Bury Rangers Girls U11 vs St Albans City South, Presdales, 21^st Jan 2012 (3-2)

A look at the Hertfordshire Girls Partnership website prior to Saturday’s match would have told you that opposition, St Albans City South, sat in second place in the table, one position and three points above Bury and had been on an eight game winning run dating back to the first week in October.  Further analysis would have told you that: 1) they had been averaging over four goals a game during that run, conceding only occasionally and; 2) you might have a bit too much time on your hands.  The girls care not a jot about any of this and turned up in usual high spirits to learn that the kick off had to be brought forward thirty minutes to accommodate all the teams wishing to play on the regulation pitches.  A professional looking St Albans outfit had arrived in plenty of time and kindly agreed to the earlier start.

Bury started so well that coach Holly might have a job convincing the squad of the value of a lengthy warm up in future weeks.  Any ideas that St Albans had that this was going to be business as usual would have soon been dispelled such was the intensity of Bury’s opening.  Tackles were strong, running was abundant and pressure was exerted.  Alice Crawford and Helena Falco, surely one of the league’s strongest and skilful engine rooms, were up against some quality personnel from a team with a very good spine and it proved to be an intriguing personal match up throughout.  Bury deservedly took the lead early, when after good pressure and possession in the danger areas, the ball fell to Zoe Martin who typically kept cool, used the time available to her and slotted neatly.  St Albans were soon on level terms when some expert stealthy goal hanging paid dividends as a long ball found its way to the St Albans poacher who finished passed Molly Daniels.

Level at the turnaround and both teams had contributed to a high quality encounter.  Such was the quality of these two sides’ football that Bury’s route one second goal seemed almost out of place.  A lovely strike from Molly Daniels, whose distribution decisions were sound all day, bounced into the path of a grateful Zoe Martin who chased after it, got there first and applied another efficient finish to give Bury the lead.  Bury’s lead was soon extended when Pia Eversley, whose defensive contribution in the first half had been imperious, picked up the ball on the half way line and proceeded to out gas and out skill several opponents on her way to the penalty area whilst maintaining enough composure at the end of the run to slot accurately across the goalie in the manner favoured by Match of the Day pundits.  A fabulous goal.  Bury deserved their lead and nearly extended it when Amy Martin delivered two high quality balls that were asking to be tucked home across the box and when a late Holly Amos long range effort was saved on to the post.  They managed to maintain it with the assistance of a strong wind that somewhat spoiled the last quarter.  St Albans did score with the last kick of the game but Bury had done enough to claim the three points and second spot in the league.  3:2 final score. 

Everyone played well.  St Albans have good players and good defending was needed – if it wasn’t Izzy Clermont making the tackle it was Libby, if it wasn’t Libby it was Pia and vice versa and when girl of the game Molly was called upon she produced the saves.

Team: Molly Daniels, Pia Eversley, Libby Hockney, Izzy Clermont, Ruby Voss, Zoe Martin, Amy Martin, Holly Amos, Helena Falco, Alice Crawford