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| The prize for today's winners - a day out at Milton Road |
Cambridge won the toss and chose to change ends, an early indication that they were wary of another shock filled opening from their visitors, not wanting to begin defending the end in which they had conceded five only three weeks earlier. Tim, their coach had clearly fired his team up as the opening exchanges showed Cambridge sharper and on the front foot, quickly threatening the Stortford goal. Emily had an early shot saved but the home team retorted quickly, a speculative shot-cross clipping the crossbar. Louise was sharp in defence to break up another attack and Skye thwarted another with an early save - the blues were hanging on a bit in these opening exchanges. Scarlett and Ellie-Mae first combined to break up another attack and then looked to threaten themselves, thrusting down the wing to earn Bishop's Stortford's first corner. Two shots from Ellie showed the blues were up for the challenge, Tia also working hard to harry defenders and exert pressure up front. Cambridge's next break produced another shot onto the cross-bar, quickly followed by another shot on target, well saved by Skye. The first inkling that today was not to be theirs perhaps now started to appear in City player's minds and in the latter stages of the half the blues began to exert some authority on the game. Inka and Scarlett combined beautifully to create an opportunity, but Scarlett's effort went wide. Next Tia made a great run down the right, her threatening cross only just alluding arriving support. Ellie-Mae surged forward again and earned a corner that was snaffled under pressure by City's keeper, whilst the last opportunity of the half fell to Louise, who met a goal kick and returned it with interest from half way, the ball just passing outside of the post with keeper stranded.
0-0 at half-time, with the game on a knife edge, the girls in blue returned to the pitch, reminded that they had weathered the worst of Cambridge's storm despite not being at their best and that if chances could be taken they could take the upper hand. Early chances fell to Cambridge as the game re-opened, Tyler, Emily and Louise making important tackles, Skye again called into action as the final line of defence. Ellie-Mae shot across the Cambridge goal but it was a free kick in midfield 9 minutes into the half that proved a decisive moment.
Emily set the ball down and ran through her preparations, focused on the posts like a Six Nations fly-half. She launched the ball on a high and rising arc, flighted straight and true between the posts and found the gap between the underside of the bar and the keeper, who had advanced a little from her line following calls from the touchline for her defenders to step out. It was a peach of a goal to put Stortford into the lead.
Cambridge responded from a free-kick of their own but could only earn a corner. Skye rose high to bat that threat away. Another shot came in a few moments later, this time well over the bar, before Tia threatened in a Stortford break-away, bouncing the ball off the home team keeper, then shooting just wide in the follow up. More pressure and the blues earned another corner. Ellie-Mae sent it in beautifully from the left to Scarlett who had made space in the six yard box, comfortably nodding home to take the lead to two. A lead to protect, the need to concentrate and work hard to the end became paramount. Inka dropped back to help out Scarlett who had worked so hard throughout the game despite being hampered by a tight hamstring. Abigail was tracking back on forth on her flank, eliminating all danger down her side of the pitch. More Cambridge pressure but Stortford pressed and harried, limiting the opportunities for clear shooting chances. Simi replaced Tia at the fulcrum of the blues attack and was immediately into action, her first run defended for a corner. Another free-kick to Cambridge, but Zoe their specialist, mistimed her strike from distance. Ellie-Mae dropped back into defence now, Faye replacing Louise and slotting into midfield, immediately bustling into action, chasing the ball and putting Cambridge under pressure, a good attack between her and Simi developing. Abigail took a rest to add further fresh legs through Abby as Cambridge gave their all. Time still for them to come back, their most threatening strike was parried away by Skye in what was to my eye her save of the season, fully aerial and diving horizontally to her right, her outstretched hands pushing the ball round the post. Injury time ticked endlessly on, but the salvation of the final whistle came at last, bringing to a close another titanic battle between these two fine teams.
Our team has made great progress this season, adapting to the larger pitch and different format and finding a formation that is balanced and makes best use of our talents. The girls have played sublime football at times but today showed that that desire, concentration, hard work and organisation can earn rewards on days when their 'total football' isn't in full flow.
In the other semi-final Newmarket comfortably beat Huntingdon 4-1, deciding our opposition for the big day out in mid-May. Before then the league will dominate our thoughts as we keep the pressure up on City and if both teams maintain a 100% win rate, a final play-off game. The girls will be fine but will the touchline be able to cope with another encounter with Cambridge in a final league decider?
Result: won 0-2
Team: Skye, Louise, Emily (c), Tyler, Abigail, Scarlett, Inka, Tia
Subs: Simi, Faye, Abby
Scorers: Emily, Scarlett
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