Nomads 1 (17) vs Bec 1 (21)
Nomads ended their season with a spirited and committed performance against the runners up from the last three seasons, Bec.
A win would be enough to sneak into fourth place and the play-offs but in a middling season for the Epsom club, this wasn't expected, nor was it achieved but the game showed the gap was maybe not quite as big as this seasons results would lead you to believe.
Nomads took the lead through an Emma Cole long shot, Bec fought back to 1-2 and Alex Bell levelled the scores at 2-2 as the game gradually wound up to full speed.
Amy Smith made way for Stella McNulty in a tactical switch.
A penalty and a long shot took Bec into a two-goal lead for 2-4.
An Ikwuemesi runner pulled it back to 3-4 before another Bec penalty was converted. Tritsarolis then scored from distance for Nomads who then had a penalty of their own to level the scores, unfortunately, it was missed.
After a Nomads time out, Bec scored for 4-6 before Irwin pulled one back for Nomads.
A Bec runner made it 5-7 at the 20-minute mark and they went on to have their strongest period of the game, scoring a further four without reply before Tritsarolis scored from range to leave the score at 6-11.
Coach Teague then used the rolling subs to allow Alex Bell and Tritsarolis to switch divisions, Simon Cole made the first of his two cameo appearances to allow the tactical switch.
An Alex Bell penalty just before the half-time whistle left the score at 7-11. Amy Smith returned to the pitch for the second half, reversing the earlier sub.
Ikwuemesi, who had a superb game stealing back possession as well as in front of goal, opened the scoring for the half.
A Bec penalty, calmly converted by Davesh Patel preceded a goal for Amy Smith and big cheers from the home crowd. 9-14.
Ikwuemesi scored again followed by a first of the game for Bijker that made the score 11-14.
It stayed that way for a five minute period of superb Nomads defending, consistently winning the ball back and starting another attack.
Bijker broke the deadlock and took the score to 12-14. Bec scored in their next attack for 12-15, Tritsarolis sank a high-pressure penalty for 13-15.
The away side rallied though and scored a penalty of their own and another from open play to take the lead back out to four goals. 13-17. Nomads pulled the gap back through Ean Irwin and a Tritsarolis runner before Bec replied for 15-18.
With four minutes left on the clock, Nomads took their second time out.
Bec struck first after the break before Irwin made way for Simon Cole who marked his short appearance driving through for a fine running in shot. 16-19. Tamika Zilm made it 17-19 but any hope of a late leveller fizzed out with a late Bec goal and a further penalty leaving the final score at 17-21.
Bec go into the play-offs having had a far harder time than they might have been expecting. Nomads highlights were notable perfomances from Ikwuemesi, Tritsarolis, goals from all but one of the team and a possibly unnoticed defensive performance from Bijker as his opposite number, as England star Blake Palfreyman was restricted to only two goals, both from the penalty spot.
Nine goals from Davesh Patel, including four penalties, made the diffrerence in the end for Bec. Nomads season had ended with a 5th placed spot that probably fairly reflected the up and down nature of their season.
We now look forward to good rest before our famous Summer Tournament in June and a Korfball tour to Paris later in the year.
Best of luck to the four teams in the play-offs, Trojans, Bec, Norwich Knights and Kingfishers.
Squad
Dinos Tritsarolis (4) Alex Bell (2) Ean Irwin (2) Sytze Bijker (2) Amy Smith (1) Heather Ikwuemesi (3) Emma Cole (1) Tamika Zilm (1)
Subs Used
Simon Cole (1) Stella McNulty
