Match Report - ANDOVER NEW STREET YOUTH U14 GIRLS - 12 Sep 2020

The girls’ kicked off the new season expecting a tough encounter against a team that are getting a reputation not always for the right reasons!

To be fair, the away team came out of the blocks quickly and threatened early on with strong penetrating runs that Millie and her defence just about coped with to keep the scores level. As the half went on, Juniors’ grew into the game and were beginning to create chances of their own. Brooke’s work rate and hold up play was drawing the defence towards her leaving space for our wide players, Meg and Charlotte. It was Brooke’s hold up play that created the opening goal, Meg receiving her pass, taking on her player and finishing with real quality (1-0). The girls pushed on and were soon asking more questions of their opponents, a series of near misses led to a second goal of real quality, Meg providing the cross and Kaitlyn timing her run to side foot home (2-0). The second goal seemed to tip the balance of Andover being a tough competitive team to them being an over aggressive, intimidating bunch! Andover’s threat was coming from the boot of their GK but generally the team coped well. The girls’ saw the half out comfortably and deservedly led by the two goals at the break. HT 2-0.

The next goal was surely going to prove crucial, the team re-grouped and went again. The visitors seemed to come out even more fired up after the break but the girls stood toe to toe and refused to be intimidated. A real shock 10 mins into the half, the referee blew his whistle and gave the girls a free kick! Charlotte picked herself up, took the kick and floated the ball over the GK and into the net (3-0). A deserved rest for Sophie and Lauren saw Annabel get her first game time of the season and a debut for Abigail, both girls settled well and gave good accounts of themselves. Andover’s tactics didn’t not change, big goal kicks seemed their most likely way back, although Faye, Eva and Mya took on the challenge of winning most of them. As the game drifted into the final 5 mins it really seemed job done, for all their faults, giving up was not one of them and the visitors struck two late goals (3-2) to make the score line closer. The girls’ saw the game out however to deservedly take all three points.

Summary: A great start to the season for the team. Individually and as a group the girls stood up to a strong intimidating team, pulling together and deservedly claiming the victory.