The residents of the houses around St Georges School in Wallasey would have had their Saturday morning quiet punctuated by an hour of "oooh", "aaah", "go on", "yes" "no" etc, such was the excitement. One of them would have their quiet disturbed by a ball nearly hitting their window. It was a great game, another good advert for girls football, and another good encounter with Greenleas.
As the team warmed up, they sang 'Happy Birthday' to Elia, last week's player of the match missing to celebrate with her family, but not forgotten. Ellie was on the subs bench but unlikely to play given her still sore ankle.
The subs selection was done on a toss of a coin with Lily losing out. The team lined up: Lucie still angry from the non-goal last week in the goal with the hole (a big huge hole on the goal line); Kate and Emma at the back; the midfield trio of Rebecca, Kiera and Lauren and surprise visitor Caitlin up front.
Waverton took the initiative with an attack down the right and it soon led to a breakthrough with Kiera putting the ball into the net. 1-0.
Greenleas came back into it and equalised and took the lead soon after. The first was a good goal but the second was a defensive mix up which finished up with Lucie saving a close range shot, scrambling to save it on the ground, but her momentum carried her back into the net holding the ball.
Waverton continued to pepper the home end. Lauren would have scored the goal of the season connecting well from a cross from the right but her shot went over the top. Lily went close, Rebecca went close, Caitlin was inches wide, then inches over, before Kiera picked up a ball on the edge of the box and hit a high firm shot over the keeper and into the net. 2-2 and back in it. At the other end, Emma was unhappy but was doing fine. Kate was playing brilliantly, easily her best game, getting more and more confident and strong as the game went on. Some of her tackles were very well timed.
The half time talk was about keeping things simple and that the game was there for the taking. Rebecca came off with Lauren back on. Kiera had a brilliant chance when she ran through the middle and clashed with the keeper just as she was about to put the ball in the net. It was so brave and she got injured. Caitlin went close again, but too often we were having snatched shots. In training they'd have been buried.
Right to the very end it could have gone either way although it was Waverton who looked stronger. A succession of corners near the whistle put pressure on the home side, but they defended very well.
It ended even, a fair result for all girls on the pitch. If all games were like this, we'd be charging for watching.
Player of the match, Caitlin and for Greenleas Lucy Jones.
Training resumes again on Monday night. 7-8 at Waverton.
