Denton Town 3 Mostyn Valley 3 (U11's) L/cup
If ever there was evidence of the rapid progress the under 12s have made it was at the full-time whistle of this tense 3-3 draw with Mostyn Villa.
Despite suffering 9-0 and 5-0 defeats at the hands of their opponents earlier this season the Denton girls were actually disappointed not to extend their winning sequence of late.
They ought not to be too hard on themselves. Looking at the wider picture they remain unbeaten in joint top of the League Cup table and have now lost just one of their last 7 games.
Mostyn Valley are anything but an easy team to play. Their long ball tactic seeking out two strikers left upfield make it very difficult to defend against especially for an attack minded,
true footballing outfit such as Denton Town. Perhaps on reflection Amy and I could have introduced a more suppressive formation in the latter stages whilst leading 2-0 and 3-1 to counter-act Mostyn's tactics but in doing so we would have had to abandon our own footballing principles. As it turned out we maintained our own attacking beliefs; consequently the opposition broke away twice to grab a share of the spoils much to the girls' frustration.
Success attracts problems of its own for a management team. Last week, without a recognized keeper, we thrashed Heyside Navys 7-1 but with Hannah available for selection again
Georgia was relegated to the substitutes bench. This was absolutely no reflection on her performance the previous week when she was outstanding but we can only field 7 players at any one time and each girl is going to have to accept that this is a TEAM game. To her credit she took this on board and entered the fray at half-time to make it 3-1 with a dynamic burst into the Mostyn box. This is the kind of attitude that we are going to require from everyone as we look to build upon recent successes!! Grace, too, returned from illness to stake her claim with a solid display having also appeared for the second half.
The opening exchanges of the match were franetic with both teams looking threatening. Denton came the closest when the Mostyn Valley keeper pulled off a stunning double save to deny first Lauren and then Kendall who was following in on the edge of the area. Nevertheless it was Denton who opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to a brace from the in-form Kylie, wearing her new Cristiano Ronaldo-esque yellow Nike boots! (Nigel - please keep winding her up before kick-off it is working a treat!). Emily launched another of her trademark long throw-ins and the ball found
Kylie racing in at the far post to score via her thigh. Just minutes later she doubled her tally following one of the greatest pieces of football I have witnessed at this level. Kay and Lauren opened up the defence with a series of one-touch passes to one another. Lauren's effort was blocked but the ball fell kindly for Kylie to force in past the keeper.
Mostyn hadn't really created any clear-cut opportunities but were awarded a life-line in the closing moments of the half when a hopeful long-range effort eluded Teah and crept beyond Hannah into the bottom corner. Until this point the tactics we had employed were working a treat but the girls in midfield were being asked to cover the length of the pitch in an attempt to quell Valley's long-ball game and it was inevitably taking its toll.
The introduction of Georgia and Grace gave renewed freshness to their work and Georgia danced through the static defence to slam in a third at the near post 5 minutes into the second period.
With the influential captain, Kendall, taking a well-earned breather, however, Mostyn utilised their route one plan to devastating effect and struck twice in quick succession to level proceedings.
Even then the outcome could have swung in either direction. Teah, Emily and Kendall each made vital interceptions to prevent golden opportunities and Denton also came close when Kay hit the crossbar direct from a corner-kick and then she came within inches of meeting Kendall's free-kick at the far post.
Don't be too disheartened girls this was a decent result against awkward opponents!!
Rick's Player of the Match - Kendall; was fantastic in training on Thursday and took her form into todays game. We asked a lot from her in the first half and she delivered. A major asset to the team and a true captain.
May I add my congratulations to Nigel and his Under 14 girls on their continued success in winning the league.
Rick
__________________________________________________________________
Delighted with your continued improvement girls, 1 defeat in 7 is championship form, and you now have a real chance of winning this competition, but you need to continue to work hard in matches and at training to do it.
Nigel.
Despite suffering 9-0 and 5-0 defeats at the hands of their opponents earlier this season the Denton girls were actually disappointed not to extend their winning sequence of late.
They ought not to be too hard on themselves. Looking at the wider picture they remain unbeaten in joint top of the League Cup table and have now lost just one of their last 7 games.
Mostyn Valley are anything but an easy team to play. Their long ball tactic seeking out two strikers left upfield make it very difficult to defend against especially for an attack minded,
true footballing outfit such as Denton Town. Perhaps on reflection Amy and I could have introduced a more suppressive formation in the latter stages whilst leading 2-0 and 3-1 to counter-act Mostyn's tactics but in doing so we would have had to abandon our own footballing principles. As it turned out we maintained our own attacking beliefs; consequently the opposition broke away twice to grab a share of the spoils much to the girls' frustration.
Success attracts problems of its own for a management team. Last week, without a recognized keeper, we thrashed Heyside Navys 7-1 but with Hannah available for selection again
Georgia was relegated to the substitutes bench. This was absolutely no reflection on her performance the previous week when she was outstanding but we can only field 7 players at any one time and each girl is going to have to accept that this is a TEAM game. To her credit she took this on board and entered the fray at half-time to make it 3-1 with a dynamic burst into the Mostyn box. This is the kind of attitude that we are going to require from everyone as we look to build upon recent successes!! Grace, too, returned from illness to stake her claim with a solid display having also appeared for the second half.
The opening exchanges of the match were franetic with both teams looking threatening. Denton came the closest when the Mostyn Valley keeper pulled off a stunning double save to deny first Lauren and then Kendall who was following in on the edge of the area. Nevertheless it was Denton who opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to a brace from the in-form Kylie, wearing her new Cristiano Ronaldo-esque yellow Nike boots! (Nigel - please keep winding her up before kick-off it is working a treat!). Emily launched another of her trademark long throw-ins and the ball found
Kylie racing in at the far post to score via her thigh. Just minutes later she doubled her tally following one of the greatest pieces of football I have witnessed at this level. Kay and Lauren opened up the defence with a series of one-touch passes to one another. Lauren's effort was blocked but the ball fell kindly for Kylie to force in past the keeper.
Mostyn hadn't really created any clear-cut opportunities but were awarded a life-line in the closing moments of the half when a hopeful long-range effort eluded Teah and crept beyond Hannah into the bottom corner. Until this point the tactics we had employed were working a treat but the girls in midfield were being asked to cover the length of the pitch in an attempt to quell Valley's long-ball game and it was inevitably taking its toll.
The introduction of Georgia and Grace gave renewed freshness to their work and Georgia danced through the static defence to slam in a third at the near post 5 minutes into the second period.
With the influential captain, Kendall, taking a well-earned breather, however, Mostyn utilised their route one plan to devastating effect and struck twice in quick succession to level proceedings.
Even then the outcome could have swung in either direction. Teah, Emily and Kendall each made vital interceptions to prevent golden opportunities and Denton also came close when Kay hit the crossbar direct from a corner-kick and then she came within inches of meeting Kendall's free-kick at the far post.
Don't be too disheartened girls this was a decent result against awkward opponents!!
Rick's Player of the Match - Kendall; was fantastic in training on Thursday and took her form into todays game. We asked a lot from her in the first half and she delivered. A major asset to the team and a true captain.
May I add my congratulations to Nigel and his Under 14 girls on their continued success in winning the league.
Rick
__________________________________________________________________
Delighted with your continued improvement girls, 1 defeat in 7 is championship form, and you now have a real chance of winning this competition, but you need to continue to work hard in matches and at training to do it.
Nigel.
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