GU12 21-Oct-06: Oswald Rd 1-14 Poynton Girls (HT 0-3)

For the second week running the Os took a bit of a battering. Also for the second week running the Os only just managed to get a team together to play! With several players attendance stuttering, and Midfield maestro Tara hit by a bug the night before we were again down to seven players. Sophie A. was feeling unwell but battled on, so before the game we knew we were up against it with no substitute options or the chance to rest players.

However the game started with Oswald looking the stronger of the two sides but Poynton the nippier. Both sides created chances and it was starting to look like an old time cup match, with play swinging from end to end. It was Poynton who took the chances, but Becks in goal kept the scoreline respectable.

However going in at half time four down is a difficult situation to think and play yourself out of when you have no tactical or substitution options. Tanya who had played well in the first half started to feel unwell an struggled, but to bring her off would have been suicide, so we battled on. Poynton took full advantage and rotated their players each one coming on with renewed vigour. The Os became the first team to score against a very good goal keeper after a well worked move left Ruq in front of goal and a cleverly placed shot beat their keeper. I think from this point we felt we had proved what we had to do, and the game went downhill from there with Managers and players just waiting to go home. However it was Zoe’s debut and she kept her head up throughout the game and will be a great asset in the future. Katie was still swinging the passes together and Sophie P, never gave up in her battle with her oppo. For her persistent and valiant efforts she became player of the day. Normal service should be resumed next week.

Mike

A very interesting game for the coaches…. We were down to seven again with Tara being ill overnight and Sukdev dropping out – and the seven included SophieA also feeling unwell (thanks for not throwing up in my car Soph) and Ruq with a heavily bandaged knee - so we were up against it from the start. Luckily, new player Zoe’s registration had come through so she was able to play her first game for us.

In the first half the Ozzie girls played extremely well, with the defenders closely marking and pressurising their attackers, and then passing the ball swiftly to midfield and attack. Poynton are a very good team with some extremely good and swift players, and they pass the ball quickly as well so they kept up the pressure on our goal from the beginning scoring after only 6 minutes. We then had quite a few chances but their goalkeeper and defence managed to keep us out. Our main problem was we weren’t as fast as Poynton in moving up to support attack and back to help defence, whereas they consistently overloaded our defence but still managed to get back for midfield and defensive duties. Our defence and keeper managed to keep out most of their attacks in spite of being outnumbered and their second and third goals which came on 15 and 25 minutes respectively were very good goals from swift passing and hit hard into the corners of the goal, giving Becky no chance.

In the second half, we switched some players around to strengthen midfield and attack, moving Ruq to defence and Katie up to midfield. Unfortunately Poynton decided to do something similar and our defence got slaughtered, often being outnumbered 2-to-1 as our rapidly tiring midfield and attack couldn’t get back to help out. Poynton were not only fitter, they also had subs available and so they found it easier and easier to run the ball past us. We still managed to mount some attacks, and when we were 0-7 down, 23 minutes into the half, Zoe and SophieA combined to get the ball off Poynton and pass it to Katie who crossed it in to Ruqayyah who hit the ball first time straight into the corner of the goal – this was the first goal Poynton had conceded this season! The last ten minutes were a shambles with our tired players barely managing a slow jog and – more importantly – making mistakes which were seized on by their attackers. Most of the goals were scored then with the referee finding a ridiculous extra 5 minutes from somewhere.

Overall, the coaches were happy with the team performance. ALL of the girls tried hard, SophieA did a lot of work despite being ill, Ruq limped around swiftly when needed and Katie blocked, dribbled (with the ball) and passed all match. Becky (Reb / Becks / Beckaroonie) saved zillions of shots, Tanya ran endlessly and SophieP ran herself into the ground. Zoe played great and will strengthen our midfield and attack. Sophie Pointon got our player of the match as she kept going all match even when she was shattered at the end, and Rebecca got Poynton’s player of the match as it would have been 1-30 without her!

Kamal

Team: SophieA, Ruqayyah, Zoe, Tanya, SophieP, Katie, Rebecca
Goals (& Assists): 2^nd half – Ruqayyah (Katie)
Opposition’s Player of the Match: Rebecca
Managers’ Player of the Match: SophieP