Southend and Benfleet 1s vs. Phoenix
Phoenix – 2
Southend and Benfleet – 4 (Caitlin Meredith 2, Naomi Barker 1, Nicola Bryant 1)

The long awaited top of the table clash that could decide the division’s champion arrived this week as Southend and Benfleet 1s travelled to face Phoenix. Tensions were high in the S&B camp as a win would extend their shaky one point lead on the league tables that they’ve clung to for almost the whole season whilst a loss would knock them off the top spot for promotion.

From the first whistle both teams fought for possession; as play stretched from one end of the pitch to the other neither side seemed to have the upper hand. The spongy astroturf caused a few problems for the visitors as the ball would slow dramatically and bounce erratically when it was least expected, but S&B soldiered on and soon sussed out the temperamental pitch. It wasn’t long before both teams had a few attempts at goal but neither was able to make it on to the scoreboard as S&B fumbled on their shot corners. Even when Phoenix was awarded their first short corner, their powerful drag flicker still wasn’t able to beat S&B’s defensive star Nina Dabbs, who wasn’t deterred from running full pelt at them in the subsequent short corners even after taking a harsh bash on the shoulder from the first flick. S&B goalie Lisa Hawkins managed save after save but when she went down and Phoenix attackers went around S&B thought they would go a goal down in the final minutes of the first half but somehow Hayley Middleton managed to stop the ball inches from the goal line and battled valiantly to keep it from crossing the line before Jodie Linge was able to clear it safely away. With the score still at 0-0 half time was called.

When play resumed S&B attacked quickly and within the first few minutes of the second half a scramble in front of the Phoenix goal mouth saw Caitlin Meredith get the last nudge of the ball to send it trickling over the line despite the Phoenix goalie’s best efforts. Minutes after the restart S&B were awarded a short corner, which Naomi Barker converted into S&B’s second goal as she blasted it into the corner of the goal with her signature strike. The goals didn’t stop there though as not long after that another short corner saw captain Nicola Bryant ricochet a wide shot off the left goal post and into the back of the goal taking the score to 3-0 early into the second half. Phoenix were looking for a way back into the game when they managed to break away from S&B players and go two on one against Lisa Hawkins who was powerless to stop Phoenix bagging their first goal making the score 3-1. Phoenix pressed the offensive and would defend S&B hit outs brilliantly but Bex Utton always managed to find the lone S&B team member in the crowd of Phoenix players or utilise Nicola Coleman’s great positioning on the left wing to get the ball to Adele Cole and Rachael Jeffrey, who played exceptionally, as they filtered the ball up the pitch to continuously attack the Phoenix D until S&B were awarded yet another short corner, a quick one two allowed Caitlin Meredith the opportunity to send the ball sailing passed the Phoenix goalie to take the score to 4-1. Phoenix wouldn’t give up and managed to pull the score to 4-2 but S&B showed their hosts that they weren’t going to sit back and wait for the final whistle; S&B continued to attack at every opportunity, even in the final minutes of the game S&B didn’t let up and Claire King went one on one with the Phoenix goalie after a phantom break away from deep within their own half, unfortunately she was unable to find the back of the goal as the Phoenix goalie closed down on her and the final whistle sounded with the score S&B – 4, Phoenix – 2.

Player of the match was tough as everyone played outstandingly, communicated well and worked together as a team, in the end it was a split vote between Caitlin Meredith, Kirsty Edmunds and (not even for the first time this season) the team! This win puts S&B top of the table four points clear of Phoenix and a huge thirteen points clear of third placed Brentwood 2s with eight games to play. S&B look forward to the rematch next week as S&B host Witham, the only team S&B have thus far dropped points to.