BGL u14 Westbury Park Foxes 2 v 0 Wotton Rovers

Bristol's Best Better Gloucestershire's Greatest

in Autumnal Table-Top Tussle

It's that time of year. Multicoloured yet dying leaves on the trees. A slight chill in the air. The clocks going back and the dreary prospect of darkness by 5. A somewhat premature and overlong half term break. Over-sugared kids terrorising old folk while dressed as witches.

But who cares? This was, at last, the game we'd all been waiting for. Yes, Arsenal and Liverpool are looking good, and well done to the Bristol City Vixens for dramatically securing promotion back to the WSL. There was, however, only one football show in town this weekend. The two sides sitting atop the Bristol Girls League, each with 100% records, finally met. Wotton Rovers came to BAWA to take on the U14 Foxes Girls for the first time this season. Irresistible force meets immovable object. Clash of the Titans. Super Sunday...(etc. - insert your own cliché here).

Wotton, the formidable and deserving league and cup double winners last season, arrived early, laid out the training cones and looked good in the warm-up. The Foxes, as is their way, shambled up in twos and threes and sprayed a few shots around the goal. Had a half term of lie-ins, sweets and spoiling by grandparents blunted their edge?

Smart Move!

Emphatically not. From the first whistle, the girls in green and white played with snap, verve and skill. First to every ball, and every second ball, the Foxes were swiftly into their stride. Mara was dominating the left wing with tricksy and fast running, frequently having her marker auf Toast. 'Amelia W No. 2' was a skilful and tenacious presence behind the front line, winning balls and releasing the marauding Zoe and Sim. It didn't take long before the pressure told. Zoe chased down a loose ball in defence, dispossessed her opponent and powered towards the goal to finish from close range.

Amelia Feeds Zoe!

As the first half wore on, the only worry was the lack of a second goal, with Wotton potentially dangerous  on the counter or from the set piece.  But the 2016-2017 Foxes are a tougher proposition. Last season's set piece vulnerability, or occasional outpacing on the break by Wotton and others, have gone. The iron defence of Rhiannon-Abby-Millie-Emily snuffed out all threats with their pace and strength, while also frequently launching counter-attacks with a trick or some skill on the ball. Lulu was made of something even stronger than iron, getting her head, feet and occasionally her face (ouch!) to every ball in front of the back four.

Zoe (About to hit the post!)

Leading 1-0 at half time, the Foxes changed ends expecting Wotton to up their intensity. The visitors did just that, beginning to win a greater share of midfield possession and launching some dangerous breaks down the right. Keeper Betty, despite prolonged quiet spells, showed great hands, feet and coolness when called upon. One perfectly timed challenge by her in the box saved a likely goal, as did a brave gathering of a whipped in ball at the second attempt.

Betty Goes Long!

Then Emily cleared her lines and rampaged down the left wing. When she unselfishly cut in and laid it off to Zoe, it seemed the chance had gone. But with a couple of steps and shimmies past her defender, "Z-Jo" was onto her right foot, and curled what even greengrocers would call an absolute peach into the top corner.

From there on in, despite a couple of minor scares calmly mopped up by the impassable defence, the Foxes saw out the game in relative comfort. Wotton could not break through, and the 'Hoops' were only denied a third when Zoe's shot rebounded off the inside of the post into the keeper's arms. Eventually the whistle blew for a thoroughly deserved home victory in a tough but sporting contest.

Rhiannon plays Amelia in!

There were multiple star performers and performances. As well as those mentioned above, Lauren showed some great touches and composure on the ball despite still recovering from a flu jab and brace fitting double whammy. Georgia, Ella, Molly and Lily all put in lively and valuable shifts coming off the bench. As is so often the way in the best performances, everyone contributed and there was not a single weak link anywhere on the pitch. Thanks also to 'number one fan' and Academy star Daisy for coming with Dad to cheer her friends on.

Top of the table after seven games, the Foxes are looking very strong, but the coaching team will be stamping (not literally) on any signs of complacency or triumphalism. There now follows a brief enforced rest break, after the "decision" (ahem..) of the club hierarchy (not Tamsin) not to enter the U14 girls in the County Cup. Well, it leaves them free to focus on the league, so it could prove an inspired move...

Captain of the Week : Lulu

Girls of the Game: Amelia W and Emily H

U14 Girls Match Report Omnibus Edition!

WP Foxes 9 Portishead Town 1         25/9/16

Wells City U15 2 WP Foxes 2           (friendly) 2/10/16

Emersons Green 1 WP Foxes 6          9/10/16

Whitchurch 1 WP Foxes 4   16/10/16

In what originally looked like a fairly barren fixture period, some clever rearranging and contacts in deepest Somerset kept the U14 girls match fit and in form throughout October. The deep and talented squad has been utilised to the limit, and the girls continue to gel and improve at 11-a-side .

The Portishead game, after a close start, was a surprisingly comfortable win. Our old friends and rivals from North Somerset were perhaps not quite at their best, or at full strength, and once the fifth and six goals had gone in, heads may have begun to drop. That was to take nothing away from the Foxes, who displayed ruthlessness in front of goal, accompanied by some breathtaking build up play and passing on both wings. Goal number 4 in particular was a peach, with the play cleverly switched from right to left before the ball was centred for Mara to finish first time.

Former Westbury Parker and friend Poppy plays for Wells City, who actually play at Wookey. So it was that on an otherwise free weekend the Foxes headed off to Somerset for a friendly with the “big girls” from the local U15 league. This was (by all accounts) a superb performance against a strong side. The Foxes led 2-0 for most of the game, but a late injury to Zoe reduced them to 10 players. The hosts then came back to level the match and salvage Somerset pride, but the result was secondary – it was a lovely day out in a beautiful location, and a genuinely friendly match.

How high Molly?!!

Emersons Green have always been tough opponents, springing a shock victory on the Foxes at home last season. They were, as always, strong but fair, and looked to make use of the long through ball and set piece opportunities at which they excel.

Olivia fires in!

But the 2016-17 model Foxes come with increased steel at the back, courtesy of Abby, and the whole team have upped their heading and clearing ability to deal with the aerial threat. Emily H was tireless at left back, snuffing out countless balls and breaks on her side then launching counter-attacks down the left via the dancing feet of Mara.

Zoe plays it in!

After a brisk start from Emersons Green, in which every challenge was contested and they broke promisingly several times, the Foxes steadied nerves with an early brace of goals. The first was a long range screamer from ‘Amelia W No. 2’, shortly followed by a brilliant solo Zoe effort. But Emersons still threatened, and when excellent stand-in keeper Millie could only parry a cross from the right, they finished from close range to make it a one-goal game. A second Zoe strike just before half time restored the two goal cushion. In the second half, the Foxes’ athleticism and fitness told, as Emersons Green could not quite sustain the pressing and intensity of the first half.

Em clears the line!

New look midfield!

Three further unanswered goals followed, with Zoe completing yet another hat trick, and Sim and Mara deservedly getting on the scoresheet too. The final score did not reflect the closeness of the game, particularly in the first half, and Emersons Green will trouble plenty of sides this season.

And so to Whitchurch away last Sunday. Big squad, no problems, right? Hmm..with a couple of days to go, an unprecedented number of injury, illness, athletics and ‘away for the weekend’ absences threatened to leave the Foxes with fewer than 11 players. With Whitchurch clearly improving rapidly – witness their 2-1 defeat of Bradley Stoke the previous week – it was essential to get a full team out. Thankfully, it was ‘alright on the night’ (or rather afternoon), as new recruit Lily S made her competitive debut this season after a spell of theatrical duty and Ella B got the all clear on a wrist fracture to play with a Vardy style splint.

Denied again!

This was, however, no easy game, particularly with no substitutes available. The home team defended resolutely, with a back 5 and 2 holding midfielders. The strong wind and extremely bouncy ball didn’t help the away team, who were frustrated repeatedly by the home keeper who did well to keep the score down. Two fist half goals from Zoe were matched in the second half by a fine low shot by Sim and a pile-driver from Emily following a fine run to the edge of the box. On another day it could have been 6 or 7……

The Foxes tired without subs and allowed a breakaway consolation goal as the back 3 got stretched, but had more than enough to see out the last few minutes.