Location: Bath City home ground at Monkton Combe School
Kick-off time: 10.30 am, Sunday 23rd November 2008
Weather: Overcast turning to Sunny by half time. Gentle breeze. Temp 9 degrees.
Result: Bath City U14s 3 – 4 Bradford Youth FC U14s
This friendly was arranged by Bath to allow a number of U14s they have coming to training to actually get a game, because their team competes in the U13s league and therefore their U14s are ineligible. At the point in the season the match took place, Bath City led the U13s league with a 100% record of 4 wins and 4 victories.
We looked forward to this match because our team is very similar to Bath’s, in that we have three U14 players coming to training (in a squad of 12), but rather than exclude them, we play up a league. At the time the match took place we were third in the U14s league (of only four teams), with 2 losses and 1 win. Consequently we felt that the two teams would be similar in composition and mix of ages, so we were very keen to play them. That said, we were a little intimidated by their record, although a closer look at the stats in their league demonstrated that they were vulnerable in defence and conceded goals.
Additionally, due to the numbers of girls available, we decided to play a 9-a-side game. This was a great idea by the Bath City coach and a completely novel experience for the girls, playing a 1-3-3-2 formation, compared with the 1-2-2-2 formation we play in 7-a-side. Needless to say we played on a bigger pitch, designed for 11-a-side boys football for the U11s.
The game turned out to be a very balanced affair, with the teams swapping goals from the outset. Bath took the lead early on, but we equalised soon after. By half time the score was even at 2-2. The game progressed in the second half with Bath going ahead again, only for us to equalise again. Our winner came with about 15 minutes left to play, following which we put on a great defensive display to keep the score-line at 3-4. We could easily have made it 5 or 6 as tired legs and Bath pushing forward saw us create a number of opportunities on the break.
Goalscorers were Millie, who should have come home with the match ball, having scored a great hat-trick, and Sophie, who played in midfield for the second half, and supported well, the reward coming by being in the right place at the right time to sweep up a deflected ball from another shot by Millie.
The team for the day was
Kate (GK), Fran, Zoe R and Georgia, in defence, Laura, Zoe K and Sophie in midfield and Becky and Millie up front. Michelle started on the bench but came on for Becky up front.
Everyone played a superb match, really, everyone did, and I’m very proud of you all. I would like to make a small number of special mentions, though: Firstly, our defensive unit of Fran, Zoe R and Georgia, was fantastic, though-out, but Zoe R, time and again, was covering all the spaces and played the ball out of defence with composure, terrific work Zoe R. In addition, Georgia’s game was interrupted after about 10 minutes by the consequence of a brave block which caught her in the face. The nose bleed that followed was epic in proportions, but she soldiered on later on in the game (despite looking a bit pale through blood loss, only joking!) and made a terrific contribution. Sophie, had a superb game, with tireless running to support the game when in attack and always keen to recover when possession was lost, her defensive instincts taking over time and again. Finally, Millie chased down every opportunity for attack, took on their defenders time and again, and was really strong against their midfielders, who had wised up to her pace by the second half. A well deserved hat-trick was her reward.
As I said, everyone played superbly and we should take it as a sign of our real capabilities and not be too downhearted when we get beaten by teams full of U14s, like Melksham Town. We played some really good football today and we came away with a well deserved win against a very good team. Congratulations all of you!
Steve.
