Introduction

Lisa's Blog continues... Following the success of Lisa's previous blogs, she has agreed to carry on blogging. You can access all of the previous blog entries through the archive on the right, these cover the 2006 Commonwealth Games, World Cup Qualifying Tournament and the World Cup itself.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Tuesday 10th October

England 2 Germany 1

Back home now and getting back into the swing of a normal life albeit for a few weeks!

We were really pleased with our game against Germany. We played very well and worked as a unit.

Ginge gave us the lead in the first half having soaked up quite a lot pressure from the Germans. Then just before the end of the first half i found myself in an acre of space with the ball at the top of the 'D' and smashed the ball into the goal, Rachel Walker from Olton helped my strike into the goal with a deflection over the line so a great team effort. Katy Roberts kept us in the game in the second half with a penalty stroke save so in all it was a great game for the Chelm girls!

It was frustrating to see the Spanish smashed by the Argentinians but equally as satisfying. The Dutch won the final as predicted and rightly so. They are number one in the world!

Watching the final and medal ceremony gives you so much motivation to continue training so hard i want to be there!

We have a few weeks break from hockey whilst the National League starts but we'll be back before you know it.

The last night proved to be a good night out and we all enjoyed letting our hair down finally but after little alcohol for 6 months or so it certainnly proved to be a cheap night!!!

Stay tuned for Chelm updates - Tufty is it posisble to archive this and get a new blog up and running for the league?

Take care all, many thanks for your messages - keep them coming.

Lisa
x

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Sat 07 Oct England 0 Japan 2

Now we are just left wondering - when will we learn?

Danny has been consistently telling us its the little things that make the difference between being in the Worlds top 6 and not, and its these little things that are slipping by. 1 goal sat between us and a semi-final now we are straing at a best place of 7th. Which we have to take, and have to ensure a good performance. I want to walk out of this tournament proud as possible to have given everything even when the chips were down. Its about taking as many points as possible from the tournament and about our performance as a team and as individuals. What we can learn from one game till the next and who has the emotional stability to get it right.

So we play Germany again tomorrow.

The Japanese game we´d have won if it went on posession. But what did we do with that posession? Nothing that set the world on fire! There was the difference the Japanese took their chances. They could have had another couple of goals if it wasn´t for the brilliance of Katy Roberts in goal who made two crucial saves in the first half.

There is talk of us ´not turning up for the game´apparently, i certainly didn´t view it like that. The first half we imposed our game on them as asked of us. We had a lot of posession but simply didn´t create from that posession. We made a view glaring errors which gave them some clear cut opportunities which Katy kept us in the game. The second half started as the first but Japan broke through our defence and once again we were on the back foot we could only then look to throw everything forward. The Japanese defended execeptionally and all we could do was keep trying. By throwing all we can forward we left ourselves open to penetration which the Japanese took. So critics may say we didn´t turn up for the game i´d argue with that statement but say we need to work on more aspects of play before we are ready to take on the Worlds Best Teams again.

I´m still very excited about the future we are improving all the time and we are learning from every experience and thats what counts from now!

Thanks for all those messages (Steve, Emma, Hayles, Hils, Nick etc..) i´ll keep my blog running for Chelm so please stay tuned!

Lisa
xx

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Thursday 5th October England 1 Spain 1 Gutted!

Hi all, thanks for all the comments again and thanks for your positive vibes.

Well what can i say other than - GUTTED! Sorry I didn't write yesterday i hope you weren't looking for my write up! I really wasn't in the mood last night.

I can't write about the game i'm afraid i really dont have the energy or desire its one of those games that i wont forget in a hurry but wish i could!

Its now all about finishing in the top 6 as we orginally set out to do and that means beating the Japanese tomorrow so onwards.

Please please keep those positive thoughts and vibes coming we still need them.

Sorry to be short and brief.

A gutted but positive about tom
Lisa!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Tuesday 3rd October England 1 Germany 0

So Olmpic Champions 0 England 1. A great performance by us that gives us the necessary three points to keep us in the running for a Semi-Final Spot.

We have to make sure we take three points from the Spanish game tomorrow to get into the Semi-Final of the World Cup.

The game today was really good, a fast hard tough battle but very enjoyable. The first few minutes were very tense and we were a little tentative. We won a penalty corner early on which I was having to inject - thankfully my first injection was accurate although i had to retake as the Germans ran out too fast, the second was again accurate but again the Germans ran out too quick at which point their number one runner gets a green card (a warning) and i also get shown a green card. The first time i push out in a proper international match and i get a green card for holding (apparently!) oops! The third i was so worried about holding i took too quickly and pushed it all wrong which resulted in a 90yrd sprint for me back to defend. I was mighlty annoyed but i'd get my chance again. Germany then won their first corner which we defended well. I got into a little bit of a tussle which i have to say really wound me up so I retaliated a bit and not surp[risingly Danny took me off soon after. He let me cool off on the bench for 5 minutes or so and then i was back on to rest Helen Richardson at CH. Whilst i was off the pitch the Germans got another penalty corner and Beth Storry made an awesome save which the rebound fell to a German girl - Mel Clewlow (canterbury) made a diving save to stop the girl putting the ball into an empty net. A key moment.

So at half time it was 0-0 the second half started and we were immediately into attack and won a penalty corner i was injecting again and this time no card! it was accurate. Crista Cullen drag flicked teh ball at goal. Both Lucilla Wright and I were there to follow in. Lucilla managed to scoop the ball into the back of the net only to hit a German girl on the line., A penalty stroke was given. Helen Richardson cool as a cucumber stuck it into the back of the net. We continued to have many attacks and we also defended like our lives depended on it. The minutes dragged out but gradually the time depleted and we'd won 1-0.

Awesome!

So now onto the Spanish.

You all must have been sending thouse vibes so please please please keep them coming.

And to anonymous who doesn't know me thanks for your comment it was very much appreciated. Glad you are enjoying watching and enjoying the blog.

Thanks to all those who leave messages.

With love from Madrid,
Lisa
xxx

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Sunday 1st October England 1 (should have been 2) India 1

Well now, who saw it?

You could say an interesting game!!!!!!!

So was it or wasn't it i know your asking. Well we are 100% sure it was. Kerry definetly touched the ball before it crossed the line, she knows she did. So the new 3rd umpire does it help? What could you all tell from the TV we get the replays on the big screen but they aren't very clear what did it look like from the comfort of your sofa's?

So that's what it comes down to. This tournament is posing to be extremely close in every match in both groups. At the top of the sport its the slightest, smallest detail that can make all the difference.

We will be looking back at the video tomorrow and learning from our mistakes and where we could have played better. In the hoe that come Germany we can get the three points required and turn this tournament back in favour of us. It isn't over the fat lady sings!!

For those who didn't watch it your probably wondering what the hell i'm on about. So i'll start from the beginning - We started the game well we knew we had get it and give it not let the Indians crowd the ball carrier as we know they are very god tacklers and stealers of the ball and have an extremely fast counter attack. We also know they can get quite physical!!!! So the more you can stay out of their reach the better (if you get my drift!!) We had a few chances and a few penalty corners in the first half, but unfortunately didn't convert. Then the Indians right before the end of the half had a fast break into our bottom left defending side, the ball got expelled into the air and one of the Indian girls took a swipe in the air, all of our defenders were expecting the whistle rightly or wrongly, it didn't come the girl hit the ball in teh air which fell to another Indian who put it into the goal. We immediately swarmed teh umpire to ask her to confir with her colleague, she did and on the whistel of half time the goal was disallowed.

The second half as to start, but in true cricket style the oppo didn't want to take the pitch they were not happy with the dececision from the end of the first half! Eventually they were told they had to come onto the pitch. They did. The game started. We had the colleywobbles (great sayinging) for first few mins but managed to settle.

I'm really sorry but going to have to go as just had the message from administrator will be back later to tomorrow - keep you all in suspense sorry......

BYEEEEEEE for now

Ok i'm back sorry for the long delay. So .......... but managed to settle........ We then played some exceptional hockey. Really quick interpassing that cut through the indian defence and won numerous penalty corners non of which we could convert. The Indians fianlly came back at us with antother of their quick counterattaks and won a penalty corner. They left slip hit the corner which unfortunately clipped Helen Richardson on the foot, the umpire gave a penalty stroke. We appealed saying the ball was going wide but she was adamant she had given the correct decision. I was very confident with katy in the goal (being a penalty stroke expert!) that she would save the stroke. She got extremely close but the Indian took it well and levelled the score to 1-1. Early on in this second half we went down another key member when Jennie Bimson took a swipe across the face cutting her left cheek in a similar fashion to Kates knee injury and again we somehow managed not to win the decision.

We were not going to let this affect us and again played some good hockey. We broke through numerous times. A great chance fell to Al Danson who showed some exceptional skill in beating the GK but then lost her positioning within the 'D' and pulled the ball wide of the goal. It was a devasting moment for her, but we continued to apply the pressure. With two minutes to go Crista took a very quick free hit just outside the attacking 25 Kerry Williams ran towards the ball and was in 'D' when it touched her stik and flew into the bottom left corner of the indian goal. we were 2-1 up.

Or where we! The third umpire was called into action, a new ruling for the mens and womens world cup. The video replay was played over and over and they eventually came to the conclusion that the goal should not stand. So with 2 min to play still at 1-1 we still applied great pressure, we won another pc but again could not convert. It simply was not going to be. It has to be one of the most eventful games I have played in. It had the crowd gripped.

So with a win a loss and a draw we now stand 4th in the group with two games to play. The Germans and the Spanish. David Faulkner ventured this morning that we are exactly in the same place as they were when they played in the Olympics 1988 - and we should all know what happened there - they won the GOLD! So don't think we are dead and buried yet we aren't we still have everything to play for and we need to win twice!

So if you haven't sent you positive thoughts and vibes then now is the time!!!

Till tomorrow,

Adios
xxx