Your Rugby Town U15’s Team for this match: Sunday 29th September
Sponsored by Mala Beds, High Street, Rugby.
GK – Immie, DF – Annabelle, DF – Ruby D, DF – Elsie, CM – Ruby L, CM – El, CM – Tills (captain), LW – Chloe, RW – Macey, CF – Sophia, ST – Anais
Subs – Japjeevan, Masie, Sukhmani, Emily, Olivia, Amy
It was great to be back playing at Butlin Road, without the need for a canoe and waders after the last home match was abandoned due to weather that only Noah would have appreciated.
Having trained hard all Summer, the parents of the U15’s had been rewarded by having Tuesday nights off. The timing of this and the return of Strictly: It Takes Two at 6pm on BBC2 are thought to be merely a coincidence despite the rumours of this being the Director of Football’s favourite TV programme. Those rumours remained unconfirmed at the time of writing and that pitch availability was the reason for the change, but press speculation is something that the modern football manager has come to expect.
The girls from Asfordby would have had to have made a quickstep start to their day to arrive in time for the 9:30am kick-off, and it was great to see them arrive in good numbers. With an attacking 3-5-2 formation, Rugby went straight on the attack with El playing passes from the centre of the pitch to Chloe and Macey out wide on the wings and then crosses coming into the centre of the area, putting into play the drills practiced on Friday night. The first chance came from a tremendous cross from Macey into the area and Anais showed some Latin hustle to get on the end of it and was unlucky to see her shot rebound off the bar.
More pressure followed and the Asfordby defence were on the backfoot in trying to cope with the passing and movement of the Rugby girls, with even the linesman struggling to keep up with the pace of the play despite receiving encouragement from the supporters.
A tremendous corner led to a headed chance for Sophia, who was unlucky to see her attempt go just wide of the far post. From the resulting goal-kick, Asfordby made a break towards goal and Immie made a loud clear shout to take control of the situation and provided confidence to her defenders. This was integral in proving the strong defence that the formation was relying upon and Immie was working well as a unit with her back 3 of Elsie, Ruby and Annabelle. They were all communicating well and them all being vocal was great to hear.
Playing out from the back with a short pass to Annabelle, a short pass to Ruby D, a short pass to El was all done with crisp firm passes and with a cha-cha-cha rhythm that the Asfordby team were struggling to handle and a mistimed tackle led to the Asfordby trainer making a slow tango on to the pitch to treat the player. The first half continued with Tills showing her strength and composure in midfield and linking up with El, who continued her fine start to the season as she sambas around her opponents with some incredible balance and footwork.
One of the noticeable differences this season has been the attempts on goal, with Anais, Chloe, Tills and Sophia all taking shots and mounting pressure on the Asfordby goal. A superb through ball from the centre of midfield creating the chance for Anais to be 1 on 1 with the goal keeper and she calmly slotted the ball home to make the score 1:0.
The first round of substitutions brought on Amy and Japjeevan, and they both have real pace that kept the Asfordby defence moving and creating space for the midfield to exploit. Sophia was enjoying herself and making her trademark jive runs, and at one point had three defenders attempting to tackle her. From the resulting throw in, Ruby L. had a long shot and was unlucky to see this go just wide. More terrific midfield play saw El taking a long shot that was well saved, and the Asfordby goal was leading a charmed life.
Asfordby were forced into trying to play on the counter-attack but kept coming up against the composed defending of all four girls, with Olivia and Elsie both demonstrating their calmness on the ball and rather than simply hitting the ball out of play were activity looking for a team mate to pass to. A rare Asfordby attack was well covered by the defence and Annabelle showed great control in taking the ball down, going around the attacker and then playing into the feet of the midfielders. With Asfordby trying to push further up, a tremendous tackle from Ruby D was harshly judged to be a foul and a free kick was given. Her frustration was shared by the supporters as no-paso-doble-way was it a foul and although she received a yellow card for talking back, the supporters were fully supportive of her. Immie organised her wall and watching calmly as the resulting free-kick went sailing past her goal as the half-time whistle went.
The second half continued in the same fashion, and Anais carved out a chance for Japjeevan who was unlucky to see her shot hit the goalkeeper then hit the post and go out for a corner. Macey was identified as an attacking threat and often had two defenders on her, but was still able to make a great cross for Ruby L. to shoot which was well saved. The Rugby girls were enjoying themselves and a quick throw from Sophia was played across to El who shot from the edge of the area and 2:0.
Emily was getting stuck into midfield and passes were being played into space out wide, that Chloe and Amy were able to exploit and forcing corner after corner. A great east coast swing cross from Anais found Macey waltzing in at the far post and a superb shot was into the corner of the net for 3:0.
Having just scored Macey was substituted, which left some of the supporters a little bemused, as the manager brought on Sukhmani to play up front. After a long shot from Anais was well saved by the goalkeeper, Sukhmani was alive to the situation as she pounced on the rebound, rounded the keeper and with her first touch placed the ball into the far corner of the net for 4:0 and showed why the manager is the big bolero in making these decisions.
In the final stages of the match, some lovely play from Tills and Sophia kept the pressure on and the link up play demonstrated that it takes two to tango as they both were looking to get on to the score sheet. The defence were playing incredibly well, with some parents even commenting – out loud – that we were looking like keeping another clean sheet. This naturally led to one of the Asfordby forwards playing a hopeful cross that looped up and over Immie into the net to make the final score 4:1.
A special mention to Maisie who couldn’t get on to the pitch due to the limited number of substitutions but supported her teammates throughout the match from the bench, demonstrating the real team spirit that the girls are building up. The Asfordby coaches were very complimentary about the Rugby Town performance and were naturally delighted to be told that half the team were the U14’s playing up a year… If only the girls could play in an all-pink kit ideally with sequins…?
Parents 10 from Len Player of the Match – Tills
Coaches Pickle My Walnuts Player of the Match – Emily
Managers Player Ruby D.
Thank you to the referee and linesmen for their performances and to the supporters of both sides who were cheering the girls on throughout and managed to (mostly) stay on the right side of good-humored contributions.
Brought to you by Rugby Town (former) Sportswriter of the Year