Chapter 4

Annette was given little chance for further thought. She came home from school on Monday bubbling with excitement.

"We're playing the celebration hockey match against Marlborough on Saturday week," she announced. "We'll be playing on an all weather pitch so we're going up this next Saturday morning to practice on it. We have to be at school at eight-thirty for the bus."

"Great!" exclaimed Richard. "We'll certainly be there for the match. Are they going to provide a map or something? I can get to Marlborough College but have no idea where to park or where the hockey pitch is."

"Yup! They'll give us all that on Thursday. They're also going to organise buses for other girls who want to come and for parents. Mrs Ridley wants a mass turnout."

"Can we come to the practice like we normally do?" asked Deborah.

"Oh, Mum, yes please!" Annette's delighted smile would have melted the North Pole and she hugged Deborah tightly.

"I'll see if I can get Sharon to join us."

"Ooh yes, Mum!"

Deborah rang Sharon later that evening. Sharon thought it was a brilliant idea. Deborah asked whether she wanted to bring Neil.

"I dunno," said Sharon. "He may be working but I'll let you know."

"Fine. I haven't discussed this with Richard yet but I gather there's rather a good pub at Willingford. We could bring the girls back with us and go there for a celebratory lunch. I'm sure we won't be able to do it after the match itself because I imagine there'll be a special lunch at Marlborough for the teams."

Sharon chuckled. "If we reckon it's a good pub this Saturday we could always go back again the next, couldn't we?"

Deborah laughed. "We could indeed. An adult lunch."

"Do they do rooms?" asked Sharon and shrieked with laughter.

"Now, now, Sharon. You're not married yet."

"No, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." Another scream of laughter. Deborah joined her.

"Anyway, if Neil's working..."

"Hmm! We'll see about that."

They rang off after further laughter.

All four met up at the school on Saturday when they dropped off the girls. Deborah cleared it with Jenny Thompson, the hockey mistress, that they could take Annette and Louise off after the practice. The four adults followed the bus up to Marlborough in Richard's car. They were able to park almost next to the hockey pitch.

The girls found the speed of an all weather surface disconcerting after grass but after twenty minutes or so also discovered how true it ran. They had to speed up their play and show greater anticipation of passes. On the other hand, they could take passes and get the ball under control more quickly and easily. Louise as a defender was thrilled.

"You have to move a lot quicker to intercept a pass," she said afterwards, "but you can lay your stick flat to stop the ball if you're pressed and it won't jump over."

"You can pick up a pass going flat out too," said Annette. "It's so much easier to get the ball under control. The trouble is we may run out of puff before they do."

Miss Thompson picked up on that too. She scheduled extra fitness training the following week although she gave them a rest on Friday.

They all enjoyed the pub lunch on the way home even though having six in the car, one of them being the size of Neil, was a bit of a squash. Sharon sat on his knee so she was happy.

The match itself was well supported. The school filled two buses in addition to the team bus and several families took their cars. The game was well worthwhile coming to watch. Annette's side started with great speed and dash and scored after just ten minutes. It was a repeat of the second Edinburgh goal; a pass from Louise to Heather on the right wing, a fine centre and a first timer into the goal by Annette. The Marlborough girls fought back and scored the equaliser just before half time from a melee in front of the goalmouth. In the second half Marlborough's stamina from being used to fast games began to show and they scored twice more. Annette's team were not going to give up without a fight though and in the last ten minutes they kept up a relentless pressure using their passing skills to retain possession. They were rewarded with a second goal five minutes before time when the left wing sold a dummy, bored into the circle and slammed the ball into the net. From the restart they surged forward again but Marlborough held on grimly and denied them the equaliser.

Mrs Ridley, Annette's headmistress, was ecstatic. She had expected a whitewash. She hugged a delighted Jenny Thompson, kissed the two goal scorers and hugged and congratulated the rest of the side. The Master of Marlborough College also got a kiss when she thanked him profusely for agreeing to the match.

While Annette and Louise's families were congratulating them, Jenny Thompson came over and introduced a Mrs Jean Whitely saying she was the Captain of the Salisbury Hockey Club Ladies Club. Mrs Whitely shook hands with everyone and then said, "Miss Thompson invited me to come and do some talent-spotting today. There was a lot of talent in your team but you two stood out so I'm inviting you to join our club. We don't have a girls' section but I'm sure you'd both get into Ladies Third Eleven and, as you get older, move up to the First Eleven. From there the sky's the limit. What do you think?"