Under 17s Match Reports Page 2
Saturday 7th March
Belgrave Bullets 1 v Ferndale 3
With a 1.30 KO scheduelled, the other side of Tamworth, this put the team in a very awkward predicament as Sophi J, Sophi B and Emma were all unavailable due to work commitments. With Mel also still recovering from illness, this meant we had to travel with a squad of 8. Fortunately for us Belgrave also only had 8 players, a problem Phill, their manager, has had all season.
Playing a 3-3-1 formation with Kirsten up front the girls found it difficult to struggle with this in the opening 20 minutes, and although chances came to Kirsten, Cat and Jodi, they couldn’t find the target. The home side were physical, but fair, and were used to this formation and at times created their own chances, but Heidi was strong and kept them at bay.
Jodi Boraston got her 3rd goal since joining us after Nat played a perfect pass, splitting the defence, for Jodi to finish brilliantly and give us the lead. However, Belgrave always looked dangerous on the break and just before half time got their equaliser with a similar move to ours.
The second half saw us play with the wind on our backs and to be fair dominated mst of the second half. The girls passed the ball around a lot better and this paid off as further goals came from Cat Wassell and a sneaky effort from Nat Chadney.
This was a rewarding result for the girls on the back of a poor month and hopefully will lift their spirits for a fight to end the season in a respectable position
Well done girls, proud of you all as usual
Sat 21 March
U17 Prem
Ferndale 12 v Birch Coppice Bullets 2
Birch Coppice travelled to Kidderminster with 9 players, which has been their Achilles heel all season. I take my hat off to them, even though goals were being banged in left right and centre, they showed fantastic spirit all the way to the final whistle. There are not many teams who week in, week out, would take a beating and continue to turn up and play.
Ferndale’s tactics were to concentrate on passing the ball and use the game for possession practice ahead of their two final games of the season.
It took 3 minutes for Ferndale’s 11 players to score with Sophie Bradshaw firing in from close range after some fine passing between Zaffino, Bradshaw and Oliver. 7 minutes later and Emma Lacey fired in a left shot to the top corner, giving the keeper no chance.
It would be totally unfair for me to report on a result that was unfair due to the player advantage Ferndale had.
Goal scorers on the day were Sophie Bradshaw 6, Sophie Johnson 2, Heidi Mitchell (GK) 2 and further goals from Emma Lacey & Lucy Millward.
A positive out of the game was that Lucy Millward scored her first of the season and Heidi Mitchell was allowed a rare occasion to come out of goal, replaced by Mel Zaffino, and get 2 goals, which in all accounts will be her only two as she is needed back in goal for the remaining two games.
Visiting Bullets did manage to get 2 consolation goals for their efforts on field. Well done to them.
Well done to all the Ferndale girls for displaying some excellent football.
Central Warwickshire League
Under 17 Girls
Sat 28 March 2009
FERNDALE GIRLS 1 v MARSTON GREEN 0
For the second week running, Ferndale’s opposition could only manage 9 players, whereas Ferndale managed 11 players.
Team talk was simple. “keep possession and concentrate on your passing game. 3pts are yours for the taking but don’t expect Marston to lie down and roll over as they can muscle you out of the game.”
The game plan was not working for us! We came away with a 1-0 win, but Marston made it very difficult for us.
New player Izzy, desperate to score her first goal, was again denied by the upright for the second week running, and Sophie Bradshaw, who scored 6 last week, was denied by the cross bar and failed to find her form. A perfect free kick from vice captain Kirsten Oliver, was heading for goal when the visiting keeper pulled off a brilliant 1 handed save to knock it out for a corner.
Marston had their chances, and some great defending denied them their chances. Nat Chadney made a perfect timed tackle in the box, when their striker looked like she only had keeper Heidi Mitchell to beat.
But it was captain Sophie Johnson who broke the deadlock with 15 minutes left to play when she muscled her way past 2 defenders and neatly slotted over the on-coming keeper. What a sigh of relief from all of us.
F E R N D A L E Y O U T H G I R L S & L A D I E S F O O T B A L L C L U B
