Old Southendian Ladies Threes 3 – 1 Bishops Stortford Sevens
Goals: Darcey, Suzie x2
PoM: Aimée

What do you call a team that always finds a place for every piece, works hard together and completes a brilliant picture?
Answer: The Ladies Threes 07/11/2026

This week’s team talk had us as a jigsaw puzzle: lots of different pieces that only make sense when they fit together. Ours had a Harry Potter twist, with pieces forever moving like the staircases at Hogwarts. The only fixed point was the final image of great hockey, however the pieces fitted together on the day.
It turned out to be a surprisingly good fit.
Every week our jigsaw pieces look a little different, but we are the indomitable Ladies Threes and there were no awkward edges. No wands needed, and nobody had to be forced into place with a hammer. We clicked together from the first whistle.
We spent most of the match in Bishops Stortford’s half, pressing really well and holding our shape. Darcey opened the scoring on 11 minutes with a shot from the top of the D, showing real confidence going forward and putting her lethal hit to great use.
Then, just before half time, Suzie found the net. The details are hazy, but the celebrations were jubilant.
Bishops Stortford hit back three minutes into the second half. Two of their players ran through, took on our one defender 2 v 1 and slotted the ball home. It was a skilful breakthrough and we could only applaud politely. That was the only real chance they created, because whenever they broke, our defence was strong and held firm. As any jigsaw fan will tell you, start with the edges, and ours were rock solid.
We didn’t have to wait long to extend the lead. On 41 minutes Shireen picked up the ball on the right and delivered a great cross, and Suzie was there to finish it. A cracking goal to make it 3-1.
Shireen and Suzie deserve a special mention for their work disrupting the Bishops Stortford defence. They would not let the opposition outlet from a 16, closing them down every single time. Bishops Stortford went looking for an escape route and found a locked door each time.
At the back, Laura ran the defence with calm authority, spotting problems early and prescribing exactly what was needed. Aimée won Player of the Match for her strong defending, and then for driving forward all the way to the D to cause havoc, like a corner piece that had escaped the edge of the puzzle and turned up in the middle. It was a performance full of strength at the back and flair going forward.
The only wobble came in the second half, when Laura took a knock to the face. She sensibly booked herself in for an urgent consultation with the nearest available doctor (herself). We covered well in her absence, and I was very pleased to see her back on the pitch, fully signed off. By the next morning she had an absolute shiner of a black eye. A true battle scar and we hope it's not too painful.
Our central spine was at its most flexible. Emily Mc, Emily P and Zarah rotated so often that the opposition would have needed a seating plan to keep up. Like the Room of Requirement, the middle of the pitch became whatever we needed it to be, and it kept the opposition guessing and everyone’s legs fresh. When someone made a run, others adapted around them, filling the gaps and covering for each other. We kept changing the picture while the final image stayed the same. It was a team performance where everyone played their part, whichever way the pieces fell.
Three goals, a hard-earned win and plenty of evidence that this jigsaw can be put together in an infinite number of ways, as long as the final picture is great hockey.
And when we all work together, we create a beautiful picture.

Can’t wait for next week!
Ros