Sunday, 15 October 2006
Hitchin Town Belles U14 2 v 4 Cambridge City U14
Home Counties Girls Football League; U14 Division 1
Players: Elise, Alex, Roisin, Louise, (Captain) Sarah, Natalie, Lauren, Kerry, Monica, Sammy, Sian, Stephanie, Eva, Joanna.
Scorers Hitchin; Sian (2)
Match facts;
A great and entertaining match played at pace with Cambridge being given a good work out by Hitchin who despite some intense second half pressure just missed out on pulling the match back. Cambridge bought a full coach load of supporters and sported some very natty vacuum flasks so we knew Cambridge as always are a class act with great ball passing skills and a solid defence and that’s just their team mascot. However we could only look enviously on as their supporters enjoyed their hot coffee!
A game of 2 halves as they say and despite conceding 3 goals in the first half Hitchin played extremely well in the second half to push the Cambridge defence very hard and were unlucky not to convert any of the numerous chances they created. However on the break Hitchin looked good and set up a string of chances only to be denied by the woodwork and a very good Cambridge keeper.
A bad start for Hitchin with Cambridge scoring almost straight from the kick off. Worse was to come when only 9 minutes into the game another shot flew in to make 2 nil to Cambridge. Once a team has conceded 2 quick goals to a good side like Cambridge the chances are it can become the ritual drubbing, but all credit to the team they never let their heads down and started to attack Cambridge. Sian rounded the goalkeeper and only some desperate last minute tackling stopped a goal. Within seconds a great through ball saw Sian cut loose and fire the ball home after 20 minutes. Sian has killer instincts in front of goal. Stephanie had a cracking shot soon after. Cambridge were not done and scored another goal to make it 1-3. Again Hitchin came back and after forcing 2 corners and a piece of end to end play Alex on a very fine run hit a great ball to Sian who shot cleanly passed the keeper Hitchin 2 Cambridge 3. The match was competitive fast and skilful right up to the whistle.
Hitchin started the second half with real purpose and menace. Sarah hit the woodwork with an early opportunity and Sammy with her mazy runs on the left was literally running rings around the Cambridge defenders. Monica, Kerry and Elise came on as substitutes. However 15 minutes into the half and very much against the run of play Cambridge scored again. It is to the Hitchin teams credit that they kept their heads up and responded with some great football, passing intelligently and making the ball work for them. Both teams looked to break quickly and Louise passed intelligently to start some good moves with support from Sarah and Kerry. Hitchin won most of their corners and conceded all of their off sides in the second half which demonstrates quite clearly where the pressure was coming from.
A close defeat to a very good team like Cambridge is no disgrace and it is a measure of how far Hitchin Belles have come in the last couple of seasons to come away from today’s match to be unlucky not to at least draw and on another day with the breaks going their way winning. Next week Luton away and a chance to exact revenge for last years results. Good luck and a win is achievable.
Player of the match: There were some outstanding individual performances and to mark out one person would be wrong, as this was a real team effort. However Jo and Natalie in defence were as solid as a rock, Stephanie worked very hard in midfield and Sian as always deadly in front of goal and worked well with Sammy whose ball control was excellent. .
Report by Mike Thompson