Tuesday 23 June 2015

U12 Girls Win Quedgley Tournament!


THE LONGEST DAY...AND ANOTHER TROPHY


"Three...that's the magic number!" sang laid back 80s hip-hoppers De La Soul. The Westbury Park Foxes U12 Girls would agree, as they continued their astonishing tournament run by clinching a third tournament victory in succession.

 Two strong squads travelled to the well-run and friendly Quedgeley Tournament in Gloucester. The Foxes in the Pitch 4 group (Lulu, Amelia, Emily H, Lauren, Ella B, Izzy and Emily W) got off to a flying start, beating Herefordshire champions Ross Juniors 2-0.
The first was a brilliant opportunistic poacher's goal from Ella B at the near post, while Emily H's debut tournament strike -a 20 yard screamer in the top corner - was the clear goal of the tournament. A frustrating 0-0 draw followed against a tough and stubborn Longwell Green, but they bounced back with an impolite 3-0 win over tournament hosts Quedgeley, featuring a classy hattrick from tournament debutante Lauren.
They were looking good for the semis until a long through ball counter-attack from Dursley Town caught them out in their final group game. Despite battering the opposition goal with numerous chances, the equaliser would just not go in. A draw would have seen them through, but instead the hugely unlucky Foxes finished 3rd on 7 points, behind the top 2 tied on 8. The girls responded well to their setback, with lots of ice lollies, playing on the slides and swings, and roaring on their team-mates on Pitch 5....




The Pitch 5 squad (Betty, Rhiannon, Molly, Ella W, Mara, Zoe and Sim) faced a tough group. First up were a big, strong and skilful side all the way from Dudley. Playing against the stiff breeze, the Foxes withstood the Midlanders' pressure, and clinched the game with a deflected strike from Sim. Again showing no manners to hosts Quedgeley Reds, the Foxes saw them off 2-0, including a Sim free kick which almost burst the net. Next were familiar rivals and County Cup champions Wotton, then a strong Cheltenham Spa side, both edged 1-0 with early strikes, comfortable possession and increasingly elegant passing and movement. Newcomer Zoe was improving in every match, and scored a fine goal. Ella W and Molly made cool and assured defensive contributions whenever called upon. And in a sign of what was to come later, Betty, restored to goal in her sole tournament outing this season, brilliantly saved a Cheltenham penalty to keep the Foxes' sheet clean.

No reasonable parent should have been put through the agony of the semi-final. With their squad mates cheering them on from the 'Big Slide Grandstand' above, the Foxes besieged the Longwell Green goal with six clear cut chances, in ten regular then two extra minutes. It would not go in. No goals, golden or otherwise . Penalties would decide it.

Mara's cool first strike, and Betty's first save, seemed to have put the Foxes in control, but when Sim dragged wide the score was levelled, and LG bravely followed in Zoe's successful blast to force sudden death. What happened next will live long in Foxes legend. First Rhiannon, then Molly, then Betty each missed. After each of those misses, Betty stood in her goal, stood her ground and made brilliant saves to prevent the Foxes being eliminated. Three times. As the rules (and 1970s Scottish disco funksters Average White Band) said, "Let's Go Round Again"..so up stepped Mara to blast in for a second time. Over to Betty...and a fourth incredible save in succession put the Foxes into the final!

Dursley had prevailed over Wotton, in an equally epic penalty shootout, to earn the right to meet the Foxes in the final. Their star player was switched into goal, where she put on a display to (almost) rival the heroics of Betty. Time and again the Foxes swept forward. Mazy dribbler Rhiannon came close to beating a whole team and going 'all the way' on two occasions.
Zoe put on her best performance of the day, powering down the right channel and drawing saves from the feet, hands and everything else of the brilliant Dursley keeper. The chances kept coming but they would not go in. It would take something special to clinch a deserved win...

The last "golden goal" in major competition football was scored by Turkey against Senegal at the 2002 World Cup, before any of our girls were born. It is a dramatic, cruel but undeniably exciting tiebreaker. Once again Rhiannon stole the ball off the striker's toes, glided past opponents down the wing, and fed Zoe on the left. She knocked a higher ball in to Sim. Channelling 1996-vintage Paul Gascoigne, Sim flipped the ball over the defender's head, then ran in at close range to meet her own ball on the half volley. Even the 'Dursley De Gea' was not stopping that one.
It was trophy number three in 36 days. The wild celebrations were joined by the other squad, and there were handshakes all round for brave Dursley. It was now very late in the (Longest) day, with the trophy not handed over until after 6 pm, but as the victorious girls posed for more jubilant photos with trophies and ice lollies, no-one cared.

Once again, we take part, win, lose and draw as one big squad. Everyone played their part in a thrilling day. So many highlights... Emily's H's long range screamer..Lauren's hat trick...super stopper Betty's penalty heroics..Mara's ice cool penalties..Molly's spirited performances and clever use of the knee for clearances...Zoe's tireless efforts right to the end...Rhiannon's mesmerising runs...and Sim's goals, from blasts to tap ins, but above all her glorious winner.


So some alternative awards (as chosen by Mara's piggies):
Goal of the Tournament: Emily H
Save(s - plural - lots of them) of the Tournament - Betty 'the real De Gea' P
Best newcomer award: Lauren
Most kilometres covered: Zoe
Supporter of the Tournament: Daisy, who came along in her plaster cast to cheer on her team mates.

Sunday 14 June 2015

Girls u12's Retain Carterton Tournament Title!


FOXES PLAY THEIR SOCKS OFF IN OXON


65 miles from Bristol, deep in the Oxfordshire countryside, Carterton Town FC host a lovely girls' tournament. Visitors like the Foxes U12s are welcome, but if they keep taking away the trophies, that may change...
On a classic British summer's day - leaden skies and steady drizzle - the mighty Foxes retained the trophy they won so dramatically last year (*see blog 9/6/14). Strictly speaking, they won the U12s trophy after winning the U11s last year, but you get the idea. After a total of 84 minutes of football, and a start which even local slugs were calling sluggish, the "trophy cabinet" was further crammed with another shiny cup and winners' shields for everyone.
A strong 8-Fox squad travelled across the Cotswolds. Very welcome debutante Zoe was joined by Amelia, Ella B, Sim, Lulu, Rhiannon, Molly and Mara. They were accompanied by a vital ninth member of the squad, "Big Gaz" Gazebo, signed from Argos for £35. Some said she was "too green" for this level, but others thought that she could "do a job" for the Foxes and stand up to everything the elements might throw at her. So it proved, as she combined well with the Beswetherick tent to keep everyone (and Mara's lucky piggies) warm and dry between games.

Coaches Graham and Mark emphasised the importance of flying out of the blocks, getting shots on target and landing the first blow in the fleeting nine minute group games. So the first three were drawn 0-0. "To be fair", as the pundits say when damning with faint praise, this was down to a combination of bad luck, comedy finishing and over-complication in the final third. In one game keeper Lulu didn't touch the ball, or even see it enter her half. In others, shots were snatched at, scuffed into keepers' arms or blasted over. Would it be one of those days?
Lift-off, in the manner of the fighter jets roaring above nearby RAF Brize Norton, was achieved in game 4, against a decent Ashton Keynes side. Only Ella B knows whether her medium-paced ball from outside the box was intended as a through pass, but through it rolled into the corner of the net. Sim added a second to clinch the game and the Foxes were in business. Surely the goals would start flowing now?
Two more 0-0s followed.
 "To be fair", the Foxes were now playing some strong teams and some attractive  football to boot. Rhiannon's hypnotic mazy dribbles were tormenting the finest of the Oxfordshire league. Lulu had resumed her controlling outfield presence, unleashing the occasional screamer. Stand-in goalie Amelia looked a natural for the role, and the mighty minis Mara and Ella were dancing down the wings. Molly, shrugging off her pre-tournament sleepiness, was wide awake and moving the ball well with boot and throw- ins. Zoe was blending seamlessly with her new team mates.

The last of seven group games had to be won to ensure easy qualification for the semis. The Foxes saved their best for it, winning 3-1 after shrugging off a surprise equaliser and first goal conceded. Zoe had earlier burst through on a Rhiannon through ball to blast in her first Foxes goal, and later Mara finished beautifully "mit dem linken Fuß*!" (*left peg), as Christoph might have said. Sim added a clinically struck third and the Foxes were through as no. 2 seeds.

Next up were last year's finalists, Witney's Tower Hill Vixens. A close and sporting contest was settled when Lulu launched a high looping shot goalwards, only for the keeper' parry to be met by a vicious Sim volley straight past her.

The final was against a strong Bishop's Cleeve side from the Gloucester league, who had won most of their group games and always looked likely finalists. Playing against the wind in the first of two six minute halves, the Foxes settled to their task quickly, moving the ball well and withstanding the dangerous Cleeve set pieces. They got their reward soon afterwards, when Sim latched on to a swift midfield one-two to drive the ball low into the bottom right corner.

Changing ends for the second half, the Foxes controlled the rest of the game, with tireless chasing and forward pressure, and Rhiannon clearing or dribbling the ball out of defence when any danger threatened. Zoe was a constant presence and menace in the opposition half, and the Foxes could have sealed it when a Sim shot hit off the post, then the keeper, then fell to Ella who narrowly missed. But it didn't matter. Amelia "The Rock" was not troubled further in goal, and the RAF ref blew for full time. Cue wild celebrations, hugs and smiles all round. The rain had even stopped too.

So it was a happy return to Carterton, and a second trophy of the season. It would be invidious to pick one 'girl of the tournament'. Every single Fox was at her best and made a huge contribution, on the field and off the bench. Not one grumble was heard about the weather. We shall return, and go for the "three-peat" next year...

Captain of the Day: Sim

Player of the Tournament: The Gazebo/Mara's Piggies (jointly)