| Match Report |
11.01.20
South Notts Ladies v Boots
Just back after the Christmas break, both sides revved into tremendous action from the opening seconds. South Notts had put in some extra training on set-piece drills which came in useful against a strong and vigorous Boots side. Elizabeth Turner in goal for South, an Alpine barrier, sent back with firm authority the frequent Boots attacks, that is, if they got past Jo Shaw, Eleanor Wallace, and Alice Hounslow who were real Rocks of Gibraltar.
South’s defence held steady and in control, though at times the entire Team struggled to begin with, against a very competent side who pressed hard.
Careful pre-match preparation was evident as South’s midfield, led by Caroline Brackenbury, slowly started to assert quiet dominance. India Clark had an outstanding game and Becky Lindley/ Katrina Blunden,/ Poppy Scothern/ Liberty Rowe, with clever, creative and intelligent passing, freed up the Team’s forward line, and they moved up in support.
The forwards stretched the Boots’ defence and kept peppering the Boots goal with rifling shots.
This involved Abbie Rimmington (who had a storming game) Ruby Graham (who kept scorching down the line and round the back of their defence) , Bethany Marshall (who specializes in ruthlessly breaking up defences and creating opportunities), and Emma Turner (who with her speed gave the Boots’ defence continual headaches) .
Due to very solid play by the Boots’ keeper, to everyone’s surprise, only two goals went in, one by Emma Turner and one by Abbie Rimmington. Scoreline 2-0.
What was good about our play was that the Team used creative square passes to great effect, sometimes passing back to open up new opportunities. Positional play for receiving passes was brilliant. Looking to make the exactly right pass.
Why only two goals? First, that we tended to crowd in the D and ran into a packed defensive wall. Made the defenders’ task easier. Second, that sometimes we tried to welly the ball on the run, when it would have been better to stop and push. Third, that we did not play wide enough a lot of the time, using the full width of the pitch. But that may be nit-picking. We thought through the Boots’ play and countered it with new strategies to steady victory. Full of admiration.
Season’s match stats to date, Played 9, Won 9, Goals for, 45, and against, 7. South Notts Ladies are heading their league! Well done.
Coach’s under 18 award to India Clark.
Euan Temple
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