Leicester lose first home game of the season as Bowdon pressure proves too much

BY TOM YORK

On a grey and windy afternoon at Leicester Grammar School the visitors made a rapid start, going 1-0 up through Keely Perham after just three minutes. The Bowdon pressure continued for the rest of the first quarter, with goalkeeper Caitlin Jeffries being called into action on multiple occasions.

The away side continued applying pressure throughout the second quarter, creating chances and winning two penalty corners in the last five minutes of the half. The Leicester defence stood firm though, and Jeffries made another great save from Bowdon’s Catriona Booth on the stroke of half time.

The second half started as the first had done, with Bowdon doubling their lead just two minutes after the restart. Booth’s shot from another short corner was deflected into the Leicester net by visiting captain Sian French. Three minutes later Bowdon forward Aine Curran found herself with a clear run at goal from the halfway line, but was denied by a brilliant covering tackle by Leicester’s Lara Tripp-Smith.

This tackle seemed to give the home side a boost and they began to enjoy their best period of the game. Ten minutes after half time, a mazy run from Liv Back resulted in Leicester’s first penalty corner. Sarah Cockayne’s shot was well saved by Bowdon keeper Kirsty Shea. Shortly after this an excellent flowing moving from Leicester resulted in another short corner which was saved once more.

Bowdon flew out of the traps after the break, putting the Leicester defence under more pressure. Caitlin Jeffries made two more amazing saves, including a world-class one-handed stop down to her left. However, this valiant defensive effort was not enough to keep the visitors out: in the last minute, Sian French got her second goal of the game with a tap in at the back post. Final score: Leicester 0-3 Bowdon.

A tough day at the office for Leicester, who stay in sixth place in the Vitality Women’s Division 1 North. Next week, a trip away to seventh-place Brooklands-Poynton. #lchc