Old Southendian Ladies Threes 2 – 1 Chelmsford Fives

Goals: Shireen, Emily Mc
PoM: Anna W

What do you call a team that takes on a Mission Impossible, defies the odds and comes away with a well-deserved victory whilst having the best fun ever?
Answer: The Ladies Threes 31/10/2026

Having been briefed before the match that our mission was to play really good hockey, enjoy ourselves and, against the odds, find a way to win, the team set about proving that impossible is just a word.
Chelmsford opened the scoring ten minutes into the first half with a clinical finish, but that was not going to derail our mission. The team regrouped, dug deep and set about making life very difficult for our opponents.
Defensively, we were outstanding. Laura marshalled proceedings from the back, organising the defence, directing traffic and making sure everyone knew exactly what was needed. Zarah was phenomenal at centre back, while Sam G and Ros at full back kept things exceptionally tight. In front of them, our midfield trio of Amelia, Emily P and Anna W grew increasingly expert in their marking, closing down the spaces and making sure Chelmsford simply couldn't find anyone to pass to. We filled the gaps, denied them options and made them work for every inch of territory.
And it wasn't just the players in front of the goal doing the hard work. Ali made some fine saves between the posts, giving us the confidence to keep pushing forward.
And we weren't just defending. We attacked with energy, purpose and determination. Shireen and Emily Mc were a handful for the Chelmsford defence, constantly probing, chasing down balls and creating problems. Their goalkeeper did a very good job of keeping the score respectable, saving Chelmsford's bacon on countless occasions.
Early in the second half, our breakthrough came. Emily P made a tremendous run down the right, powering her way to the baseline before delivering a beautifully placed cross for Shireen to nail into the back of the net. A superbly executed field goal and mission control was back in business.
With nine minutes left on the clock, we struck again. A penalty corner, expertly executed by Emily Mc, found its way into the goal and gave us the lead we deserved. Two goals, one very determined team and a mission looking increasingly possible.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of the afternoon was that Chelmsford, nor their supporters, seemed to have the slightest idea that we were playing with just ten players. That's how well we commanded the space, dictated the play and worked together as a unit. We didn't look short-handed; we made ourselves impossible to play against.
In fact, Sam G had so much time on her hands that she was able to develop her stand-up comedy routine. At the restart, she helpfully advised the umpires that there was really no need to bother counting the players on our side of the pitch, as there were only ten of us anyway. Always good to keep the officials informed, particularly when you've got a spare moment!
Player of the Match went to Anna W for her tireless work in midfield. Equally effective going forwards and tracking back, she covered an enormous amount of ground, disrupted Chelmsford's attacks and helped keep our defensive structure intact. She also found time to unleash a couple of shots that were quite literally out of the barrel of a gun, one rattling the crossbar and another narrowly missing the far post. A thoroughly deserved award.
And the celebrations didn't end with the final whistle. We rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon by celebrating Ali's birthday, with a little help from Secret Squirrel.
So, another mission accomplished. A team working together, trusting each other, filling the spaces and refusing to let the odds dictate the outcome. We didn't need to be perfect, we just needed everyone to play their part. And that's exactly what we did.
Mission Impossible? Mission accomplished!