The U13s were at their sublime best when they demolished Hormead Hares with a performance of great quality on the banks of the Quin in Hare Street. Large parts of the game saw them in total control of the ball, passing around the pitch and leaving the Hares chasing shadows and only occasionally getting a foot in. On five minutes the first goal came, Abigail firing home after picking up the rebound after Inka had hit the crossbar.
Ellie-Mae, playing up front to devastating effect and constantly a threat all morning, scored the second after being picked out with a lob pass from Emily and scampered passed 3 defenders before slotting home. Faye replaced Inka shortly afterwards, the midfielder retiring for a break after taking the ball in the face. The goals kept coming though, the next when Tyler sent a great pass through to Abby whose cross was met by Abigail for her second goal of the match. 3-0 to the visitors.
Skye and the wonderful defensive trio of Louise, Tyler and Emily dealt with minor skirmishes comfortably as the half proceeded, only occasionally called into serious action yet providing a base and outlet for Stortford's high quality passing. Their support play, always providing an option and seeing release passes for others were key to the control that the team maintained on the game. The girls all continued to pull the play around the field and probe for a point of weakness, retaining possession and growing in confidence with every pass. Inka and Scarlett owned the middle of the park that allowed others to play off them. Tia now replaced Ellie-Mae up front and it wasn't long before the silk footed striker found the net, finishing off a final pass received from Scarlett.
Half-time jelly babies and a couple of changes. Abby and Abigail taking to the bench, Ellie-Mae and Inka slotting into the midfield. Immediate pressure on the Hormead goal came in the form of two early corners, a strike on that hit the post before Faye moved the ball to Inka who carved the ball home. The team's sixth came from an unfortunate error from Anastasia in the Hares goal when she was unable to hold onto a searing low cross shot from Ellie-Mae after her scything run along the right hand touchline. A few minutes of half-chances came and went before Ellie-Mae again streaked down the right and sent in an even better ball into the box and path of the arriving strikers and defenders. Indeed it was a defender that found the net, unable to do anything but send the ball into her own net. 7-0.
Abigail came on for Tyler in the back line in another change to the blues formation. Three minutes later and another own goal was on the score sheet - same source as the first, Ellie-Mae sending the ball into a melee in the penalty area. A defender getting the last touch before the ball nestled again in the net.
Perhaps surprisingly Hormead were the next to score, their left winger Ami streaking down the right only to see her shot hit the post. The ball rebounded out and another shot this time found the visitors goal. 8-1.
Ellie-Mae completed her hat-trick with a run and shot from Abigail's throw-in, capping an exemplary attacking display that would have caused problems to the finest of opponents. Tyler replaced Scarlett for a run out in midfield and looked comfortable there for the rest of the game, going close to opening her season's account in the last quarter of the game. It was however Scarlett who scored the team's final goal once she had returned to replace Emily for the last minutes at the centre of defence. It was an outstanding solo effort - taking the ball after picking it up at the back on a never ending maze of a run through the defence, beating defender after defender, before rolling the ball home from inside the six yard box.
David Ginola observed on Wednesday that England did not seem to have the ability to string six passes together and were therefore never going to progress against the top footballing sides of the international game. The U13s have no such worries; their play at times was almost poetic, their vision wide ranging and their team-work untiring. They have potent weapons in many forms and are developing a variety of ways to play which will set them in good stead as the season progresses. A new benchmark has been set. Well done girls.
Result: Won 1-10 (HT 0-4)
Team: Skye, Tyler, Emily (c), Louise, Abigail, Scarlett, Inka, Abby, Ellie-Mae
Subs: Faye, Tia
Scorers: Ellie-Mae (3), Abigail (2), Tia, Scarlett, Inka, OG (2)
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