An afternoon kick off and a chill in the air as Bosworth prepared to face Rugby Borough.
As the whistle blew, Bosworth immediately took charge. A well worked move with the ball finding Ellie’s feet. With a deft first touch, she took the ball forward, slicing through the defence. She took aim with the goalkeeper rushing toward her and with accuracy, Ellie sent the ball sailing into the far corner of the net. A brilliant goal! Cheers erupted from the sideline! Bosworth was attacking well with Kiri showing some real smart link up with our midfield whilst Katie was providing good energy on the right side of midfield, a new position for her as she has predominantly played in defence but her strength on the ball can benefit us higher up the pitch at times.

But Rugby Borough wasn’t to be underestimated. They fought back putting our defence and midfield under pressure, their attacks relentless for a short spell. Lilia, stationed on the left, worked tirelessly, her focus unbroken as she was pressed hard. Caris provided support just as she did later in the game with a crucial clearance, a feature of our season so far, always ready to step in and both made some important blocks during both half’s, while Esme showcased her agility with a couple of crucial recoveries when Rugby broke through. Tilly, the backbone of our defence, orchestrated from the back, her leadership continues to be a steadying force.

When Rugby finally equalised, it was a bitter blow. A well-placed cross had evaded Lyla’s grasp, landing in the far corner. The score stood at 1-1, but the team remained resolute. Unfortunately, miscommunication soon cost us again, and the home side took a 2-1 lead. Lyla, though disappointed following a missed clearance, had shown great spirit, anticipating threats following that moment for the rest of the match.

Determination runs through the Roses and with that we tried to find a way back into the game. Hallie found herself in the box with an opportunity to score but she could not get enough power on the ball, while Ellie did, she unleashed a fierce shot that rattled the keeper’s palms. Poppy, ever the dynamo, managed to create a number of opportunities with some direct running, even playing with one boot for a moment as it was left in her trail. It was this relentless running and spirit that ultimately led to our equaliser; Chloe capitalised on a loose ball in the box, sending the Bosworth support cheering once again.

With renewed energy, Bosworth took the lead. Chloe pressed hard, seizing the moment to finish powerfully past the goalkeeper, making it 3-2. Bosworth continued to put pressure on the Rugby goal, the main threat from Poppy on our left hand side but we just couldn’t score. As the final minutes ticked away, Bosworth pushed forward, seeking to extend their lead but remained wary of Rugby’s counterattacks. The defence held firm, with Katie, Esme, Lilia, and Tilly showcasing their grit, stepping in and winning the ball and making some important clearances. Lyla solid in goal, her handling was exceptional as she claimed a number of crosses in the second half. In the middle of the park, Sophie who has proved to be a key player in our midfield so far this season was showing her game intelligence, always in the right place at the right time and looking to play through balls for our attackers to run onto. Once again Kayleigh provided good width but what was more impressive was her willingness to defend and stop attacks from out wide, despite a blow to the face in the first half, she got back onto the field and showed real determination.

To see out the game, we put Hallie back into midfield and she stopped a few attacks from forming by turning over possession in favour of Bosworth. When the final whistle blew, the score reflected a hard-fought victory. As the players gathered together for the post match review, once again the team showed unwavering desire as we came back from behind. The coaches announced the Players of the Match. Lenna, with her maturity in midfield, had thwarted countless attacks, marking Rugby's powerhouse with determination. We also awarded Kiri, who joined us in the summer and she had a fantastic game, displaying skill and selflessness, springing the team into attack with her precise passes. Well done girls for the deserved recognition and to everyone else who played in this match, this was really a team effort.

AFC Market Bosworth

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