Foxes Out-Whit Tricky Opponents To Stay On Top

Westbury Park Foxes U14 Girls 6

Whitchurch Sports U14 Girls  0

The final home fixture of the season at "Fortress BAWA" resulted in a hard-earned victory against a spirited Whitchurch side. The scoreline was convincing in the end, but the Foxes had to weather a difficult first half before easing away towards the end.

Poor Betty was a casualty again, this time from a leg injury sustained when clearing an early Whitchurch attack. Once again she had to be subbed off, and Lulu took over between the sticks for the rest of the half. The opening period saw some decent Foxes build ups, but a lack of finishing accuracy. At times the play became a little scrappy, not helped by the interruptions. The opening goal, when it came, was fortuitous but opportunistic - when the away keeper failed to hold a speculative long shot from Lauren, Ella was on hand to pounce and drive home. The rest of the time, the visitors maintained impressive defensive discipline, keeping a strong line of four and occasionally six across the back. The whistle blew to end a frustrating first half, with the game still very much in the balance.

The second half began with Ella 'The Slightly Smaller Cat' as goalie, but it was a welcome sight when Betty, a little gingerly and still nursing a slight niggle, was able to resume her post(s) after a few minutes. Even more welcome was a second goal from a familiar source. We've seen this one before. Lulu's bending corner appeared to be going out for a goal kick. The ever-knowledgeable home linesman was even tutting at such a wasted opportunity, only for the ball to take one hop at the near post and fly into the back of the net. She really is a deadly dead ball assassin.

At 2-0 the home side could relax into their game, and as their confidence grew and the visitors tired, the play became more expansive. The passes were being pinged around, the ball was moved from wing to wing, and there were loud cheers for Molly's slaloming turn and run in from the right, beating two players. Then the play was switched left, to Mara about 20 yards out. She beat one player (as she always does), feinted inside onto her right foot (as she often does) then let fly with an absolute gem into the postage stamp corner. Schöner Schuss! as bystanders were heard to exclaim.

By now, the Foxes were in full flow, and Zoe, having had a frustrating first half, was routinely overpowering a tiring defence. She stormed to the byline and cut back to the centre, where the alert Georgia - heeding the coaches'  instructions to 'follow in and gamble' - was on hand to sweep in number 4. Zoe would add two more before the end, one a miscued goal kick returned 'with interest', another from a typically powerful run through the heart of the defence.

The final score was a little harsh on Whitchurch, who are and were a far better side than their league position suggests - they have had lots of close games this season and are always competitive. For the Foxes, it was a seventeenth straight league win, and yet another clean sheet for the 'line of steel'. As may previously have been mentioned, the only away goal at BAWA all season was Portishead's consolation strike back in October. Once again, the 'Rhi-Abb-Em-Laur' fortress was unbreachable, with every sniff of danger snuffed out and used as the springboard for blistering counter-attacks. In midfield Lulu and Olivia tenaciously won the ball and got the short passing working smoothly - the Foxes are always better when the ball is moved around on the ground quickly rather than hoofed through the air.

So seventeen down and one to go - Wotton won again, and assuming they win their further game in hand, the Clásico Siete de Mayo at the KLB School pitch will very much be 'on'. In the meantime, the Foxes and their injured players can rest up and 'enjoy' going back to school after a long sunny Easter holiday...

Girls of the Game: Molly and Georgia

Captain of the Week: Lauren

BGL u14 Double Header Report with Photos!

i) The Story of the BLUs (Part 2)

                     

Westbury Park Foxes U14 Girls 7                                        Bristol Ladies Union U14 0

Bristol Ladies Union bravely turned up with depleted numbers to take on the league leaders in the return leg of this local and friendly derby. With only nine fit players available, the visitors were always going to struggle. Yet the Foxes, playing the first 15 minutes with 11 v 9, found it difficult to break the BLU defence down. The ball frequently bounced through to safety on the dry and fast pitch, and the coaches were beginning to get frustrated. It took Olivia, now back to her best after a frustrating injury layoff, to take the initiative, blasting home the opener from ten yards then adding a second from closer in shortly afterwards.

With the game reasonably secure, the extremely sporting gentlemen Fox coaches took the decision to take two players off and play the rest of the game as a more equitable 9 v 9 - a flashback to U13 days. Paradoxically, the game flowed  - and the Foxes played - far better as a result. BLU never let their heads drop, even in the face of a second half onslaught against the wind, during which the green and whites sought to find new ways to miss every few minutes. Getting in behind was not a problem, but the finishing was at times comically awry. Rhiannon concluded several mazy dribbles by either passing into the goalie's arms or (in one case) falling over. Zoe, Sim and others blasted high, wide and not always handsome.

Eventually further goals from Zoe, a powerful strike from Amelia, and contributions from Mara and Ella made sure of the victory. The home crowd were willing "the Moll-ster" on to score, and she did everything but that - with neat passing, lively runs and shots on target aplenty. The best of her efforts was well saved by the keeper, but it was the softest shot which almost squirmed in for a debut goal. No matter, victory number 15 was secure as the leaders closed in on the final stretch of their title challenge. A very young BLU side, many 'playing up' a year, deserved great credit for battling to the end, and many of their players will fare far better playing U14s next season.

Girl of the Game: Molly

Captain of the Week: Olivia

ii)      No faint hearts as a few feisty Foxes best Boco after medical drama and mad Cornish dash

                          

 

 

Westbury Park Foxes U14 Girls 2 

AEK Boco U14 Girls 0

This was always going to be tough. With fixture congestion pushing this previously postponed fixture into the Easter school holidays, the Foxes were doing well to get 11 on the pitch, with Georgia away, Millie on 'international duty' and Sim injured. Another big loss would be the season's defensive stalwart Abby, away with her Dad in sunny Cornwall. But wait - what dedication! What commitment! 130 miles? Pah, a mere hop skip and jump. The league leaders received a massive boost when dad Steve bombed up the A30 and M5, interrupted only by a brief tyre pressure scare, to deliver Abby bang on time for kick off. Everything was set fair for an eagerly awaited return match against former champions Boco, until.....

She was feeling a bit peaky during the warm-up, and in the very first minute there was consternation when keeper Betty fainted and collapsed in her penalty area. Luckily, few teams can rival the Foxes for medical expertise. Dad/Coach Martin and Nurse Linzi revived the stricken stopper, then escorted her to the changing rooms. This meant, however, shifting midfield general Lulu into goal, and playing with no subs, on the hottest day of the year, against the formidable physical challenge of a big Boco side. How would our girls cope?

Admirably. The pitch was still dry and fast, and the breeze was swirling, so many of the early exchanges saw the ball in the air or bouncing around awkwardly. The Foxes defence had to be at their best to contain the danger from through balls, but gradually grew in assurance and confidence. With Rhiannon and Abby expertly tracking and shackling the dangerous Boco no. 9, and Emily and Lauren likewise cool and quick, the home team settled down and began to test Boco with the pace of Mara on the left wing, and some neat Molly/Ella combinations on the right. The breakthrough came from a familiar source, when the strength and combativeness of Olivia and Amelia allowed Zoe to burst into the box, beat her defender and finish low in the corner. With a further interruption for a Boco injury, a long first half continued with few further chances at either end, but the Foxes looking confident whenever they broke forward.

The second half, with the breeze slightly behind, saw the Foxes creating far more, and coming close several times. Olivia flashed one just past the right post, and Mara seemed certain to finish a superb Ella cut back cross, only to skew it wide with her left foot. There were even a couple of reasonable penalty claims, but ref Ollie impassively waved them away, keen to let play flow in a physical but generally fair contest. As time went on, anxiety grew. Boco had not tested keeper Lulu with a shot on target, but at 1-0 there was always the chance of a set piece or breakaway to level the scores.

It was time to finish it off, and once again the Foxes showed that they are best when they pass and move in quick combinations. Rhiannon tackled and fed Ella down the right, whose quick combination with Amelia released Zoe in the box. She had time to take a touch, switch to her right foot and launch one into the 'postage stamp' top corner.

They could have added to their lead, but the home side were content to see the match out calmly without further drama. To a girl, they had worked tirelessly in the hot sun, and even with water breaks it had been tough with no 'bench' to call upon. The medical team did find a nice chair from which the recovering Betty could watch the rest of the game. Later reports from home would confirm that she was responding well to an intravenous ice cream drip.

The 2-0 victory made it sixteen out of sixteen, and yet again Fortress BAWA was not breached - the only away goal this season has been a consolation Portishead strike in a 9-1 home win. After a brief break for Easter, the focus now turns to second place Wotton's tough away 'games in hand' against Boco and Portishead, which they have to win to set up a potential "Classico of Classicos" title decider on 7th May. Next up for the Foxes is the final home fixture against the much improved Whitchurch.

Happy Easter - and get well soon Betty (and Simran).

Girl of the Game: Abby (and driver Steve)

Captain of the week: Lulu the 'Substitute Cat'