Sunday 27th September
Sponsored by Kunis Coffee and Comics
Venue: Judgemeadow Community College, Marydene Drive, Evington, Leicester LE5 6HP
Weather: Cool and Windy.
Ground: Perfect.
Rugby Team: Vince, Kiki, Ruby, Em, Bailey, Emily, Soapy, Afua, Hav, Hev, Shania.
We travelled to Oadby, Leicestershire for our first League game in the Yellow League, the top flight division at U12 level after our deserved promotion in our debut season last year. We were welcomed by the Oadby Owls coaching staff to their impressive setup. Having played them 3 times last year, we knew we were in for a tough game. With plenty of practice of shooting in the warm up, the girls took to the field.
It was always going to be a game of two halves, a sloping pitch together with a strong downhill wind, provided Rugby with a first half advantage. We would need to turn the advantage into goals to give us something to fight for in the second half.
First half kicked off with Rugby camped in the Oadby half for long periods. A few players missing from last season, Rugby had Vince and Kiki playing in unfamiliar positions and Shania, Emily and Afua making their debuts in a new formation. We grew in confidence in the half and after a couple near misses, took an early lead with a Bailey close range effort. Hav was using her experience and cool head up front, supported by Afua, who was proving to be a handful up front, using her pace and strength to force Oadby back to defend in numbers. Bailey and Soapy were flying down both wings, with Em in support and Emily playing a midfield defensive role, providing cover for the defensive duo of Ruby and Kiki.
Kiki filling in at left back was excellent, using her pace, energy and no-nonsense tackling along side ever reliable Ruby. Vince in goal was a mere bystander, as the Rugby pressing, weather and pitch provided Oadby with nothing in front of goal.
Rugby’s set plays were proving successful, some fantastic corners by Soapy and Hav, with Oadby finding them difficult to defend. After numerous corners, Hav hammered one in, and an unlucky Owls defender sliced into her own net. We knew we needed another goal before halftime so to inject fresh legs, Shania came on for Em and was busy in midfield breaking up their play and Hev replaced Hav linking up the forward play.
After an Oadby goal kick, some excellent pressuring on the ball, resulted in Bailey and Soapy exchanging passes, allowing Bailey to run through and slot the ball past the keeper and into the net. First half ended with Rugby holding a 3-0 advantage, but with a challenge for the second half.
Em replaced Vince in goal for the start of the second half, as Oadby came out of the blocks pinning Rugby back. Our midfield were forced to help the defence as Oadby began applying pressure in a bid to get back into the game early. We battled for every ball and road the storm, before starting to mount our own attacks. A long throw into the box from Emily, provided panic in the ranks of Oadby’s defence allowing Hav to lash home from close range.
Further substitutions allowed Vince to replace Shania, in her preferred midfield role, and followed her to link up with Emily providing a strong central midfield unit. Emily kept using her long throw-ins as aerial bombardment. Hev replaced Afua and joined her sister up front, working well together holding the ball up front.
With 10 minutes to go, hesitation on the edge of the Rugby box allowed the Oadby striker to move forward and shoot high into the Rugby net. With their tails up, Oadby began attack after attack with long balls through the defence, firstly one on one with the keeper, Em stood firm saving with her knee a point blank range. Minutes later, again threw on goal the Oadby forward forces Em into a diving save, pushing the ball out to another Oadby player, whose first time shot moved towards goal, as Em scrabbled back and dived full stretch stopping the ball and an Oadby attacker on the goal line.
The game ended with a positive performance for the girls and an impressive and entertaining 4-1 win.
Overall Performance:
Grew in confidence and took control of the game, Massive improvement in positional play, pressuring the opponents into mistakes, strong tackling and energy levels. Fantastic battling team effort by the girls and credit to them the way they listened to clear instructions and took the game to Oadby.
Coaches player of the match:
Em – made 3 World class saves at U12 level. Bravely diving at the strikers feet and saving the ball on the goal line, the best of the 3. She is fearless.