By Harry Low
Supernova’s first team came agonisingly close to making it a clean sweep on a thrilling Super Sunday, losing by one goal to joint top-of-the-table Highbury.
After watching the fourth, third and second teams dispose of their opponents earlier in the day, the latter in particularly thrilling fashion with a winner in the dying seconds against another unbeaten side, all eyes were on the final match which saw the winless Supernova 1 against the undefeated Berries (as they shall henceforth be known).
Buoyed by the manner of the victories in the previous matches, Supernova raced into a two goal lead inside two minutes as Jamie and Anke both found the korf from distance.
A period of relative calm ensued as the Berries gained a foothold, doubling the hosts’ tally to make it 4-2. It was Supernova’s turn to respond with four unanswered goals as Ingmar ran his player before Rachel, Anke and Sian threatened to seize the initiative with deadly accurate shots to make it 6-4. Anke completed her hat-trick to keep Supernova in front at 7-6 before the Berries hit the hosts hard to lead at half-time 9-7.
The topsy-turvy nature of the first half would be replicated in the second as at no stage did either side put clear daylight between themselves and the opposition. Two-goal leads were as good as it got for both of these fierce rivals. Indeed, Supernova started the second half as they had done the first with two goals, Sian and Jamie both completing a brace.
With the scores locked at 9-9, fresh legs were sent for and arrived in the form of Jo and Stu, making his Supernova debut in the pressure cooker of a Millwall derby no less. Ingmar scored a penalty to push Supernova into double figures and draw level at 10-10 as each side traded blows. Anke scored another equaliser and Stu scored his maiden senior goal for the club to make it 12-12 with five to play.
The Berries 13th goal proved to be unlucky for the hosts as shot after Supernova shot looked as if it was in before bouncing cruelly away. That Highbury post lived a charmed life in the frantic final stages but there was to be no fairytale finish for the second match running.
So the first team fell just short of their first win of the season but that did not detract from the excellent work done by the three teams before them, who richly deserve the plaudits.
We had to give the Berries one win on Super Sunday, right?