Match Report - POMPEY IN THE COMMUNITY GIRLS - 06 Nov 2021

Errors Cost Juniors’

Pompey. 5

Juniors. 1

The girls travelled to Pompey for a lunchtime ko. Not ideal preparation again losing Holly and Bobbi with late illness/injury issues and Annabel still sidelined with Covid added to longer term absentees Mya and Sadie.

A really competitive start by both teams, tackles strong but fair which would set the tone for the next eighty minutes. It was also obvious from the early minutes that they were up against a good side throughout and that mistakes would have to be kept to a minimum. The half seemed to fly by, Juniors’ struggling to create any sort of clear cut chances but also limiting the hosts, the majority of the half being played in the midfield third. Juniors’ best early raids came from the right hand side, Carly the provider of several crosses but this was ended by the turn of an ankle and the unfortunate Carly limped out of the action for the day and the team had no more cards to play numbers wise. The first goal of the game followed, Kacey misjudging a back pass leaving an open goal for Pompey’s unbelieving centre forward (1-0). On the stroke of half time the referee managed to assist a second goal. After being hit by the ball deep in the home teams’ half he dropped it back to them which was hit long before the girls had time to retreat giving an easy finish (2-0).

HT 2-0

The girls were caught early in the second half pushing for a game changing goal, a quick break and a good finish, rounding Millie prior to slotting home (3-0). From a low point the girls showed the determination and character to drag themselves back, Lauren seeing her effort blocked by the goalkeeper and Summer going close. Good pressure from Megan gave Brooke a chance which went narrowly wide before their persistence did pay off, Emilie lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper from Brooke’s assist (3-1). Millie saved well from a free kick before being rounded again in a carbon copy of the third goal (4-1). The team showed bags of character during what proved a difficult match, standing their ground and matching a very physical side but again a combination of mistakes an lapses of concentration had cost them. They can have no arguments with a good final goal however, a good move, cross and finish (5-1).

Summary: A battling performance against a well structured team. The final score seemed very harsh and did not reflect what was a very competitive match. Concentration let the guard down and they were punished, mistakes were punished, with these omitted there was very little to separate the teams. The girls must stay positive and learn from games like this. All the girls that played today can hold their heads high, they gave it everything, just not their day today.

FT 5-1

??Abbie

??Eva

??Brooke