WBCFC - FC Red Star

Match Reports

Arnold

FC Red Star 3:1 Arnold (29 Mar 2009, Arnold, League)

Redstar steel too strong for Arnold

FC Redstar produced their best form of the season to take all the spoils at Arnold running out 3-1 winners at the new Eagle Valley ground.

It was a steely performance melted in the crucible of agonising defeats and forged on the anvil of winnable draws, but it was all the sweeter for it. Tireless running, opportunist finishing, an inextinguishable spirit and intricate passing, were the hallmarks of this away win, which had been threatening for weeks.

All nine on duty deserve credit for playing a key squad part in the victory which relied on all of them supporting each other. We waited several minutes for Arnold to take the field and like an eager fighter in the ring it was Redstar who took their positions first anxious to get going – the omens were good from the start.

The early exchanges were bogged down in midfield with neither side establishing superiority nor managing any real efforts on goal. Beth pounced on one hopeful punt forward and thumped it on the volley over the crossbar. As the half wore on she got another half chance picking up a ball on the right side of the penalty area and firing in a low, speculative shot/cross which sailed across the defence and across the Arnold keeper who watched it travel into the bottom corner. Building on the platform made last week we were once again in the lead in a match.

Two minutes later and Arnold were level, their tall striker giving man-marker Macara the slip before scything through our defence and firing past Megan in goal to make it 1-1. Megan and the back two pairing of Louise and Eve had had precious little to do up to then, and had shepherded everything to safety long before it became a threat. Eve shadowed her striker and pushed her wide at every opportunity and Macara was a constant nuisance buzzing around Arnold’s star player. When Kate and Georgina came on Louise pushed up into the left midfield role to partner Caitlin and Lily, the threesome tackling like tigers and securing possession and thus our tightening grip on the game.

Lily’s never-say-die attitude brought her just rewards after 20 mins when she hammered at a faltering defender in possession near the Arnold goal and stabbed home the resulting loose ball to give us the lead again. It was a goal out of nothing and we would have settled for that but Redstar finally earned that little bit of luck which has evaded us all season. A Caitlin corner sailed high into the danger area. Everyone left it and watched it ricochet off a defender into the net to give us a well-deserved 3-1 lead at the break.

Having let a two-goal lead slip last week the girls were clear this week what they had to do to close the game down. Beth went in goal for the second period and Eve came back on to give the defence fresh legs. Georgina ploughed the lone furrow up front and held the ball up well though there were few clear chances for her to extend our lead.

Caitlin was majestic in the middle of the park bossing the rhythm and direction of our play, sweeping up loose ball and dribbling before setting Lily off on one of dozens of runs up the right flank or for Louise to take out left. Each of these attacks ate up time earning us countless throw-ins and corners as Arnold were pinned back. On the opposite side, Louise held the line firmly and rebuffed forays forward. Megan and Kate covered for each other supremely knocking back long balls away from the last third of the pitch. Beth made the penalty area her own and with 10 minutes to go had to be at full stretch to stop a certain goal with her foot and send the ball round the post for a corner. She also tipped a ball over the bar as Arnold stepped up the pressure at the end.

There were a few goalmouth melees in the last few minutes but the girls were determined their lines would not be breached for a second time and in the end we were comfortable winners. There were half a dozen candidates for Girl-of-the-Game but it had been a team effort which kept us in charge and so it was a richly-deserved collective award this week.

Our opposition manager was generous in defeat and praised our performance in which he said we had outplayed his team and made them look poor on the day.

There are several times this season this result could have been achieved but today the maturing Redstar girls refuse to give ground once they’d taken the lead and their clinical finishing, coupled with a gritty determination, saw this one through to the final whistle and they thoroughly deserved the many plaudits which came their way.

Congratulations Redstar, two more games to go – let’s build on the last fortnight and finish the season strongly. And thank-you parental supporters for making yourselves heard on the baron plains of Arnold. You were brilliant!!!!