Round 9 - Women's Prem - Lions vs Dee's

Tim Maguire | 14.07.22

July. It’s a month when Australians are accustomed to travelling north. Be it to the over-priced streets of Noosa, the bargain bin of Bali, or the untouched treasure that is Ibiza, the year’s midpoint offers many idyllic destinations… Bounds Green is NOT one of them!

When many were boarding one-hour flights to continental Europe, the women’s prems embarked on a one-hour tube ride to London’s northern suburbs, seeking to back up the previous week’s stellar victory over Sussex. Confidence was elevated (much like the western end of the Lions’ home ground) but with a top-two spot still up for grabs, complacency would not be tolerated, least of all by captain Nuala Clarke, whose military match-day timing took a hit pre-match and we all know that NEVER bodes well!.

That, however, was not the worst of it, as news soon filtered through that the match would pit 15 against 15. In stifling conditions it would present a tough challenge for our reigning premiers, with several debutants literally thrown into the fire. There would, however, be no complaints, and very quickly the girls got down to business.

Led again by another stellar performance from the midfield, it was a fierce start from those in red and blue, with Buckets and Jess Calam kicking one each in the first quarter. Lining up for the second time in four days, Gemma was at her busy best, whilst Tay and Nools offered cool heads from the middle. 14-0 the score at half-time. A very very good start.

The second term, however, presented a challenge only Bounds Green can present, as North London called upon their trusted 16th player… “THE HILL”. It was however a challenge the girls confronted with steely determination, and again they were rewarded. Buckets and Jess doubled their personal tallies, whilst in defence, the sweeping prowess of Britt kept the Lions scoreless. A 26-point lead at half-time more than deserved.

The scoring, though, dried up in the second half, as a combination of the heat and some steely Lions defence took their toll on the game. Confronted with a heavy flood, space was at a premium for the forwards, and only four points were added after the main break. Our own defence, however, was more than a match for that of the Lions, and the hosts score remained at 0 for the entirity of the match. I’m not sure Steph Boone will have a quieter day, but a huge shout out to her, Liz, Cammy, Kim, Taz and Jess Smith for braving a second trip up north and being a part of another great prems win.

Finally a huge thanks to Ed, Glenn, Corso and the other volunteers for their help across the day. We always appreciate the effort you put in, even when its not asked for.

Also a huge congratulations to Jess Hux for winning the players’ player award on a stunning return to the team.

Up next it’s the Hawks on the Common, on what promises to be a truly special day for the club.

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