Match report 9/9/07 v Downend Flyers.
A beautiful mid Sunday afternoon greeted The Fry Club Girls Under 14 team.
This their first fixture for the 2007/08 season was played away from home against Downend Flyers.
With Natalie out on holiday, and Ashleigh out with a broken foot and ankle from the last preseason friendly match, the Fry Club Girls would take to the pitch with the bare 11 players and no subs.
A massive reshuffle of the team was called for, but just as the playing staff had settled for a starting line up then disaster struck again in the form of a further absentee!
So the Fry Club Girls would play a player down (10 Girls) and with no substitute! The third reshuffle of the team sheet took place and the 10 took to the field!
1st Half
Downend Flyers came out slowly much to the surprise of the Fry Club (10). The Fry Club Girls much to their credit started to pass the ball around the Downend midfield and took the game to them, but sadly just when Frys seemed to have a grip on the game they conceded a really soft daft goal which saw the ball go through three Frys Girls legs and roll into the net !
Frys however regrouped and pushed on very nearly levelling the score on several occasions with Steph, Amy and Emma passing their way down the right flank!
Danni got away down the left on several occasions and did the best she could to hold on until Emma arrived from the right hand side of the pitch or until Chelsea had dropped back to her.
Downend turned up the pressure with a couple of substitutions, but thanks to Charlotte, Alice and Rikki in goal, all of whom had been simply outstanding all half the score remained 1-0 to Downend as the whistle blew for half time.
2nd Half
A shattered but very much still in the game Frys team took to the pitch for the second half.
The first thing that seemed to take the Fry' Girls by surprise was the sloping pitch and playing up hill for the second half took its toll early on as Downend scored after only a couple of minutes.
The Fry Club Girls rallied again but were cruelly caught on the break and with most of the girls pushed up Downend extended their lead to 3-0. Still the Fry Club Girls battled on but with no subs a player down, and the effort expended to this point ,Downend scored a further two goals in quick succession to put the score at 5-0 to Downend Flyers!
Rikki took a knock during a very brave effort to stop the fifth Downend goal going in, but dusted herself off and played on regardless!
Emily by this stage was doing a great job of covering for an exhausted Danni and her own position on the left.
A simply exhausted Emma got her left foot stood on, but got up to play on.
Danni having not been too well all weekend threw up but played on! Then one after the other the pair took two further knocks but again much to their credit got up and played on!
Well you would think by now the Fry Club Girls would roll over and give in, not so! Amy looked to have pulled a goal back in the dying minutes but it was ruled off side!
So the final whistle blew at 5-0 to Downend Flyers.
It was decided that Player of this Match be awarded to the whole team due to the never say die effort!
So, Alice, Charlotte, Emma, Ricky, Danni, Steph, Amy, Emily, Chelsea, and Sophie. very well done!!