Speaking of ski-slopes, half-term took its toll on Teddington’s turnout. With Phoebe, Macca, Sadie and Doddsy away, and Saskia ill, the visitors arrived with only a dozen players – quickly whittled to the regulation XI when Ale, who had been stretchered off a mountain a few days before, – failed a fitness test on her knee.
Ruby Rudkin continued in goal, with the ever-adaptable Carla Novakovic slotting into Saskia’s place alongside Millie Theobald and Ella Parkinson-Mearns. Pushed forward to the right flank of a five-girl midfield, Anna Kauffman shyly asked if she was allowed to score. In the middle, the trio of Ella Waldron, Liz Kriebel and Emily Coulson were told to sort out amongst themselves who went forward and when. Amy Hallett resumed her usual post in deep midfield and Emily Bashford completed the central set, with Ella Bothamley the front-runner.
Teddington started keenly enough, probing from the off with Liz bursting down the left to feed Boz, who cut inside for a right-footer the goalkeeper did well to save low down. But after five minutes, a typically tenacious Fleet got hold of the game and started asking questions the visitors couldn’t answer.
Fleet’s finest player is their left-winger, and they soon discovered she had more pace than Parky. Exacerbating the problem, Teddington’s backline appeared chronically unable to organise an offside trap or even to cover for each other particularly well, and the home side started to thread balls through an increasingly shaky back line.
How a team responds to the opposition is one thing, but Teddington were also making unforced errors in possession. One particularly shambolic goal-kick almost led directly to a Fleet lead, although Ruby redeemed herself by coming out to claim. Still, it was no surprise when the hosts took the lead on eight minutes, and no shock that it came from an angled ball through a porous defence and in behind Parky.
Teddington reacted immediately, switching Anna for Parky and demanding more effort in midfield. And slowly, it started to work, as the visitors wrested back control of the game through essential hard work. Arriving at the far post, Couls couldn’t quite convert what must have been the fifth corner in five minutes – but the equaliser was on its way.
It came from an entirely suitable goal. The girls have been reminded before of Alex Ferguson’s old maxim that hard work will beat talent if talent doesn’t work hard, and the 22nd-minute leveller summed this up. Battling for the ball in midfield instead of allowing Fleet to bully them, Teddington forced an error and the ball bounced through to Liz. Advancing on goal at an angle from 25 yards, the American midfielder had the vision and ability to do what not many in this league could: lift the ball over the goalkeeper and high into the net.
Two minutes later, Teddington exemplified their zest. After Jelly chased someone around in midfield to force the error, Parky chased it down on the line, found Jelly who found Liz who found Couls who shot narrowly wide from just outside the area.
The second goal arrived a minute later. Again it was won in midfield and the ball over the top found Boz, who finished with consummate confidence for the ninth strike of her debut season. That puts her two behind top scorer Phoebe, but it’s worth noting that Boz has collected her nonet in seven different games; although she sets herself high standards, the summer signing from Wimbledon scores with a pleasing regularity.
Fleet continued with their gameplan and broke through from the left a couple of times, but found a newly determined Teddington. On the first occasion, Ruby stood up well to save the shot, and on the second Jelly got back into the penalty area for the sort of superbly-executed, whistle-clean sliding tackle befitting her beloved Hammers’ greatest No.6, Bobby Moore. (At least, your reporter assumes that’s why she wears that number, rather than an admiration for fellow Hammers No.6s Martin Allen, Danny Williamson, David Unsworth, Neil Ruddock, Hayden Foxe, Carl Fletcher or George McCartney…)
Two minutes before the break, the visitors enforced their superiority for a two-goal cushion they’d later appreciate. Box chased down the right and sent over yet another superb cross, and though it eluded Liz’s run, it landed perfectly for Bash to expertly side foot home her first Teddington goal. It’s a strike she fully deserves for her fearless hard work, and means that all three of the team’s 2015/16 signings scored.
The second half was a quieter affair. Fleet had more of the ball, and scored nine minutes in when they danced through unopposed. For the first time ever, Teddington switched to a back four – and saw the game out, despite tiring legs, through working hard for each other. Up to third in the table (albeit above dangerous teams with games in hand), this undisputedly talented bunch are beginning to appreciate that they can’t always dance to victory, learning when to dig in, and making sure that talent works hard.
TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC: Ruby Rudkin, Ella Parkinson-Mearns, Millie Theobald, Carla Novakovic, Amy Hallett, Anna Kauffman, Liz Kriebel (1), Ella Waldron, Emily Coulson, Emily Bashford (1), Ella Bothamley (1). No sub (Ale Fairn injured in warm-up).
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