8 Oct 2005, Girls U13: Oswald Rd 2 – 1 Sale Utd (HT:1-1)

Oswald Rd set off to a brilliant start, we had possession of the ball and we were marking their players very tightly. 10 minutes into the game Sale scored a fluky goal, but our team started to mark and pass even more brilliantly. Then soon Frankie ran down the pitch with the ball and then shot it into the back of the net. In the second half 10 minutes in we had the advantage, goalie Molly kicked the ball out to Rayne and she dribbled it past 2 of Sale’s players and then she crossed it into the box to midfielder Hanaan who then slipped it into the back of the net making it 2-1 to Oswald. WELL DONE OZZIE GIRLS!!!!!!

By Hanaan Hashmi

A really good game from the team – much better than a fortnight ago against the same opposition! The passing was as good as last time but the defending was much tighter this time and midfield held the ball very well. However, at the beginning, we did wobble a bit in defence and Rayne had to pull off a series of great saves, including a good save from a free kick that was almost a penalty. Sales’ No.10 could shoot first time – hard and accurate – and when the ball ran to her and she was given an instant free with the ball, she whacked it past Rayne. We again had lots of chances but their goalkeeper made some good saves – however this time we didn’t let any goals in and when Frankie made yet another mazy run and shot between the keeper and Jody, we equalised 1-1. Molly‘s ankle had been injured earlier in the week and it was getting sore, so in the second half she went into goal, freeing Rayne to come into midfield (Shelley & Corrina had planned for Jody to go into goal). Molly did really well in goal even though her sore ankle hampered her kicks.

The second half was when Oswald Rd showed how good they were because Sale upped the tempo but when the going gets tough, Oswald Rd gets going. Ignoring the cold and constant rain, we fought for every ball and sent attack after attack up the field – Hanaan and Rayne kept winning the ball in midfield, passing and running forward to help Frankie and Jody, but getting back as well to help the defence when needed. Frankie and Jody made lots of runs for passes, and when an attack failed they went back for more. Finally Rayne got the ball on the right wing, went past a couple of players and crossed the ball in hard to Jody and Hanaan who’d both made runs up from midfield. It went just past Jody and the desperate defenders but Hanaan got to it and guided it in past a despairing goalie! The move was so perfect, it was almost like a training exercise. Sale upped the pressure even more and our defenders really showed how good they’d become with Niamh shadowing every move they made and intercepting and tackling brilliantly as always. Roberta played so well we’re going to find it tough putting her back in goal! There were two beautiful moves she did – one was unbelievable Italian-style defending, a last minute tackle from the side in front of goal, clearing the ball into touch just as the attacker was going to kick for goal; and the other was a cool hard shimmy to get in front of a attacker to intercept a ball and clear it to our midfield.

All in all, a great first win! Next week we’ve a tough game against Unicorn Saphires who hammered Woodbank Athletic 13-2.

By Kamal

Oppositions’ Player of the Match: Rayne

Players’ Player of the Match: ALL

Goals: 1^st half – Frankie, 2^nd half – Hanaan