For once I had a near full strength squad and I was pretty confident going into the game.
The girls started off brightly with our left winger ripping city apart. Some great play between our left full back, centre midfielder and left winger put her through on goal and a sweet left foot strike left their keeper with no hope.
The first half continued in this vain and once again our number 11 broke through and put another left foot strike low and out of reach of the keeper. (How I love naturally left footed players!)
Half time 2-0
Our normal keeper is currently out with a long term injury so the girls take it in turns to play in goal. We changed our keeper and my daugther ( who had played first half in goal) took up her normal 'roaming' midfielder role. In a strange coincidence, city did the same and their keeper came out to play upfront. Well, talk about a game of two halfs, the 'keeper' ripped my defence apart and within the space of 10 mins had drawn city level. Time for a few words with my daugther and a slight change of tatics and we began to get a grip on the game again.
Once more our number 11 roasted their right back and put a lovely cross into the box, their standin keep could oly 'flap' it away and it fell to my daugther on the edge of the box, a nononsense strike put the ball in the top left hand corner well out of reach of the city keeper.
Phew, back in front again. Now being 3-2 up the girls upped their game to the tempo of the first half. Some lovely midfield play again put out number 11 one-on-one with the full back, some nice tricks and she was past the full back and at the by line, a lovely cross was somehow cleared but once again fell to my daugther on the edge of the box and she put another one in the top left hand corner.
4-2 and two our my girls on for a hat-trick (i've only got one match ball
)Once again it was our number 11 who got to the by line only for the ball to be deflected for a corner. A fierce low corner flew across the pentalty area missing everyone only for our right midfielder to meet it at the back post and the net bulged again. I was starting to relax a bit at this point and all the subs, were scrabbling to get into the action.
A couple of changes and we went again. AGAIN our number 11 did the damage and again the ball flew across the penalty area for our right midfielder to meet it at the back post.
um, 3 players on hat-tricks
Only a couple of minutes left and their 'keeper' once more made clever use of our defences lack of concentration to grab her hat-trick.
Just enough time for the kick-off and the ref blew for full time. 6-3 final score.
Hand shakes all round and the girls and the parents were full of beans. I got the girls together to congratulate them on their performances and only at this point did I tell them that it was the first round of the cup and we theirfore through to the next round.
A lot of the girls go to the same school as virtually all of the city girls so could not wait for today and the 'bragging' rights. Turns out they all play together in the school team so I asked why the didn't know about our number 11. Response: Teacher plays her in defence
The girls facebook pages were buzzing last night and I was pleased they finally got the win they have deserved. All through the defeats, the cancelled training, the cancelled matches, they have kept together always smiling and joking and looking ahead to the next fixture.
Well, just been on the FA site and it looks like we have Thanet away in the next round. Our only meeting this year was One of the best games of girls football I have ever seen but they just nicked it 2-1 so it will be an interesting cup-tie.
gazza, one for you to come and watch I reckon and then we can have that beer
