It was our first game since October 13th, following a mid-term break, cup fixtures, and a week off, so we were definitely happy to be back in action. Fortunately, we were able to play at the excellent Holmes Park, which was a great setting for the match.

We started well, with most of our attacking threat coming from Poppy’s strong runs down the left wing. She came close to scoring when cutting inside, but couldn’t quite beat the goalkeeper. Our other attackers Chloe and Kiri were being kept away from goal by the strong defence of Epworth!

However, we conceded two early goals due to decision-making, a key part of the game at this age but something we can learn from. The first goal came from a misplaced clearance across field, all credit to the Epworth striker, who still had a lot of work to do, turning and firing a great shot from outside the box. The second goal came from indecision in our defensive area, and Epworth capitalised on that to make it 2-0. Despite our attempts to get the ball out wide to Caris and Kayleigh, we were often thwarted however they worked hard defensively.

In the second half, we switched to a new formation, adding an extra player in midfield in an attempt to regain control with Lily, Katie and Hallie instructed to try and hold position so we had more structure. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the desired effect, as Epworth continued to dominate and we struggled to create chances. Chloe had one opportunity but fired wide, while at the other end, our defence — led by Lilia, Tilly, and Esme — had a busy afternoon with Lenna dropping in to the three to help out. Esme made a crucial block when Epworth were through on goal, and Lilia was putting in some important tackles and blocks, battling hard in 1v1 situations.

Epworth added two more goals in the second half, with their first coming from a powerful run down their left side, followed by a composed finish from close range. Their fourth was a brilliant strike from distance. Lyla made a couple of excellent saves to prevent them from scoring more, pushing shots away from goal.

Player of the Match was awarded to Katie, who impressed in a new role in central midfield. She’s a very composed player on the ball and worked hard to try and make positive things happen for the team. A special mention was given to Tilly, who also put in a solid performance in central defence and was a contender.

While the result was disappointing, there are no real complaints about it — Epworth were the better team on the day. We looked a little rusty after the break, and our decision-making was off, which is a crucial part of the game at this age. That said, the girls worked hard throughout, and while things didn’t quite go our way this time, we’ll learn from it and be better for it in future matches.