Sunday, 21 January 2007
Harvester U14B 0 v 3 Hitchin Town Belles 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) Sammy (1)
Half Time; Harvesters 0 Hitchin 2
Match facts;
It is unusual to have a back-to-back match in the league and this week we travelled to the Harvester ground. A very different Harvester U14 B team turned up this week and they had a more determined look to them and many new faces in the team. An entertaining game with chances galore created by Hitchin only to be stopped by another great piece of goal keeping from the Harvester Goalie. If she is their B team keeper heaven knows what the A team keeper must be like. Harvester created a couple of very good chances, which kept Eva, occupied for a small part of the game. However it was mostly Hitchin attacking against a mass defence who did not want to repeat another 8-goal drubbing. A closer match but one that Hitchin won comfortably by putting some great passes into the danger areas and putting the chances cleanly away. Hitchin still look in need of some more match play and were sometimes overly creative in the final approach play when a direct route one would have been better. Also long range shots against such a talented goalkeeper are unlikely to produce the desired results. However 3 goals and 3 more points is a great result and confidence continues to grow.
Hitchin made a very bright start welcoming Louise back as captain. Louise quickly got into the match and was instrumental in forcing 3 corners to Hitchin in the first few minutes of play. Harvesters then laid down their intentions with some quick attacking play. After some good midfield work from Steph and Roisin 2 more corners were conceded by Harvesters and on the second Sammy pounced to deliver an inch perfect pass to Sian as she charged into the area to give the simplest of goals. 0-1 to Hitchin. The defensive trio of Lauren, Natalie and Monica had little to do but Monica dealt comfortably with any danger on the right and Lauren made some great clearances. Roisin was a great attacking defender on the left again really twisting and turning her way through an impenetrable defence to set up Sammy and Louise. The opposing coach who always seemed to be shouting Natalie kept distracting our poor Natalie. Hitchin forced another series of corners and Kerry really stretched the defence with some very fast pieces of play on the right hand side. Another corner and the Sammy/Sian partnership struck gold again as another great pass from Sammy let Sian in to score her second goal. 0-2 to Hitchin Sarah played well in midfield and was very unselfish with some of her passing and creating goal scoring opportunities rather than take it on herself. However late on the half she unleashed a spectacular shot that hit the post and rebounded out but the goalie was left stranded. Louise, Steph and Sammy continued to blast shots at the goal until the whistle ended the half.
The Harvester team came out with a vengeance and on a quick break forced a fine save out of Eva and Roisin pounced on the rebound to steer the ball to safety. Steph hit a cracking pass to Louise who had her shot saved. Another corner to Hitchin and Harvesters broke quickly to put more pressure on the Hitchin defence. Elise who came on as a substitute neutralised the danger well and is growing in confidence with each match. Hitchin won corner after corner and on one Sarah headed a scorcher goal bound, again to be denied by some outstanding goal keeping. Alex ran well as always on the right with her natural speed and confidence throwing defenders into complete disarray. Sarah and Steph were dominating midfield more as the game went on and an excellently timed pass put Sammy on with only the goal keeper to beat and she put her chance away expertly to score a well deserved goal. 0-3 to Hitchin. Hitchin really continued to put the pressure on right up to the final whistle and were desperately unlucky not to score again before the final whistle. 11 goals in 2 matches and none conceded. Despite the lack of quality opposition Harvesters have scored against some of the top teams in the league so coming away with no goals conceded was very good. Hitchin Belles are un beaten in 2007 and there is no reason not to believe some great results are just around the corner this year with a side that can play some very attractive fast flowing football.
Girls of the match:
Report by Mike Thompson