An hours drive north up the M11 tarmacadam ribbon took our merry band to Alconbury, a village that sits in the ancient county and now district of Huntingdonshire, disguised in the cloak of Cambridgeshire since the early 1970s.
Leaving the persistent drizzle of the Hertford shire, a lightening sky greeted us as we gained latitude. The faintest of rainbows arched to the back of the ground as we arrived and began our warm-up, the parish church framing the scene of myriad footballers scampering across sticky pitches.
Mike kindly took the flag (will his new nickname stick?) and Emily the strikers jersey, part of a change in formation that saw Inka in goal and Skye wide on the left . Elly on the right, Scarlett in the middle with Simi and Tyler flanking Ellie-Mae in defence - a different challenge for the girls to learn from. Pressure from the start was all on the home team, the majority of the game played out in their half. Play wasn't perhaps the prettiest at first but it was certainly threatening. Twelve minutes in and a corner was floated over by Skye, one of many excellent corners she delivered throughout the first half. No initial head found a touch, but the ball sprang to Abigail who slid the ball into the corner of the net for the games opener.
More chances came via the same route; Emily nearly connected with a header, Simi, Scarlet and Elly saw shots just wide. Alconbury's robust defending occasionally saw them break, but Elly, or Simi, Tyler or Ellie-Mae were always on hand to slow the play down, connect with a tackle or sweep back to clear up danger. Heading towards the break it was time to introduce Tia, Scarlett taking an early rest with Emily dropping into midfield. Almost immediately the impish striker weaved her way through and would have doubled the lead, but for a fine save from the keeper. The second did come in the last minute of the half through the same combination as the first with Skye sending over a peach of a set-piece from out wide which Abigail confidently finished.
Back to more usual roles for the second period. Simi took a short rest, Skye returned to between the posts and Abigail, Emily and Tyler made up the rear guard. A four player mid-field of Elly, Inka, Scarlett and Ellie-Mae now all looked to support Tia in attack. The change took effect immediately - Scarlett had an early strike saved, Tia was put through on goal (before inexplicably being called off-side), Ellie-Mae had a shot from outside the box well stopped before the Alconbury defences eventually capitulated, Scarlett threading a ball to Tia who finished sublimely.
Elly was having a great game on the right, working hard to close down and keeping play ticking over, as was Tyler who more than once put in strong and important tackles to dampen signs of danger. Ellie-Mae kept up her one-girl barrage of the Alconbury goal, this time sending the upright ringing with another thunderous shot. Simi returned for Tyler who readied herself for a run in midfield and the one way traffic continued. Tia picked out Inka with a cross, her header sliding just wide before Scarlett slalomed through another defence to walk the ball home for the team's fourth. Another great move followed, Scarlett carrying out of defence before passing to Tia who crossed into the danger area, Alconbury's keeper just beating Inka to the ball. Good defence from Emily, Abigail and Simi continued to provide the platform. The Bishop's Stortford girls were controlling all aspects and enjoying the puzzle of unlocking another goal. Scarlett repeated the route that had worked before, again finding Tia who finished well for her second. Tyler returned now for Elly on the right, her fresh legs and pace searching out a chance in attack. Two opportunities came and the second nearly brought a goal, a break on the right that Tyler struck firmly to towards the back post that agonizingly slipped by. More chances came and went for Ellie-Mae, Simi, Inka and Tia, but it was Scarlett who completed the scoring, another solo run slipped calmly home that showed her great dribbling ability to full effect. A job well done that had put smiles on everyone's faces as we melted away from the ground, back to the drizzle of Hertfordshire.
Leaving the persistent drizzle of the Hertford shire, a lightening sky greeted us as we gained latitude. The faintest of rainbows arched to the back of the ground as we arrived and began our warm-up, the parish church framing the scene of myriad footballers scampering across sticky pitches.
Mike kindly took the flag (will his new nickname stick?) and Emily the strikers jersey, part of a change in formation that saw Inka in goal and Skye wide on the left . Elly on the right, Scarlett in the middle with Simi and Tyler flanking Ellie-Mae in defence - a different challenge for the girls to learn from. Pressure from the start was all on the home team, the majority of the game played out in their half. Play wasn't perhaps the prettiest at first but it was certainly threatening. Twelve minutes in and a corner was floated over by Skye, one of many excellent corners she delivered throughout the first half. No initial head found a touch, but the ball sprang to Abigail who slid the ball into the corner of the net for the games opener.
More chances came via the same route; Emily nearly connected with a header, Simi, Scarlet and Elly saw shots just wide. Alconbury's robust defending occasionally saw them break, but Elly, or Simi, Tyler or Ellie-Mae were always on hand to slow the play down, connect with a tackle or sweep back to clear up danger. Heading towards the break it was time to introduce Tia, Scarlett taking an early rest with Emily dropping into midfield. Almost immediately the impish striker weaved her way through and would have doubled the lead, but for a fine save from the keeper. The second did come in the last minute of the half through the same combination as the first with Skye sending over a peach of a set-piece from out wide which Abigail confidently finished.
Back to more usual roles for the second period. Simi took a short rest, Skye returned to between the posts and Abigail, Emily and Tyler made up the rear guard. A four player mid-field of Elly, Inka, Scarlett and Ellie-Mae now all looked to support Tia in attack. The change took effect immediately - Scarlett had an early strike saved, Tia was put through on goal (before inexplicably being called off-side), Ellie-Mae had a shot from outside the box well stopped before the Alconbury defences eventually capitulated, Scarlett threading a ball to Tia who finished sublimely.
Elly was having a great game on the right, working hard to close down and keeping play ticking over, as was Tyler who more than once put in strong and important tackles to dampen signs of danger. Ellie-Mae kept up her one-girl barrage of the Alconbury goal, this time sending the upright ringing with another thunderous shot. Simi returned for Tyler who readied herself for a run in midfield and the one way traffic continued. Tia picked out Inka with a cross, her header sliding just wide before Scarlett slalomed through another defence to walk the ball home for the team's fourth. Another great move followed, Scarlett carrying out of defence before passing to Tia who crossed into the danger area, Alconbury's keeper just beating Inka to the ball. Good defence from Emily, Abigail and Simi continued to provide the platform. The Bishop's Stortford girls were controlling all aspects and enjoying the puzzle of unlocking another goal. Scarlett repeated the route that had worked before, again finding Tia who finished well for her second. Tyler returned now for Elly on the right, her fresh legs and pace searching out a chance in attack. Two opportunities came and the second nearly brought a goal, a break on the right that Tyler struck firmly to towards the back post that agonizingly slipped by. More chances came and went for Ellie-Mae, Simi, Inka and Tia, but it was Scarlett who completed the scoring, another solo run slipped calmly home that showed her great dribbling ability to full effect. A job well done that had put smiles on everyone's faces as we melted away from the ground, back to the drizzle of Hertfordshire.
Result: Won 0-6
Team: Inka, Tyler, Simi, Ellie-Mae, Scarlett, Skye, Elly, Abigail, Emily (c)
Subs: Tia
Scorers: Abigail (2), Tia (2), Scarlett (2)
Team: Inka, Tyler, Simi, Ellie-Mae, Scarlett, Skye, Elly, Abigail, Emily (c)
Subs: Tia
Scorers: Abigail (2), Tia (2), Scarlett (2)
