Although the day started with the manager’s car having a puncture, by lunchtime the entire team was deflated, along with any lingering title hopes. The warning signs were there in a warmup so inept, the fuming gaffer eventually left the players to their own devices, questioning if they even wanted to play at all.
Sandwiched between the two games against leaders Abbey Rangers and next weekend’s double-header against title favourites Crystal Palace, there was always a danger that this game would be, in the word of George W Bush, “misunderestimated”. Like South Park last month, they came to Bushy Park wanting it more, and desire can overcome much in football.
True, Teddington had some selection problems. With the Palace double-header in mind, Ale Fairn’s ongoing leg problems weren’t risked; Ella V is still hobbled, Sadie Day painfully ripped off a toenail in Friday’s training session, Phoebe Head was away, and Millie MacEacharn could only play the first half at best. But the squad of 10.5 was still 1.5 more than Fleet, who only had the regulation nine.
Ruby Rudkin returned from her Mother’s Day night away just in time to don the gloves again. Saskia Brewster returned alongside Millie Theobald in defence; with Carla Novakovic, Amy Hallett and Emily Coulson in midfield, Ella Dodd could switch back to centre-forward, flanked by Sinead Morris and Millie Mac. Sophie Wallman and Ella Parkinson-Mearns were the shivering subs.
For all the ominous pre-match palaver, Teddington had a strong first half. They opened the scoring after 57 seconds: from Emily’s throw near the right corner-flag, Sinead rolled her defender to cross and Carla combined power and control to find the roof of the net with a chance that would have been much easier to send into the grey sky.
By the ninth minute, it was 2-0. Sinead seared down the left, creating havoc in the six-yard box; Millie Mac couldn’t quite finish it, but Doddsy displayed classic striker ability: receiving the ball with her back to goal, she held off her defender and fired with such venom that even a two-handed save couldn’t keep it out.
The chances kept coming. In the 10th minute Millie Mac was sent through the middle and brought down in the area, but only after a marginal offside call; in the 11th, Doddsy fizzed one just wide from the inside right-channel.
Even when Fleet broke through, they faced danger: in the 16th minute, Saskia brilliantly used her strength to hold off two marauding forwards so Ruby could pick up the ball and clear it straight to Doddsy, who outmuscled two defenders and fired just wide again. With Fleet often clearing at all costs, the home side had what felt like dozens of throw-ins: from one long Sinead effort, Doddsy’s strength allowed Emily to rifle a shot just wide of the post.
It should be said that in this first half-hour, Teddington were very impressive. Millie Mac was enjoying herself out on the right flank, while Amy Hallett was having the time of her life in the heart of midfield, doggedly digging into tackles and distributing intelligently. When Macca had to leave on 27 minutes, Amy simply shifted to the right wing (with Sophie coming on centrally) and continued her good work.
And the chances kept coming. Just before the half-hour, Emily ran on to a bouncing ball 10 yards outside the area; with Sinead running down the left, she instead lobbed a lovely little soft-ankled ball to Doddsy, storming through the inside-right channel, who shot just over the bar.
By now Teddington could have been half-a-dozen goals to the good. Even when Fleet threatened, the defence and goalkeeper were alert: two minutes before the break, a well-weighted through ball promoted Ruby out of her box to clear with her feet.
Half-time brought change. Parky came on for Carla, with Saskia pushing into midfield; meanwhile, Sinead and Amy switched wings. And after three minutes it was 3-0: running onto Sinead's through-ball, Doddsy calmly side-footed low past the keeper.
Then came the first warning sign. As Fleet streaked through, Parky was beaten for pace - but doggedly stuck with her opponent and cleverly got her body between ball and player, allowing Ruby to collect. Indeed, there was generally good communication among the backline.
Ten minutes into the second half, Teddington had a chance to make it 4-0 and surely end the match as a contest. Yet again Sinead was the wellspring, and this time both Emily and Doddsy found themselves bearing down on goal; Em took control and attempted the lob, but she was leaning back a bit too much and the effort cleared the bar.
It would be unfair to paint the miss as crucial, but within a minute Fleet struck back. A diagonal played in behind the defence caused confusion between Parky and Ruby; their collision left the forward a tap-in.
Teddington were still 3-1 up, but Fleet had 23 minutes to chase the game, and with the wind at their backs, last season's Division One champions were suddenly playing with a vibrancy befitting their diagonal pink and blue stripes.
Five minutes after the goal, Fleet won a free-kick 10 yards outside the box for handball. Ruby managed to gather the shot but Teddington weren't gathering themselves. For the second time in three months they were watching a team whittle away at a three-goal deficit – but unlike the pre-Christmas home game against Croydon, they looked uncertain, confused and perhaps a little complacent.
A second Fleet goal on 57 minutes – again, played through the back line and despatched efficiently – brought immediate action from the bench. Sas dropped back as third defender and Carla returned for Sophie, being joined in midfield by Doddsy, with Amy and Sinead left as front-runners.
Sadly, it didn’t help much. Teddington simply didn’t want the ball as much as the nine Fleet girls: they ducked out of headers, shirked the ever-increasing defensive responsibilities, and allowed their increasingly confident visitors to dictate the game.
That the equaliser – again from a through-ball collected without challenge and finished with confidence – came in the last minute might be regarded as unfortunate, but Fleet thoroughly deserved their point; had they equalised earlier, they may well have gone on to become only the third side to beat Teddington on Bushy Park.
It’s worth stopping a moment to applaud Fleet’s efforts. They had been utterly outplayed in the first half, but stuck to their tasks and vocally supported each other. They had enough desire to seek a goal, and enough self-belief to build on it.
However, looked at as a team still hoping to chase the title, Teddington had to win this one. Fleet had lost 12 of their 17 games, only picking up points off bottom-half teams; Abbey Rangers didn’t concede a single goal to them in three comprehensive wins. Any team wishing to win the league will eye the big games against rivals, but titles are often won and lost by the points accumulated against the teams with lower expectations but higher work-rate and desire.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace won 4-2 at Croydon Juniors to go top on goal difference, above Abbey Rangers, who drew 1-1 at home to AFC Wimbledon. Having started the season with 12 wins from 13, the Dons have now only won two of their last six, and are two points off the leaders.
Although South Park’s home defeat to Colne Valley almost mathematically guarantees Teddington a top-four finish – they’d need to lose every game and reverse a 35-goal advantage – the Bushy Park side are now seven points off the Palace pace: the seven points they have dropped this season to South Park, Croydon and Fleet.
TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC: Ruby Rudkin; Millie Theobald, Saskia Brewster, Carla Novakovic (1), Emily Coulson, Amy Hallett, Millie MacEacharn, Ella Dodd (2), Sinead Morris. Subs Sophie Wallman, Ella Parkinson-Mearns.
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