Westbury
Park Foxes U15 Girls 4
Portishead
Town FC 2
(and FA People’s Cup regional winners…)
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| The "People's Champions" (West region...) |
Almost a month had passed since the Foxes’ last league
game, the hard fought win against Bradley Stoke. Nevertheless, half of the
squad limbered up on Saturday by winning the West region of the BBC/FA People’s
Cup, held at the WISE Campus. It wasn’t their problem that only one other team,
Cheltenham Town FC, had bothered to enter. The organisers decided that the two
teams should face off in one mega-five-a-side game, with rolling subs, lasting
40 minutes. Much to the surprise of Cheltenham, who appear to have fancied
their chances of glory against an obscure suburban Bristol club with only one age
group girls’ team, the Foxes romped to a 10-4 victory. Lulu set the tone, and
possibly a club record, by scoring direct from the kick off. With strong
performances from all 7, and Betty particularly outstanding in goal, it was
another trophy for the packed “cabinet”. Onwards and upwards to the Southern
finals in glamorous Basingstoke!
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| Lulu and ref Luke keep their eyes on the ball |
The next day saw the visit of old rivals Portishead
Town, the 2015 champions and still a formidable side. The Foxes had just edged
the away fixture 1-0 with a Zoe penalty, and on a dry day with a bitter north
wind at BAWA, a close game was expected .
So it proved. For the first 25 minutes or so……not a
lot happened. Space was limited and neither side created much. Portishead’s
pressing game was strong, and with the Foxes perhaps missing Georgia’s runs
down the left, the game became a little narrow and congested. It looked like it
would take a set piece special to break the deadlock.
Right on cue, Lulu swung in a dangerous corner, and in
the ensuing scramble, it was Emily who swept in the opener from close range. As
ever, that relaxed the ‘Hoops’ a little, and they began to enjoy some more
possession. Olivia had come on early as a sub to give the ailing Ella a rest,
and was quick to make a difference. Why not have a shot from distance? It wasn’t
even one of her best, but it still had enough on it to Fox the Portishead
keeper and give the home team the comfort of a two goal lead. When a typically
combative run from Amelia down the right sent Zoe in to add number 3, the game
looked reasonably comfortable. But with the wind picking up, and a slope to
play up in the second half, it was as well to have that cushion.
Sure enough, Portishead came out firing in the second
half, with the wind at their backs and a spring in their step. The Foxes found
themselves pinned down in their own half for a long spell, conceding a string
of corners and finding it difficult to clear their lines. The pressure told when
a cut back from the left bounced off the post, only for the striker to net the
rebound. At only 3-1 down and with some momentum, the away side were very much
in the match. And then…..
What do these players now have in common? Jon Obi
Mikel (Chelsea). Jesper Blomqvist (Man Utd). Alberto Aquilani (Liverpool). John
Jensen (Arsenal). Molly (the Foxes). It was a long time coming. Some players,
like Mikel, needed 250 games at Chelsea to do it just once. At times, when
shots hit the post or drew spectacular saves in these five seasons, some
thought this day might never come. But we never really lost faith in the
Mollster. The Foxes relieved the Portishead pressure with a swift
counter-attack, and suddenly Amelia was rampaging forward. She got ‘in behind’
on the left and swung in a gorgeous diagonal ball to the far post, where Molly
was loitering onside. She still had some work to do, but calmly clipped it past
the keeper for – yes! – a goal, to spark wild celebrations amongst players and
parents. It could not have come at a better time, and effectively killed the
Portishead comeback off.
From there the Foxes saw the game out in reasonable comfort, with play frequently broken up by successive throw ins and goals kicks, and fewer chances at either end. Portishead enjoyed one last hurrah, and perhaps the (second best) goal of the day, when a long 30 yarder late on looped on the wind over Betty, to make it 4-2.
It was a difficult day in many ways. The Foxes were down to a squad of 12, two of whom were not very well, and the icy wind made it difficult to get the game flowing. But credit is due to Portishead for another tough battle. On the Foxes’ side, apart from the momentous and historic occasion of Molly’s goal, there were battling performances from Abby and Millie in the heart of defence, and strong contributions from Ellie and Amelia through the midfield.
From there the Foxes saw the game out in reasonable comfort, with play frequently broken up by successive throw ins and goals kicks, and fewer chances at either end. Portishead enjoyed one last hurrah, and perhaps the (second best) goal of the day, when a long 30 yarder late on looped on the wind over Betty, to make it 4-2.
It was a difficult day in many ways. The Foxes were down to a squad of 12, two of whom were not very well, and the icy wind made it difficult to get the game flowing. But credit is due to Portishead for another tough battle. On the Foxes’ side, apart from the momentous and historic occasion of Molly’s goal, there were battling performances from Abby and Millie in the heart of defence, and strong contributions from Ellie and Amelia through the midfield.
Great credit and thanks are also due to young referee
Luke, whose handling of the game was impeccable and fair. It is sad when grown-up
yet foul-mouthed adults have to be told off and put in their place by a more
mature 15 year old, but he handled a brief interruption from one of his own
officials with great authority.
With fixtures now piling up at the end the season, the
Foxes hope to play Boco next week, if Hanham is not engulfed by Siberian
weather in the next week. But we won’t have that problem at our (fingers
crossed!) swanky new all-weather venue for next season….
Girl of the game: Molly (of course)
Captain of the week: Millie
