Last wekeend was exciting right? The annual game against our friends at Carlisle United Women was one again a right good contest – but today it was back to taking on more familiar faces in Ladybridge Ladies. A nice short trip for our third friendly of pre-season and as the convoy made the journey across the A58, the mood in the camp was a positive one…
As always the facilities at Ladybridge were top-notch and as both sides warmed up, the coaches from both sides were busy issuing their last instructions. And when the match official blew the whistle to commence proceedings, it was the County women that were quickest out of the traps. We were playing fast, flowing football and it was no surprise when we opened the scoring on 8 minutes. A fantastic ball through the middle cut the Ladybridger defence in half and as she has done all pre-season so far, there was Amelia to latch onto it and stroke it home from just inside the box. 1-0 to County and we were off..
Grabbing the lead gave us a confidence that was showing in our play and knocking the ball around well, the Ladybridge goal was leading a charmed life. A goalmouth scramble saw Poppy and Brit both have shots blocked and the Ladybridge No.1 was also playing out of her skin trying to stop anything that came her way. Despite this though, it wasn’t long before we doubled our lead. The ball was fed to Brit on our right and as she cut inside, she made the yellow defenders panic and in the ensuing melee, there was Amelia to slot it home for her brace and to put us 2-0 up. This was good stuff and the County fans gathered over on the right were lapping it up…
The hosts were not going to take this lying down though and they were still making a game of it – with our defenders working hard to thwart any attacks they did muster – but when it came to the good chances, it was the girls in blue that were seeing them. Winning another corner over on the right, we played it into the danger area and there was Kelly R to poke it home from close range. As she wheeled away in celebration, her team-mates rushed to join in – and we now had a healthy three-goal advantage…
Before the break though the home side managed to snatch a lifeline after they earned a corner over on their left. The ball was swung in and failing to deal with it, they managed to bundle it home from about 4 yards out. That would make the next 45 minutes or so a bit more interesting wouldn’t it?
Half-time: Ladybridge Ladies 1-3 BOLTON COUNTY WOMEN
As the girls came in for their drinks, it was clear that they knew that had been a good half – but we now needed to go out there and do that all again. This time of the campaign is about working hard and putting the miles in so that when the league starts for real in three weeks, we are ready. There had been plenty of good stuff out there so all we needed to do was tighten up and make sure that they didn’t get a way back into this. The next goal would be really important – so go out there and make sure it was us that got it! With the lungs refilled and the socks pulled out, we were back out there and ready to go again…
The Ladybridge players must have had a good pep-talk as they came flying out of the traps right from the re-start. Getting the goal just before the break had given them some renewed vigour and we were defending well to stop them reducing the deficit even further. But as always, when we get the ball forward we looked dangerous. A couple of good chances came and went – but that was until the ball was fed through to that woman Amelia and for the umpeenth time already, she skinned her marker before smashing the ball high and hard into the top corner of their net, leaving their keeper no chance of stopping it. 4-1 to COunty and surely that was that…
We kept pushing forward in search of more but in truth, Debs in the Ladybridge net was performing heroics to keep us at four. She made some fantastic saves – springing all over her box – and really did her part in trying to keep her side in the game. So when they did manage to grab their second goal of the game, it was testament to the efforts that their No.1 had just shown! They managed to play a long ball over the top and winning the foot-race, their striker managed to get into our box and curl a good effort around our shot-stopper that nestled in the bottom corner of our net with aplomb. 4-2 and surely we wouldn’t throw this away now?
Both teams started to show that the heat had played it’s part on this game – as the legs started to tire and passes started to go astray – but the players from both teams can be proud of their work-rate out there today. Neither side showed any more attacking prowess as they saw out the game and when the referee decided that enough was enough and blew the whistle for the last time, it was County who were cokming back to the County Ground victorious. A great effort by the hosts though – and we wish them all the very best for the upcoming season. It won’t be long before we meet in the league so until then, good luck! And as the County girls came off, they were quite rightly appluaded by all of the supporters and coaching staff. Another great display out there and it all bodes well for what’s to come in three weeks time. The girls are playing well and we’re really loving being part of it…
Amelia was awarded the Girl of the Game for an excellent display in leading the line and being a constant thorn in the side of the Laybridge defence – and the three goals were just the icing on the cake! But they can all leave today knowing that they played their part in another good performance. Let’s hope we’re saying that quite a lot over the next 10 months or so eh?
#UpTheCounty
