Southgate 2nds vs. MK Ladies 1sts - 22nd October 2016

The MK ladies 1st team got their season back on track with a superb performance and win away against Southgate 2nds. Travelling with the bare eleven players, MK went into the game knowing it would be a tough one but with each and every player determined to come away with three points. MK started the game strongly putting the Southgate defence under some pressure in the early part of the game and forcing the goal keeper to make some early saves. However, it was clear that Southgate weren't going to give up the points without a fight and they too tested the MK defence. MK made their breakthrough following a pass from Thea Jackson finding Karmel Bracken who drew the defender and then found Sophie Reynolds in the D who coolly flicked the ball over the head of the oncoming keeper and into the goal...1-0 MK. Southgate turned up the intensity of their attacks, calling goal keeper and player of the match, LJ Millers, into action and requiring some well-timed tackles from the defence of Sophie Wombwell, Beth James and Clare Stacey to maintain MK's lead going into half time.

The second half continued in a similarly competitive fashion with both sides trying to find a way through a solid defence. Southgate put the MK backline under large amounts of pressure, winning a string of penalty corners and, despite MK's best efforts, found a way through in the opening part of the second half. 1-1 and the points could have gone either way. Maxine McMenamin, Laura Browne, Thea Jackson and Lisa Kavanagh worked tirelessly in midfield to support in stopping the Southgate attack and link with the MK front line. And it was from some of that persistence, this time from Alice Vigor, that allowed Karmel Bracken to break through to slot the ball home on her reverse to give MK the lead once more. Southgate came back, determined not to give MK an easy ride in holding on to all three points and it took some defending of the highest calibre to keep the ball out. With ten minutes of the game remaining, MK's task got a little bit harder as Thea Jackson was, rather unjustly, sent to the 'naughty step' for five minutes. However, MK pulled together and weathered the storm, showing grit and determination right until the final whistle to take all three points from a rather frustrated Southgate side. This win sees MK move above Southgate and into 7th position in the league and they look to continue with winning ways when they return to league action at home against league leaders, Hampstead and Westminster 2nds, on Saturday 5th November.