With the game in a bit of doubt after the big freeze on Friday night, thankfully the game went ahead and the pitch held up very well.

We set up today knowing a little bit more about Mansfield from our recent cup encounter with them. The changes we made seemed to work straight away with Katie getting free down the left she flashed in a cross which Saffy stroked home past the keeper to take the lead a few minutes in. As we saw in the cup match Mansfield are very determined and have some quality players in key areas and Woodlands were soon pushed back and Annie in goal had to be on her toes and make vital clearances and saves to maintain the lead.

One soon became two when Katie again wriggled through, looked up and again found Saffy who grabbed her second. Hannah who was still without a goal for Woodlands was thrown on and instantly got involved. With some great football across the midfield and an inch perfect pass from Saff, Hannah found herself clean through and cooly chipped the keeper and scored the teams third and her first ever goal which was a special moment. Soon after Georgia continued her great scoring run by again stroking the ball home to make the interval score 4-0.

With Emily sitting in the centre of midfield and having the license to burst forward it was only a matter of time before she registered and after the ball broke on the edge of the box Emily picked her spot and dispatched an unstoppable drive into the net. With Amy, Peggy, Bex and Annie playing out their skin at the back it allowed the midfield to push on and after a couple of corners the ball broke wide to Mia in the box who planted the ball high into the roof of the net. The midfield today was where the game was won and the security that Katie W and Grace give us in there Emily was able to drive forward and soon latched onto a lovely ball from Georgia and clipped the ball into the net for 7-0. Sniffing a hat trick, Emily found a couple of yards of space outside the box and hammered the ball over the keeper to make it 8-0

 

Annie, Bex, Amy, Peggy : With Amy back in the line up it gave me chance to revert back to a three at the back formation which looked very solid and together as a unit you mopped up pretty much everything and when Annie was called on she was also equal to it. Brilliant today.

 

 

Saff, Katie W, Emily, Grace and Georgia : A fantastic midfield unit and one that gives us so many options going forward and defensively. Some of the through balls and pace that was displayed today was fantastic. This was evident with Saffy’s brace and Emily’s hat trick which was superb to see.

 

 

Katie M, Anna : Right from kick off today you were both quite a handful for the

Mansfield’s defence and held the ball up for the midfield to support which is vital.

 

Hannah, Chelsea, Mia : You all started the game today on the bench, when called upon you all gave 100% and created some great chances and could all have bagged a couple of goals on another day. With Mia scoring a good goal and Hannah getting her very first goal for the club it was quite a special day.

 

 

I would just like to say that

Mansfield played more than a good part in the game and special praise must go to mansfield’s keeper who was busy but pulled off some superb stops and was unlucky to concede the goals.

 

Thanks as always to our band of followers, your support is immense and really boots the girls confidence.

 

 

Thanks Martin for standing in to ref, as always you are a valued member of Woodlands FC Under 14’s as is Dave who ran the line for us today brilliantly.

 

 

To Mark and Robyn, thank you for your efforts with the goal nets and setting up the pitch which is invaluable to us.

 

 

Really proud of you all girls, we have quite a squad.