I’m so glad this week has finished on a high…..the ending of Bake-Off is so traumatic for me I need something in my life to fill the chasm left behind. So I was counting on my team today….
They didn’t let me down. Usually we have a few minutes at the start of every half where we look like we’re not sure if we want to be there, and having a hockey stick in our hand is difficult. But not today. There was a grit and determination…steeliness in our eyes….today was the day we meant business.
Karen took charge of the mid-field, and organised the players around her, whilst Rachel stopped everything around her. Wells were stopped in their tracks on a regular basis, and it wasn’t long before Ruth, Chloe and Grace were camped in their goal. Things were looking good…but then the unthinkable happened…….
Wells passed into the midfield, from where it was passed quickly up to one of the two forwards with legs up to their armpits and a pace to match! Jo and Fran valiantly attempted to get in their way, but to no avail – Rachel threw herself in all directions, but the goal went in – the ball rattling against the board like a chiming bell to my heart.
The vision of Mary Berry looking at a soggy bottom floated into my head, and my Paul Hollywood voice came out as I shouted at the girls to keep their heads up and carry on. We picked ourselves up, kept calm, and carried on. We marked closely…so closely Jan stood on her opponents stick…and communicated well. And it paid off with a well-deserved goal from what seemed to be the whole of the team – though Chloe has claimed it!
For the rest of the half we kept on battling – Nessa lost her gum shield, played with a bad neck and still managed to run everyone off the pitch, and Julia (Mama Juju) confused the Wells defence with her weaving and speed. And don’t even mention Ruth with her zipping around, moving from side to side and being almost impossible to stop. We were on fire!
And so we steamed (Bake-Off…get it?) into the second half. Liz had some incredible shots up the pitch as the whole team worked really hard at keeping the ball and not giving it away cheaply. I heard them all calling and helping each other in the way only Knowle do. If only we could get another goal……..
I should have kept my mouth shut – there was another goal…but for Wells. We had worked hard to close down the midfield, which cut out their usual options for a long hit from the back, so instead they passed up the field to the forwards – who obliged by dancing their way round everyone and scored their second goal. My soufflé sunk…but only for a short while.
Karen and Julia rallied the troops, with Ruth calling from the side, and we pulled ourselves up again. We had scored once (and are regularly scoring goal this season) so we simply had to do it again. Simples!
Those of us on the side shouted ourselves hoarse as Knowle took charge of the match once again….I lost count of the times Grace and Chloe surged into the front of the goal and came so close (literally inches away) to scoring. Surely we deserved a goal for our efforts??
Captain Ceri Carter organised everyone behind our free hit….which went to midfield….which went up…and down….and up….and down…then up….and up……..AND GRACE SCORED!!!!!
The crowd went wild! It was like Mary Berry telling me my cake was ‘full of flavour’……an amazing – and slightly surreal moment. It had lit our fire, and we surged forward several more times before the whistle went and we celebrated our draw….against a team we have always lost to in the past.
But now that is in the past. Knowle are getting stronger – and louder – and work better as a team – and score goals. So never mind that there’s no more baking to ogle on Wednesday nights, there’s a new craze sweeping the south west. Knowle are on the rampage – ignore us at your peril!!! GO KNOWLE!!