We had a bad feeling that he would be worse than a normal ref -- and we weren't wrong

By Rachael Kemp

With Pauline pulling out on the Friday night due to illness, we decided to call in one of our Dutch internationals and with some harassing by Ana, Sook finally gave in.

When we played lady's Roosbeek earlier on in the season, we lost 4-1 with a couple of bad decisions going their way and today was no different.

We arrived in good form after last weeks 11-0 win but we knew that today would be different and a lot harder.

When the ref never turned up, our captain Caz had to find someone to ref and their trainer said he would do it. We had a bad feeling that he would be worse than a normal ref and we weren't wrong (given the fact that he was giving them advice during the game, telling them where to stand and where to pass the ball)

We started the first half strong, and even though the opposition had a couple of attacks we handled them well, Sook and Hils did well to stop a lot of their play and also setting up some of our attacks. We had some good chances, one when Caz crossed to Ana who controlled the ball well and then passed it back to Ale who struck the ball brilliantly but their keeper managed to get a hand to it and it went out for a corner. From the corner, Caz hit a dipping cross that almost went in.

Jackie took a heavy battering, first getting a boot in the back of her head by the number 9 (their real danger player) and then she and Sook went for the same ball and they bashed heads and Jackie's nose started to bleed. Gibbo told her to sit down (which she didn't, she has got a head of steel).

From a throw in on the left, their number 9 crossed the ball into the middle and as Tish was tracking the player, the ball hit off somebody's foot and went in.1-0 to Lady's Roosbeek.

As the whistle blew for half time, we felt that we shouldn't have been one nil down.

Captain Caz decided to make a sub, Gibbo made way for Erika.

As the second half began, we thought that we could get a goal back but our one big problem was the ref who decided that he would call us offside but not them. Quel surprise.

A long ball over found number 9 who ran towards the goal before scoring. 2-0 to Lady's Roosbeek

Although we were 2-0 down, we continued to attack and finally we got our goal. I can't remember where the goal started from but Ana got the ball from Hils I think and she turned well for Fabbi to score. 2-1 and we were back in the game with 20 mins to go. They thought that Ana fouled one of their players (but she didn't).

After that, number 9 had a couple more chances, which she failed to finish, one of them hitting the crossbar with Jackie clearing the ball afterwards.

At one point, Franci passed the ball to Caz, who kneed it to number 9 and then she got in a tussle with me and then the ref said Rach fouled her just on the edge of the box (but I didn't, I was just looking for the ball like she was). Their captain struck the ball and Franci watched it go wide of the post.

Number 9 fouled Tish and Tish called her a b***h and the ref told the captains that he didn't want to hear anymore but Ana misunderstood him and said "if you go Caz, we all go".

With 5 mins to go, number 9 ran towards the goal, Franci came out and hurt her knee (she thinks she fell in a hole). When number 9 saw that Franci was down, she decided it would be fun to dive and the ref, being their trainer, gave them the penalty. Franci said that she never touched her and Franci was in so much pain that she had to go off. With no subs left, the question was who was going to go in goal? The decision was made and the person who had to try and stop the penalty was Rach and did she no? No!!!L Even though Hils said that she was pointing to the corner where the ball was going to go.

We had a couple more chances and Sook made a brilliant tackle on number 9 just as she was about to shoot. Then the ref blew for full time. Final score: 1-3.

We decided to go back to Ana's for man of the match because we had to look after Franci's beautiful daughter (who just loved Jackie) while she and her husband went to hospital.

While we were watching the rugby, the result of the Wales- Italy game came up and Erika said, "Wales isn't a country" (watch out Erika, Amos might come after you now J). Oh how we laughed! What a nice way to end the day!

Man of the match:
1st: Sook
2nd: Hils
3rd: Ale & Fabbi

Scorer: Fabbi (Ana)
Delegue: Amanda & Cian
Supporters: Fabbi's Family