Resplendent in their new orange away jerseys, Blues could hardly believe they were tangoed 1-0 by burly Liss Chicks, a side more content kicking the ball as hard and as far as they possibly could than trying to play a game the rest of us like to call football.

Blues never really got into their normal stride, though, to be fair, the hardness of the ground and slope of the pitch gave the ball an awkward bounce which suited the home team's style of play. However, there was a ten minute spell before the interval, when Blues, finding some semblance of their normal rhythm, created sufficient chances to win the game comfortably - only the decisive final touch was missing.

The game’s only goal, hardly a contender for goal of the month, came halfway through the second half. A powerfully hit cross-shot was well parried by Jemima. The loose ball fell between three orange jerseys who failed to clear the danger and Chick's lone player in Blues' box said "Thank you very much" as she belted the loose ball home.

On a disappointing morning, one player is worthy of individual mention. Her performance grew in stature throughout the game. She won every tackle, played some delightful passes, and almost equalised in the final minutes with a long ranged shot that bounced narrowly wide. Georgia deserved fully the accolade of this week's Player of the Match for a truly magnificent display.

Asked for his opinion as he trudged wearily to the car-park a melancholy Tom lamented, “I saw Reading lose yesterday and my beloved Blues lose today,” before adding positively, “At least the girls looked as though they knew what they were trying to do.”

TWJ