at 13:30.

Squad:Helen ‘Craft Corner’ Marsden, Kirsty ‘SHHHH’ Reeman, Alice ‘Bungalowphobe’ Margerison, Alison ‘Philosophy good Geography bad’ Pope, Emma ‘Gazelle’ Kavanagh, Anna ‘Seat of her own’ McGlaughlin, Emma ‘Chauffer’ Thomas, Alex ‘Mani’s Map reader’ Smith, Claire ‘No sleep’ Kerr, Abi ‘Discipline’ Harper, Emily ‘Small Lemonade’ Malden, Ali ‘Staying for the Weekend’ Omell, Erin ‘No grease on my pizza’ Ruxton, Chiara ‘Sleep Anywhere’ Clarke

Management:Mani ‘Focus’ Kochar, Emma ‘I’m not with them except when there’s an ice cream factory’ Gibbings, Fi ‘Ball Girl’ Holmes

Noisy Away Crowd: 1 well done Mr Omell

Man of the match: Emma ‘Did you see my goal’ Kavanagh