BEECHOLME BELLES 3-1 READING GIRLS

The thin squad took its toll this week, when Reading went to second place Beecholme with 10 players.  A fantastic effort from the girls saw them push Beecholme all the way and they only started to run out of steam a bit in the last quarter of the game.

Like last week, Reading were a goal down inside a minute.  A cross from the right was well controlled and superbly struck into the roof of Kathryn Wood’s net.  With 10, the girls could have folded, however, they bravely stuck at it pressing the Beecholme team well and starting to play some good football.

After a succession of corners, Reading hit back on 15 minutes.  Olivia Gardiner’s throw found Tiff Brunton, who worked a bit of space on the left and hooked in a dangerous cross, which MILLIE Bilcliff met with a well placed glancing header.  Sian Wylie’s impressive long throw had already caused a few problems and one such throw was met by Hannah Sheehan who shot just wide. 

It was a credit to how well the girls worked, that the game in the first half was very tight with few chances.  Millie had a cracking first half considering she had to play the lone striker role.  Olivia, Tiff, Hannah and Jade did a great job supporting Millie, and were also having a strong game, tackling and winning plenty of ball.  The defence of Sophie, Sian, Charlotte and Rachel marked superbly, and were winning plenty of headers!!  Kathryn was again commanding her area very well to clear any danger.

The second half saw the lack of a player/subs, slowly but surely take its toll.  The game just started to open up and Reading remained spirited, but their resolve was broken with 20 mins to go as Beecholme took the lead.  Almost immediately, Millie just miscontrolled the ball at the vital moment when clean through, as Reading tried to hit back.  With 10 mins left, Sophie was very harshly adjudged to have tripped the Beecholme forward.  However, the resulting penalty was blazed over the bar.

As the game reached its latter stages a good cross from the right was nodded home for a final score of 3-1.  This was a terrific effort from the girls, who all played with plenty of heart, spirit, determination and plenty of skill. Hopefully we’ll be able to sign 1 or 2 more players on before the next game, to compliment the girls who played so well today.

I’ve left ‘muppet of the day’ out so far this season, but it is back with a vengeance this week.  A big thank-you to Steve Wood for running the line today, however if he is lino again one day, he may want to move the girls bags away from the touchline.  He was running down the line to keep up with a Beecholme attack and went hurtling into all the bags and took a bit of a tumble!!

LC