Four for Moore in 2019 Opener

Kingsbridge and Salcombe 2s welcomed Sidmouth and Ottery 3s to Kingsbridge last Saturdays game. With their previous encounter ending 3-2 to the Cougars they were ready for a tough match. It was miserable weather but that didn’t effect team spirit from both sides, and the supporters that came with them.

The cougars, had a steady start with a powerful defence from Nicky Sheppard, Anna McCabe and Claire Guard. With both teams attacking strongly the goalkeepers received their fare share of work, cougars goalie, Sarah Budgen was not put off by this and carried on communicating well with her defence to keep shape during attacks. After 22 minutes Ruby Varney scored her first goal for the club with the assist coming from Tess Baker. Which was then followed shortly by another goal which was scored by forward Violet Moore after a short slip by Baker in the D giving the home side a nice lead.

The cougars were 2-0 up by half time. However, coach Chris Guard knew that they had the capability to come away with more. Guards team talk reflected on the lack of pushing up and marking. The team were told to better their work rate and that’s just what they did.

The second half started with cougars focusing on the improvements they were told to make, and that’s exactly what they did. With some outstanding tackling from Lottie Sutherland, the cougars won the ball and managed to bag another goal by Moore in the 41st minute, who once again was assisted by Baker. Now 3-0 up the cougars spirits were high.

Budgen continued to protect the cougar’s goal on the few occasions that Sidmouth and Ottery broke through in the second half. Another goal was grabbed in the 57th minute giving Moore a well deserved hat-trick, she was beautifully assisted by Freya Murgatroyd who battled hard to win every ball. Defender Guard made an amazing block and then strongly passed to Baker who then assisted Moore for a third time giving Moore her 4th goal in the 63rd minute.

As the game was coming towards its end the cougars knew they had more fight left in them. Captain Laura Favis and team mate Hat Haddy worked hard making clean tackles and really helped push the cougars by taking quick free hits to catch the travelling side off guard, and pushed to bag another goal hopefully making the score 6-0. In which they succeeded, with Guard, who scored a superb goal from the edge of the D after the team gained another short corner, Guard was brilliantly assisted by Lauren Darbyshire after a strong push out, which she had done throughout the match. This was shortly followed by the final whistle. So many positives will be taken from this match one being that a clean sheet was kept in the first game back after the Christmas break.

Player of the match was no contest and won by Violet Moore, who scored an impressive 4 out of 6 goals and was always in the right place at the right time.

Thank you to JM Pilates for sponsoring the match ball and to Scrum V catering for the after match teas.

This weekend the Cougars 2s travel to play Dawlish, push back 1.30 and the 1s are back in action welcoming Shepton Mallet at KCC push back 11.00, all support very welcome, for more information please go to www.kscougars.co.uk

Report by Ruby Varney