With options in mind for the Surrey Cup final a fortnight later, Teddington started the final league game with a back three of Parky, Millie T and Sas. However, the first-half display on a moist morning was far from watertight. Missing the organisational urgency of Jelly (cricket trials) and indefatigable energy of Carla (mini-marathon), and sometimes outnumbered in midfield, the visitors spent the majority of the first period on the back foot.
Behind the reshaped defence was Ruby, who had that week expressed a strong interest in retaining the gloves next season. She might have been regretting the decision after an uncertain start to the game: although fumbling a third-minute cross went unpunished, moments later a fluffed drop-kick led to Fleet hitting the bar. But Rubes is nothing if not determined, and she would soon be the hero.
The hosts were certainly on top for the first 15 minutes, but denied by a combination of their own profligacy and Teddington’s dogged defending. When a seventh-minute through-ball split the visitors’ rearguard, back sped Sophie to tidy up and clear for a corner. The athletic mini-midfielder has grown into her role recently with increasing tactical acumen, learning to read the game and intelligently covering for her team-mates – whether eliminating arising danger or dropping into holes as colleagues join attacks. Unavailable for the cup final, she will be missed.
Teddington were often causing their own problems, often through a lack of communication. Sas and Ruby left a Fleet throw to each other and were relieved to see the shot fly wide of the empty goal; then Parky remained blissfully unaware that Rubes was taking a short goal-kick in her direction, necessitating a second successive last-ditch tackle from the defender.
As the half wore on, Teddington started to create the odd chance but often snatched at it, with Emily twice rushing shots from too far out when driving forward might have been the better option, but Fleet were still the more likely. However, just when it looked like the half would end goalless – and with touchline preparations already well under way for a half-time triple switch – the hosts went in front two minutes before the break.
The goal came when a Fleet drop-kick bounced through the side-on Teddington defence and the home side finally converted a chance – although with more than a suspicion of hands as the striker took it round Ruby. And when the referee did give a handball in the area two minutes later, it was against the visitors – and again controversial.
A shot from close quarters bounced off Millie T’s forehead (leaving a visible splatter) onto her arm, although to give the young referee credit, Millie’s arms were typically splayed. Whatever the merits of the decisions, Teddington faced the very real prospect of conceding two in two minutes just before the break – but encouraged by her team-mates, Ruby stood up tall and saved the penalty, to the delight of her colleagues.
Switching to a back two and buoyed by a trio of tremendous replacements – Sinead for Macca, Phoebe for Ale (with Amy going up top) and Doddsy for the blameless Millie T – Teddington immediately set about their hosts, Sinead bursting past her right-back and shooting just wide. However, the visitors continued to cause problems at both ends of the pitch, and five minutes into the second period another lapse into defensive indiscipline was punished with a second home goal.
This time, instead of seeing the ball off Teddington conceded an unnecessary throw-in deep in their own quarter, and compounded the error by not marking up quickly. A swift cross was efficiently converted and the visitors were two down after all.
But not for long: ten minutes into the half, Teddington started the comeback. With Sophie dropping in to cover her, Saskia stepped up to throw to Sinead; turning inside, the quicksilver flyer cleverly found Emily, who spread to Phoebe, whose through-ball was chased and converted by Amy. Increasingly impressive anywhere in attack or midfield, and able to switch roles mid-game without fuss or confusion, the No.9 has watched and learned from Ale’s intelligent runs and selfless application, giving the team another alternative up top.
Not that Teddington are anything but a team, with multiple threats from all angles, and a front unit capable of frightening any opponent. When Phoebe ran down the right and crossed in, Amy made another bright near-post dart but it was Sinead at the back stick who connected and steered just wide. Then Amy’s chase-down caused a throw deep on Fleet’s left flank, and Doddsy got to it first to force the goalkeeper into a save.
Although she has also played admirably in defence and midfield this season, Doddsy craves goals like any striker; her face is etched with disappointment when she doesn’t score. But despite drawing blanks in the four games since the mid-March clash with Fleet, she isn’t panicking or snatching at shots. A lesser player would have rushed her attempt when a clearance dropped to her on the edge of the box, but with excellent technique and exemplary application, she calmly controlled the falling ball and placed it toward the far corner. The goalkeeper saved, but they won’t always do so, and Doddsy was made well aware that she’s doing everything right; perhaps a goal in the final might cheer her up…
Fleet were far from finished. Pouncing on an uncollected goal-kick, the striker fired into the side-netting – and on the hour they had the ball in the net, but for the second successive week Teddington saw a conceded ‘goal’ disallowed for offside.
Despite the scares, Teddington had undoubtedly made most of the second-half running, and refused to panic as time ran out. With five minutes left – and a full 20 minutes after halving the arrears – they levelled matters through a goal combining the whole front four.
Enthusiastically chasing a through-ball, Amy harried the goalkeeper into a rushed scoop of a clearance; Emily picked it out of the air and played it wide right to Phoebe, who got down the flank and crossed along the six-yard line for Sinead to tuck home her 13th of the season, and 39th overall.
That puts her career total level with Phoebe, but her fellow flyer almost nudged back in front in a most unusual way. With three minutes to go and her colleagues massing in the area for a left-wing corner, Pheebs aimed to bend one in to the far post – and succeeded, striking the woodwork and watching it bounce agonisingly clear.
Still Teddington came, and an injury-time corner prompted a right old melée, with a Doddsy header blocked in the six-yard box before Emily lashed just wide, in the game’s last action.
As in these sides’ previous clash at Bushy Park, the visitors had come from behind to grab a deserved point in a well-fought game – especially considering neither side could change its position, Teddington finishing fourth of eight while Fleet came seventh. The Hampshire side don’t know whether they’ll compete in next season’s league, but their final visitors will be looking forward to their first 11-a-side campaign with hard-won experience and lots of well-earned hope.
TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC: Ruby Rudkin, Ella Parkinson-Mearns, Millie Theobald, Saskia Brewster, Sophie Wallman, Emily Coulson, Amy Hallett (1), Ale Fairn, Millie MacEacharn. Subs: Ella Dodd, Phoebe Head, Sinead Morris (1).
