Heyside Clarets 5 Denton Town 2 (U11's L/Cup Final)

Hard Luck girls. You know, the 14's may of done the treble, and 11's may match that tomorrow, but just because you didn't win your final, doesn't make us any less proud of you all.

Considering the poor position you were in at the start of the season, the turn around in the team's fortunes has been phenomenal. Don't forget, when we first played Clarets near the beginning of the season, they hammered us 7-2 and they were good for it. Since then we've drawn 2-2 (should of won), narrowly lost 4-3 and today, despite losing by 3 clear goals, their manager came over and said WE WERE THE BEST TEAM!

So don't let your heads go down, take the positives out of the game. Clarets have been battering teams all season, which is why they've won the treble. You're capable of beating them, and I fully anticipate you'll be challenging for the title and the cups next season. Even the league chairman said at the presentation of the trophy, that you have come a long way in a very short period of time.

I'm PROUD of you, Amy and Rick are PROUD of you and your parents are PROUD of you.

The future is bright, the future is RED and BLACK stripes of Denton Town Girls - at ALL ages.

Our next competitive matches will be at the Poynton tournament on 22nd June. Let's give a good account of ourselves in that event. Meanwhile, congrats to Amy and Rick for bringing about such improvements, and a special mention to Rick, who has just qualified as a level 2 football coach.

Well done girls, for developing a positive mental attitude that has seen you go from the team that other teams whip, to the team that now does the whipping (except for Clarets, but that'll come).

NIGEL.
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In all cup finals there has to be a winner and a loser. Whilst Denton may have lost the battle today they have proved to be winners in so many more ways.

Their rapid rollercoaster ride to success this season bodes very well the future. For these girls there will be many prestigious battles ahead and I confidently predict that the group will be challenging Heyside for all the leading honours next time around.

The girls went into this final as clear underdogs; facing opposition who had won every trophy in sight. Denton brought with them a formidable army of fans complete with red and black pom-poms and an array of chants, although it would be advisable they dream up better songs than "Meat Pie, Sausage Roll, Come on Denton score us a goal!!" Ha! Ha! Thank you for that little number Teah's family!!!

The toughest task of the morning for the management team was to select 7 players to start the game. In such an important contest with all their relatives and friends in attendance we'd love to have allowed each and every girl to display their skills for the entire 40 minutes however rules are rules and after much deliberation the line-up was chosen as Hannah, Teah, Emily, Kendall, Georgia, Lauren and Kay.

Consequently Grace and Kylie were named as substitutes; by no means an indictment of their abilities and I would like to commend both on their attitude and their performance when they entered the fray. It is certainly not easy to appear from the bench in a fixture of this magnitude having suffered the disappointment of having been omitted from the start but this pair produced determined displays in the second half. Well done girls!

The extended warm-up afforded to us prior to kick off looked to have paid dividends when we took an early lead just 5 minutes in. Georgia won possession in the midfield and swept a pass out wide for Lauren who cut inside and then threaded a perfect through-ball for Kay who, as she has done so often, spun clear of the last defender and finished with her usual calmness.

At this juncture Denton were seemingly in control. They had weathered the early first minute nerves in which several passes went astray and gained the advantage but Heyside are worthy champions and emphasised their fighting spirit with an equaliser in the 9th minute; a low effort from the left finding the bottom corner with Hannah at full stretch. Heyside were buoyed by their response and won a series of throws and corner kicks which caused mayhem inthe penalty box. Denton somehow succeeded in hacking the ball clear from the numerous melees and then ironically nearly retook the lead themselves from a corner-kick when Kendall blasted a volley from the edge of the area and the keeper made a quite breathtaking save to deny her.

Nevertheless it was a quick-fire double approaching the half-time interval which left Denton with a mountain to climb in order to save their dreams.

The talented number 9 completed her hatrick with a superb long ranged drive and then was lucky with a mis-hit which looped into the top corner after Denton's defence had failed to clear the danger.

Grace and Kylie, as aforementioned, both joined the action and Denton certainly looked a greater threat as they pushed for a life-line. Lauren and Kay were now causing endless problems for the Heyside rear-guard with their movement and link-up play. Lauren, it must be noted, produced the two most sublime moments of the contest, firstly flicking a ball nonchelently over an opponents head and controlling it to continue her run and then dazzling the defence with a cheeky back-heeled flick down the wing to put Kay in with an opportunity.

With Denton having to attack Emily had to be sacrificed from the defence and unfortunately her presence was sorely missed as Heyside were to score from two further set pieces; one a simple header from a corner and the fifth from a long throw that flicked off a Denton head and wrong-footed Hannah in goal.

In between these efforts Denton deservedly conjured up a consolation when Grace delivered a pass that was headed into her own net by a Heyside defender.

All players have ups and downs in football. The experience of losing a match of this relevance can only serve the girls well. You have to learn to accept defeat and then when the success arrives it feels all the greater. I have no doubt whatsoever that there will be plenty of opportunity for this set of players to win trophies.

PLAYER OF MATCH AWARDED BY HEYSIDE: Kay. Busy as usual; always a likely candidate to be voted player of the match as she is a constant danger. She has lightning quick feet and turn of pace and is extremely confident in 1 on 1 situations.

RICK'S PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Tough one today. To a certain extent I think all of our players have the capability of performing better than they did today.

It was a lot to ask; they have improved immeasurably and have come a long way, "Stage fright" quite possibly set in and they will learn from this defeat.

My vote today is a joint vote for Kylie and Grace; this is not a sympathy vote for being sub, I genuinely thought you both raised the bar when you came on.

Let's all get back to training now this Thursday night and start to build for next seasons assault on the league!!!

RICK.