Another thumping for the Penguins tonight but once again it was a single standout player who proved the key difference in the game. Former Basingstoke Bison Ladies forward Jodie Attrill came into the game as the Slough player to watch out for and a return of 7+1 underlined not only her value-add to her team but the fact that Penguins were simply not equipped to close her down.
Of course it didn’t help that Penguins were without their one specialist netminder Steph Owen even if regular stand in Carmel Buttimer performed heroically in repeatedly blocking efforts from the Sirens.
The opening period started fairly even with Penguins full of energy and holding a good shape both defensively and when going forward and a sole Attrill strike was all that separated the team until late in the period when a harsh tripping call on Georgia Whittemore was punished with a second Attrill goal on the powerplay.
Sirens added a third on 24:24 before Leah DeMar was called on a double roughing minor that left Penguins up against it for four minutes. Attrill immediately secured her hat-trick but to Penguins credit, Stacie Horn fired home from close range to pull a goal back shorthanded even if Attrill still had time to grab a fourth before the second minor had run down.
With Penguins two lines starting to tire, Sirens extended the lead to 1-8 at the second break and despite early resistance in the third, went on to secure three further goals by 50:28. Despite the deficit, Penguins refused to roll over and kept the Sirens D and netminder honest to the end. A late powerplay opportunity gave the home side chance to end on a high and captain Clare Ledbury stepped up to fire home a sweet wrist-shot that was timed at 59:59 although most onlookers would suggest that 59:59:9 was probably more accurate !
Shots on goal for this one were 40-44 and it would undoubtedly have been a much closer affair had the impressive Jodie Attrill not been on the Sirens team but that is the way games often go at this level. The Penguins kept rolling throughout, they have good shape and positioning for the most part and never ever lack spirit so a victory will be well merited when it finally does arrive.
The girls head down to Cardiff for their next fixture in two weeks time and the same opposition will feature in their next home fixture which is scheduled for Saturday 26th January 2019, face-off 6:25pm.
Game stats HERE