When the fixtures came out, this game looked in doubt given that we could struggle to get 7 girls out on a bank holiday weekend. At 10:45 however we were so pleased that we had managed to play it, the performance was absolutely brilliant and the scoreline easily reflective of the dominance of the yellow shirts.
With football news dominated this week by El Classico, as well of course of the pizza night, we had some Spanish like sunshine and a Spanish star player in player of the match Elia.
The first 7 players arriving at Victoria Park were given the starts, with Rebecca and Kate starting on the bench. In goal was the League's number 1 Lucie, Ellie and Emma at the back, Lily in centre mid with Lauren and Elia alongside and surprise arrival Caitlin up front. Wirral Hawks won the toss and decided to play up the slope. This meant Waverton would have to capitalise on the advantage in the first 30 minutes and would have a tiring task in the second.
The ground was hard and dusty and it was going to be very difficult out there. Lots of breaks and water needed. Lucie was worried about the dust affecting her eyes and wanted to wear sunglasses.
Right from the start Waverton looked sharp. Elia ran down the left and set up a chance for Caitlin. At the back Ellie was buzzin' and was brilliant bringing the ball out. Lauren wide right was playing her best football ever and one pass forward was as inch perfect as it could be. It was brilliant to see how she has improved. Emma was calm and solid at the back and Lily was keeping things together in the centre. Bits and pieces, the centre midfield players simple task.
It was Caitlin though who gave the away side the lead and could have had many more than the 4 she did score before half time. The goals were wide and ripe for a high scoring game. At 1-0 to Waverton though, the Hawks got a goal back in bizarre circumstances. A shot at goal was handled by a yellow shirt and when it spun backwards, Lucie cleared it off the line. However, instead of giving a penalty , the ref gave a goal, explaining that it deserved a goal. Lucie was furious, she had set out this morning with a determination to keep a clean sheet and the ball had not crossed the line. She was adamant later that she would have saved the penalty.
1-1 it was but not for long as Caitlin went up the other end and restored the lead with another net buster.
Lucie made an absolute brilliant save after first misjudging the bounce of a long ball on the hard surface but got back fantastically to knock the ball out for a corner.
The football being played was first class and some of the spectators not connected to the club watching commented on how good it was. Two lads said they were impressed.
Not long before half time, Ellie challenged for a ball on the far side of the field but went over on her ankle in pain. The game was stopped and Ellie was in distress. Cold water and a compress was applied and then ice and then frozen peas from the corner shop courtesy of Mark Brooks. The hard pitch was the culprit, it is so easy to do at this time of the season. Ellie's game was over and although it hadn't swelled up too much at the time, Ellie would later have to go to A&E for a check up.
Lily dropped to the back to play alongside Emma and was superb.
At half time the team talk was just about keeping it simple and doing what the team had been doing in the first half. "Lets do it for Ellie" was the plan.
It was clear that despite having the downhill advantage, and Waverton had lost a star player who had been driving the team along, the heads of the Hawks girls were down and Waverton were managing to keep their lead.
Kate, who was unwell, was thown up front for 10 minutes whilst Caitlin was rested. Kate later almost scored a goal but hit the post following great work from Caitlin. Rebecca too nearly scored when a great cross came over but she just couldn't make it. Lucie kept out the home team with another brave dive on the hard and dusty surface right at the feet of the attackers. She's brilliant.
Caitlin made sure the game was done and dusted with a fifth goal near to the end. That puts her in an uncatchable position in the goalscoring table, impressive for someone who can only play half of the games.
The game ended to cheers from the away side. It had not only been a decisive result against a team that thrashed us 8-2 at Waverton in October, but a brilliant footballing performance. Some of the passing was excellent. Even more the conditions had been tricky with a hard and dusty surface and the heat making running around hard. Losing Ellie too unsettled the side, but they adjusted so well.
Once again Elia was given player of the match, another well deserved accolade for the tricky one. Sophie Goldtress was the Hawks player of the match.
Well done everyone and lets hope Ellie gets better soon.
Funniest bits of the day:
- Geoff the referee trying to explain to our girls before the game that the players must not say 'leave it' or 'mine' when going for the ball, but put a name on it. He was bombarded with a series of questions that made him wish he hadn't started. "No, you can't say Justin Biebers"
- Lucie's face when the non goal was given. You don't mess with an angry Lucie.
- An unamed parent who asked if the goal still counted if the ball went through the back of the net.
- Everyone willing Rebecca to dive to head the ball into the net in the second half.
