This week, unfortunately, the team was struck by injuries, and some personal circumstances, leaving a bare nine players to face Crosby Stuart. Brianna also carrying an injury, battled on to help make the numbers. The girls knew they had a tough seventy minutes ahead but were well up for it and more than ready.

It was a close fought game. Some great football from both sides. Laura H, Ellie and Erin C were working hard in the middle of the field to prevent the Crosby attacks. Brianna was pushing herself, carrying her injury on the wing to get back and defend when needed. It’s wonderful testament to Brianna’s commitment to this team and understanding what the team is striving for.

Anna, Olivia and Jas were solid at the back once again. They were excellent in defending every ball played in to danger areas and showed great courage and composure when trying to play out from the back. The girls are still working on this in training, and we all understand what needs to be done to bring it all together, but no one can fault the effort and desire to play great football as a team.

A driving run for Laura D down the left wing lead to an excellent driving shot at goal, so unlucky not to go into the net, the keeper tried to save it but the ball dropped to Gracie who had worked hard to get into the box to support Laura’s run, and it fell to her for a cool tap in.

1-0 at half time but the girls knew it just wasn’t clicking to their usual high standard. A bit of some tough realisation that they must turn this around and work harder for a convincing win against a strong Crosby Stuart team.

A great Captain’s decision from Jas was to rotate Laura D and Brianna’s wing positions, knowing that Brianna was bravely carrying the injury and maybe it was too much for her to get the crosses in from her right foot. Laura D was now free on the wing; the girls’ tempo had lifted and were attacking with speed and accuracy.

The midfield started to push up more to support the attacks. Laura D was constantly driving down the wing, taking players on with speed and composure, ending in quality balls into the danger areas of the opponent’s box. Gracie now working hard in midfield, she worked tirelessly to get into the box to meet these quality balls from Laura D, unfortunately not quite hitting the target, but the opportunities were coming.

Eventually, after more pressure down the right wing, Laura D won a corner. This was brilliantly taken, as a lofted ball towards Gracie. The player’s movement in the box created space for Gracie to head the ball into the corner of the goal. What a quality goal! 2-0 to the Reds, and well deserved!

The players had changed to a more attacking formation on the back of their lead. They knew this would leave them slightly open at the back, but they all worked hard to get back when needed.

More chances came, Ellie now being the striker found herself in front of goal, on the end of another quality ball played in from the right. Unfortunately for Ellie she hit it way over the goal. We all see this in any level of football, but when a players gives so much in all the areas of the pitch, as Ellie did during these seventy minutes, you just know the opportunities will come again. Ellie was obviously disappointed, we were more disappointed, only because she deserved a goal.

Another attack, this time from the left, Brianna still battling on down the wing, supported by Laura H, now an attacking midfielder, the girls played some great passing football and found Erin C positioned just outside the box for a touch and shoot opportunity; taken perfectly. 3-0

Crosby pulled a goal back, as they deserved to. Our girls worked hard to get back when they lost possession up the field, but some great passing from Crosby played through our defence and they found the back of the net.

We couldn’t ask any more from these nine players on the day. They gave everything for 70 minutes. Even when it wasn’t working for them, they never stopped working hard. They had lots of challenges and they battled through them all, as a team.

Girls of the Game went to Laura D and Jas.

A great fighting performance. A wonderful desire to carry on their amazing achievements to date. And another win for this brilliant bunch of girls.