Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League – U10 Division 1 – 19^th Nov 2011

Hitchin Belles Girls v Bury Rangers Girls (0-4)

Squad: Grace Davis, Abby Tallentire (GK1), Piper Wright, Libby Norman, Madeline Vincent, Grace Garrad, Lois Ruane (GK 2^nd Half), Izzy Alder.

On a bright November morning, Bury Rangers Girls were looking to avenge a recent home loss against Hitchin Belles. Bury started well and forced a corner early on, it was swung in by Lois Ruane and Grace Garrad forced a good save from the Hitchin keeper. As the half wore on there were chances for both sides with Bury carving out the better chances.  Abby Tallentire was solid in the Bury goal and made a couple of good saves herself and her ball distribution and goal kicking was first class, setting Bury on numerous attacks with her quick thinking.  In front of Abby, Grace Davis and Madeline Vincent were having great games too with Madeline putting in a stellar player of the match performance to nullify the Hitchin strikers (and any other player that moved) throughout the whole match.  Lois Ruane, Piper Wright and Libby Norman worked some nice moves going forward to create a few chances for Grace Garrad who found the Hitchin keeper on top form.  Half way through the first half keeper Abby found Piper with a good long throw out, some nice interplay between Piper and Libby managed to leave the Hitchin keeper in no-girls-land and following up with her predatory instincts was Grace Garrad to slam the ball home from close range to make it 1-0 to Bury.  Not long after Izzy Alder took a quick throw in which found Grace Davis, she fed Grace Garrad who in turn fed Lois. Lois shot and the ball was saved once again. Hitchin pressed before half time and more good defending from Grace Davis and Madeline was required and a couple of excellent saves by Abby kept the score at 1-0 at half time.  Lois Ruane went in goal for the second half and showed what a good all-round, intelligent footballer she is. Spraying her clearances and goal kicks to all parts of the pitch to relieve any pressure on the Bury goal and a smattering of saves, one a flying save pushing a Hitchin shot onto the post.  The saves were not that numerous, but vital in the context of the match.  Her efforts were matched by the whole team who defended from the front, the midfield and the back, everyone busted a gut to get the ball back when it was lost.  This work ethic began to wear Hitchin down and Bury began to be more incisive in front of goal.  Libby beat two Hitchin payers down the left wing and won a throw in. A quick throw to Grace Garrad saw her faced by two Hitchin defenders, she ghosted past both and scored from an impossibly acute angle to make it 2-0 to Bury.  Almost immediately afterwards a long goal kick from Lois was picked up by Grace G, who ran 20 yards unchallenged and whacked the ball in from outside the area to complete her hat-trick and make it 3-0 to Bury.  Abby, Izzy and Madeline all put in great tackles to stop various Hitchin attacks as they went gung-ho to try and pull one back.  Piper Wright ran the length of the pitch to make a tackle back, that was typical of the performance today.  The icing on the cake was a great run by Libby down the left, she crossed in and it just eluded Grace G.  Following up on the right wing was Madeline, who crossed in again and found Grace G.  Grace shifted the ball and slotted home, just to show she can do it with her right foot as well, to make it 4-0 to Bury. More great team work and defending by Abby, Grace D, Izzy and Madeline including a triple block by Abby helped to secure the 3 points and a deserved victory.