GU16 Calypsos 3 - 2 Bromley & Beckenham (H)

A second part of trilogy (vs Brom Becks) took place in a surprisingly dry lunchtime after the overnight rain at Reed’s. It was a tight affair in the previous league encounter between the two sides that Calypsos narrowly won, but this T2 Cup tie may be a different proposition with a place in the quarter final at stake.

Both teams kicked off with high tempo, hustling and bustling with the ball, and jostling for advantageous positioning. The Whites drew first blood in the fourth minute with the left channel open, and Beumer duly exploited that by striking forcefully with her least favourite forehand that beat the inside right of B&B keeper.

As the match went on, the two sides held toe-to-toe and the Whites just about to managed holding out against the B&B aggression that was also evident from the league match last October. The momentum of the tie was gradually shifting towards the opposition, with B&B winning a penalty corner just before half time. To the Surbiton faithfuls, it was a relief to see the chance of B&B levelling the score go astray with a miss. However, that served the Whites a clear warning for the remaining of match.

B&B asserted themselves straight after the pushback but had a goal disallowed before Beumer doubled her match tally and the team’s lead with her preferred reverse strike inside the D. The Whites adopted a half pitch press thereafter to defend their two goal lead. That naturally invited B&B to be more offensive despite the Whites’ instrumental man-to-man and zonal markings. Eventually B&B cut Calypsos’ advantage by half from one of the goal-mouth scrambles. That was short-lived as Moffatt burst through the middle channel, to restore the Whites’ slender advantage.

It was a pulsating affair for the remaining twenty minutes with Calypsos ceding their two goal advantage as B&B converted one of dozen short corners awarded. Lamb, as often called upon, was a rock behind the defensive collective that eventually saw the team win in a hotly contested match, and a place in the last eight on March 1st. A week earlier (February 22) though, we will see the conclusion of this three-part epic as Calypsos travel to B&B for a return league match, to determine the winner of one of three T2 GU16 groups.

Scorers: Beumer (2) & Moffatt

Result: 1-0 (HT), 3-2 (FT)