Sunday 13th September
Squad
Norah, Ellen (C), Henrietta, Kara, Poppy, Libbie, Izzy, Holly, Ivy
The first away game of the season saw the U14 travel to Countesthorpe to play Oadby and Wigston
Unfortunately, again due to player availability, Rugby were competing with only 9 players.
Coaches Ellie and Rame were taking the helm today and had a tough job to set the team up as best they could.
The first half was hard for Rugby as Oadby were quick on the counter and with the additional 2 players on the pitch as well as subs, they had greater options than Rugby.
Norah in goal was kept busy, making a number of smart collections, saves and clearances.
Ivy had a strong half, pairing up with Holly to try and create some forward play. Hetty, Poppy, Ellen and Kara were having to keep their wits about them to keep the attacking flow of Oadby under some sort of control.
Rugby unfortunately conceded a penalty and stuck in an own goal in the first half, but that’s sometimes the way the dice fall; however, to their enormous credit, they kept their heads and kept working, when it would have been easier to admit defeat.
The 1st half ended 6-0 to Oadby
A formation change in the second half was needed to strengthen the defence a bit whilst still allowing some outlet for attack – a tricky balance. The Rugby girls adapted well and were certainly more proactive in their forward play.
Libbie showed off some good skills and was getting stuck into some good challenges. Poppy moved forward well and was playing some nice through balls. Hetty and Ellen were still working with determination in defence, and Kara was giving it her all with some fantastic marking.
Ellen had a very good run and struck the ball well, only to see her shot go slightly left of the post.
The game finished 10-0 to Oadby. A headline which is perhaps a little unfair to Rugby, who played some really nice football and maintained a fantastic attitude throughout the game.
The coaches were super proud of the girls and their performance, which, on the back of a big loss, speaks volumes about how well the girls did.
Keep the faith, U14S…. you time will come 😊
Coach’s player of the match – Izzy. A very strong performance from Izzy today; she worked her socks off all game and was determined in trying to find opportunities for forward play.
Captain’s player of the match – Ivy. A committed performance, covering lots of the pitch and determination to push forward despite significant overloads.
Thank you to Coach Neil and the Oadby team for hosting, Referee Adrian, super assistant ref Mark, and parents for your support; it is much appreciated.