Fri 16 Apr 2010
If the girls had played like this all season I could have died a happy man... the last few games have seen some truly awesome football, which even the best (other) teams in the league have struggled to cope with. Whilst it was supposed to be business as usual going into the last competitive game of the season, there was a bit of a carnival air to the match... it was played on a pitch conveniently located beside a pub - I'd never realised that Blue WKD was an energy drink!
To the match! We started with Alicia, Lori, Jess and Grace on the bench against a Beighton team who had become the only team beaten by Dronfield when the sides had met a few days earlier. The back 3 had a slightly new look as Ely B played lone central defender, with Ellie R moving into central midfield in place of Jess. Jazz took Grace's 'off' right wing position alongside Molly and the strike pairing today was Jordan Leigh and Oli Finch.
In the opening minute Beighton pushed forward and had a decent chance to open the scoring when the ball came down the left wing and a gilt edged chance was spoiled when the shot went wide with the Belles still half asleep. Almost from the restart the sand was rubbed from the eyes, the PJ's came off and boots replaced slippers as Niomi got the first of her 3 goals. The fact that she scored owes much to the pace and drive of Molly, who surged down the right wing and fired in a cross whilst at full speed (if Molly actually possesses a top speed) there was a bit of a scramble as Beighton's defence struggled to control the situation and Niomi tapped home without further invitation at the far post.
Niomi/Nouby needed no second party assistance for her next goal which came only 2 minutes later. She gathered the ball near the half-way line, skipped into enemy territory and off she went at pace, firing low under the keeper to take the score to 2-0 after 4 minutes and with the belles supposedly fielding a 'weakened' side!.
On 14 minutes, Molly terrorised a Beighton defender who obviously thought that she'd get some time to extricate herself from the increasingly worse situation that she found herself in as she tried desperately to shake off a right winger who had a chance of finishing as top scorer despite Nouby's goals. Seeing her opening, Molly dispossessed the Beighton player and played a ball in for Titch to knock home.
Standing in the centre-circle waiting to kick-off was the closest thing to a breather for Beighton. No sooner had they kicked-off than they were robbed of possession once more and Nouby went on another fine solo run to hit a personal hat-trick inside the opening 15 minutes of the game.
With 20 minutes gone it was time to unleash the big beasts from the touchline. Jazz, Jordan Leigh, Nouby and Oli made way for the 4 subs as Beighton continued to their credit to push forward, causing the occasional moments of apprehension in the Belles defence. On 23 minutes, Jess Lacey showed that she might still have a say in the top scorer stakes with a goal of her own taken in typical fashion. The score stayed at 5-0 going into half-time and it truth it was the easiest team talk ever for Trevor and myself.
The match restarted and there was no let-up. Just 2 minutes in and Lori went on a run down the right wing to remind us of what a great season she has had contributing so much. Lori crossed the ball, Jess could have took the cross but selflessly left it throwing the defence into confusion... Ellie raven shot, would she get her 1st goal of the season? no... she hit the post, but thankfully the story had a happy ending because she tapped the rebound into the net 6-0 and only Chloe left from the outfield players now to get onto the scoresheet for the season.
A minute later, with Chloe now having been pushed upfront as striker and Ellie moving to right back, Molly hit a long, high ball from about 25 yards and she had the decency not to appear surprised when the ball landed in front of the keeper, bounced over the outstretched arms proffered and dropped into the net for number 7, leaving the top scorers stakes tied with her and Nouby both on 17 for the season and with Jess just a goal behind.
In the 7th minutes Lori got her just reward for her efforts in recent matches, when she took on and beat 2 defenders before scoring number 8.
In the 20th minute, the Belles were awarded a penalty for handball... who to take? Chloe or Shona? With Chloe chasing a goal as the only remaining outfield player to get on the sheet, she was nominated, but unfortunately placing and power deserted her and the Beighton keeper saved the shot... would Chloe get onto the scoresheet at all?
5 minutes later and it was smiles all round as Chloe, warming to her unfamiliar role as a striker, managed to get a foot to a ball and tap home for what might not have been the most elegant or exciting of scores but represented a personal achievement for her and was to be the last goal of the season for the team.
Of course not knowing that the Belles scoring was complete, Shona came out of goal to try and chase just one more goal. At the same time the defensive back row were withdrawn and as Alicia went between the sticks as a more than able deputy, Jazz, Nouby and Titch became the smallest defence in the clubs 11-a-side history.
Shona charged about after a succession of half-chances and non-chances as the other players seemed to understand what it would mean for her and encouraged her ever onwards as they tried to set up a chance for her - but ultimately without success.
With just 3 minutes to go Beighton breached the Belles' defences for the first telling time in the match as Alicia conceded her first of the season... you're a really good keeper Alicia (actually you're also a more than competent defender as well as striker!) and conceding the goal was more as a result of me withdrawing the defenders.
The final whistle went with the Belles celebrating a fine end to a pretty good season - with the largest winning margin of the season to boot. Nouby and Molly shared the top scorer position on 17 each, Jess finished just one behind on 16 and Lori got into double figures on 13. The team finish 2nd in the league 8 points behind Barnsley but a more than comfortable 15 points ahead of 3rd place Crosspool. A very creditable performance this season from the girls with some Summer tournaments to look forward to before we start to press on for next season's challenges.
