GAME OF CHANCE

The game was due to be played on the main pitch but heavy overnight rain left that with standing water so the game was switched to a secondary pitch.

Pride made a promising start, enjoying early possession, moving the ball well, and creating several good early chances but were unable to make the most of them. Underwood capitalised on their first real opportunity as a midfielder burst through a gap in the Pride defence and a striker reacted quickest to hit the rebound home after 14 minutes.

Pride responded by creating a series of good chances, but shots were hit high, wide or saved. Pride finally drew level after Beth Jones broke through 1v1 on the keeper who made a good initial block but then caught Beth as they went for the loose ball. The referee determined contact was outside the area - although replays suggested it was on the line, which would be a penalty - but it was difficult to tell in real time with opinions split on our touchline and the referee would have to be certain to give the penalty. Fortunately, it proved academic when Tash Allderidge’s free kick was helped into the net by a defender with 32 minutes played.

A couple of minutes later the ball broke to Hannah Kwiatek in midfield and she played a great first time curving pass through into the path of Beth Jones, but the defender recovered well and combined with the keeper to just about get the ball away at the expense of a corner.

The game was settling into a pattern of Pride creating opportunities and being hit on the break and as half-time drew near Underwood struck again, getting behind the Pride defence with a break down the right and finishing past Jade Howell.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Pride creating chances but unable to find the killer touch, whilst Underwood looked dangerous on the break. It seemed, however, that the pattern had finally been broken when Pride scored twice in three minutes either side of the hour.

The first came from the penalty spot after Millie Holmes played Beth Jones in clear of the defence and as she attempted to round the keeper she was tripped. Tash Allderidge despatched the resulting penalty. The second (and Pride’s third goal) came from a through ball by Eliot Sayavong to Beth Jones, who beat the last defender before slipping the ball wide of the keeper and inside the far post to put Pride ahead for the first time at 3-2.

Pride’s old failings returned, however, as within a minute of the restart they lost possession on the left, failed to deal with a ball behind the defence and Underwood gratefully took the opportunity.

Although both teams were trying to build attacks through passing, despite the length of the grass, midfield resembled pinball at times as space and time became difficult to find. Nevertheless, there were chances for both sides, the most notable with a quarter of an hour to go when a dinked shot by Beth Jones hit the cross bar and went over, but it was Underwood who sealed the win with a little over five minutes to play when a simple through ball found an attacker on the left and although Jade Howell got a hand to the cross-shot, she was only able to parry the shot into the path of a striker for an unchallenged tap in.

There was a flurry of late attacks as Pride threw players forward in search of a point at the risk of being caught on the counter, but it was to no avail.

It proved to be a frustrating afternoon for Pride as they could not match Underwood’s efficiency in front of goal - despite having more than double the attempts on goal (21 to Underwood’s 10) and seeing countless “nearly” moments when almost through - but the ball just didn’t break kindly for them yesterday. The sense of frustration was compounded by a number of offside decisions which, even with the benefit of replays, cannot be explained - but ultimately it was the taking of chances that made the difference.

However, given the challenges the squad has faced through injury absences they have shown considerable adaptability and willingness, with several playing very capably in unfamiliar or unfavoured positions - sometimes switching within a game - as Pride have tried to adapt and compensate. This has inevitably meant compromises and it was perhaps just a case of them catching up yesterday, but even so it was certainly “one of those days”. Nevertheless, the number of chances the team are creating is a positive sign.

Next week the Pride travel to Shirebrook for the Challenge Cup replay (Shirebrook Academy, KO 1.30pm)