Last match of the season for our Ladies . Made special as it is a Cup Final (Plate) and being played at Corby Town's ground.
The weather was glorious with a cloudless sky, just right for sunbathing, with a slight breeze. But we had a Football Match to play.
The match started with both sides probing for weaknesses in the oppositions' ranks. After 5 minutes Kitty had the ball on the left and she hit a lovely pass across field to Steph who took a touck, advanced and tried a shot that beat the keeper and the far post. After 12 minutes the ball found Steph again in midfield, she looked for options but none available so she tried a shot which saw the keeper push the ball round for a corner. The corner came over and was deflected for another corner. Back came Crick and from a corner on the left the ball wasn't cleared and it went past the far post where Crick 41 hit the ball first time with power and unluckily it rebounded to safety off the post. A wake up call for Moulton. Moulton responded and Hayley broke from the back and shot, the keeper sprawled and managed to push the ball to safety with Wiki advancing. Crick had found a foothold in the match now and after 19 minutes they created panic in Moulton's 6 yard box with several efforts blocked by Moulton's players and eventually Harriet made a cracking save before the next shot cleared the bar. Phew. A few minutes later Crick had a freekick some 30 yards out and a hard shot came in which was parried out by Harriet, who was earning her money today. However nerves were calmed after 29 minutes. Steph latched onto the ball in midfield and found Sophie T on a run through the centre, she took a touch and rounded the keeper before putting the ball in at the far post for 1-0 Moulton. On the half hour Moulton attacked again and Steph found Wiki on the right, she beat two players and then tried to beat one of them a second time but the ball was kicked out for a corner. Just a minute later Sophie T was again rampant on the left, beating her marker and cutting in. SImple ball was rolling the ball square but she tried a shot that missed at the near post. Moulton had now got the upper hand in the match but needed a second goal. Complacency set in and Crick looked to be going to equalise. The ball fell to a Crick player on the edge of the box and she shot and it looked like the equaliser until Harriet again dived across her goal to put the ball to safety. On 35 minutes Crick 22 hit the ball down the left and sprinted after it but Sophie G appeared from nowhere with a tremendous sliding tackle to cleanly divert the ball for a throw in. Two minues later a Crick corner on the right saw another chance but Callie was on Moulton's near post and diverted the ball for a corner. From this Crick had a freekick some 22 yards out. A hard shot came in but Harriel managed to punch clear with the ball ending on the halfway line. Three minutes from the interval back stormed Moulton and Steph was marked by two players in advanced midfield. She breezed past both defenders and her shot was deflected high where Wiki made an incredible Jackknifed dive to try to reach the ball but without success. (what a goal that would have been). Wiki would not be deterred. On 43 minutes Steph won the ball in midfield and advanced and slotted a superb pass to Wiki on the right hand side, Wiki was on to it in a flash took one stride and hit a glorious shot that left the keeper rooted and it went in at the far post for 2-0 Moulton. Half Time came and players were grateful for respite from the sun and high temperatures,
Crick made a quick start to the 2nd half and Moulton's goal was leading a charmed life assisted by some good defending by Cat, Hayley and Callie helped out by Kim, Sophie G and Georgie. Pressure was lifted by Georgie who made a run and put Sophie T away down the left where she cut in and won a corner. Over came the corner and confusion reigned in Crick's defence. It was as if everything stood still until Steph rose like a trout (or was it a cod) and calmly headed into the net for 3-0 Moulton. Reward for some super midfield play by Steph throughout the match. On 59 minutes Sophie T won a corner on the left but this came to nothing as it was headed away. On 56 minutes Sophie T found Kitty who advanced down the left following a good passing move. Kitty shot and the keeper got a hand to the ball which then bounced off the bar/far post. Straight after Moulton found Sophie T down the left, she beat her marker but with the goal at her mercy, she dragged her shot past the near post. End to end stuff now, Harriet got uo to a corner and cleared the danger with the ball running to Sophie T on the left, off she went and in attempting to round the keeper the keeper bravely fell on the ball to avert danger. 59 minutes had gone when Wiki went off on one of her runs down the right, over came a delightful cross which found Sophie T on the far post who put the ball in for 4-0 Moulton.
Score line a bit flattering for Moulton but they took their chances and Harriet had made some super saves. Crick were bowed but not beaten. Moulton were becoming over confident and on 63 minutes a gap was left through the middle of the defence. Off went 'rocket' number 22 who outstripped the defence and lifted the ball high into the net for 4-1, richly deserved by this young spirited team. 71 minutes and a Crick corner came over and was missed or avoided by Moulton's players. A Crick player got her head to the ball which pinged off the crossbar and away. Back came Moulton and on 75 minutes their pressure was nearly rewarded. Pressure saw the ball break just outside the box where Georgie steadied herself and hit a firm shot just past the post. Then Crick's turn to attack and 22 was away down their left , she cut in but her shot was well saved by Harriet who pushed the ball away for a corner. Kim played the next attack out for a corner but Crick hit the shot well wide of Moulton's goal. Just 5 minutes left when Hayley ventured forward, she tried her luck with a shot which bobbled (being kind) and went for a goalkick.
With both teams becoming very tired and all Moulton's subs now used the match fizzled out for a Moulton win 4-1. The Cup and medal celebrations were awesome and the culmination of a great year when the results in league matches didn't match the performances.
Well done to all the players and staff and Committee for providing such wonderful facilities for the Ladies to play at.
All Moulton's players played well today in the intense heat conditions. Player of the match went to Harriet closely followed by Sophie T and Stephanie. WIth Harriet getting POM it showed how dangerous an attacking threat that Crick were today. All the players were brill today and what a pleasure to see Cat lift another trophy, Have a great break Ladies and back fit and refreshed for 26/27 season.