We welcomed in the new season with a strong side and plenty of quality on the bench. Our opponents were NN Utd, a side from the Raunds area and new to us.
Match started at a brisk pace with Moulton in charge. However NN attacked and forced a corner which was dealt with comfortably and the ball broke forward and from all of 35 yards Sophie Gates hit the ball like a rocket, hard and high and over the keeper for 1-0 Moulton. Five minutes had gone with Moulton on top. Morgan charged through the middle with just the keeper to beat but couldn't convert. Just a minute later and a through ball went towards the keepr again, but like all good strikers , Morgan chased after the ball. The keeper attempted to dribble round Morgan, big mistake, as Morgan took the ball off her and passed it into an empty net for 2-0 Moulton. NN Utd came more into the contest with some decent passing football and made a promising attack in the 14th minute, but the calm Moulton defence broke up the attack and cleared the danger. Moulton then attacked again and Sophie G., who was having a super game, put the ball into the area where Sophie T collected and slid a low shot into the net for 3-0 Moulton. Just 2 minutes later when Moulton broke, the ball found Morgan who looked to have scored but the ball was cleared to Wiki who hammered it hard and low into the net for 4-0 Moulton. 22 minutes had gone when Wiki made a spirited run down the left, winning a corner. Wiki took a good one and the ball found Hayley who hit narrowly past the post. Just 20 minutes had gone when Moulton attacked again and the ball went in to a crowded goalmouth and the linesman flagged for offside, but the referee who was in a much better position near the halfway line, overruled the decision and Sophie T toe poked it in for 5-0. Moulton's super sub and ace striker Reedy had replaced Morgan who was rested. A matter of minutes later a poor clearance found Reedy who moved a pace forward before hammering the ball back past the keeper for 6-0. Super Striker struck again!. Just before half time, Georgie and Millie entered the game as subs. On 40 minutes Wiki came into the game, she made a run then found Steph who looked up and from about 22 yards crashed a shot hard and high that the keeper was powerless to reach. 7-0. Almost halftime, but Moulton were not to be denied. A clever flick header from Shannon, having probably her best game for Moulton, found Sophie T on the charge and she beat the keeper to make it 8-0 at HT.

2nd half and on came Jade and Jess as subs. NN Utd started the 2nd half brightly and put some pressure on Moulton's defence who until now had had an easy afternoon, protected by Sophie Gates who continued to play really well. Back came Moulton and on 49 minutes, Jess kept the ball in and laid it to Sophie T who narrowly hit past the far post. There followed a period of midfield play with NN Utd appearing to have settled into the game. However after 62 minutes Moulton broke again and Steph was involved and played the ball to Jess but her shot was comfortably saved by the NN Utd keeper. Just 5 minutes later Steph played a marvellous diagonal ball to Wiki who passed back to Steph who hit a hard shot that beat the keeper but bounced back off the crossbar. Jess had a go but in the end Sophie T scored for 9-0. A freekick some 40 yards out from goal saw Moulton try a shot that the keeper palmed round for a corner. Back came NN and on 73 minutes they broke 2 on 1. The ball was eventually played across to the advanced player who looked suspiciously off side, but she managed to miss putting the ball past the far post. NN were made to pay as on 74 minutes Morgan chased through onto the ball and took her shot early and smashed it past the keeper for 10-0. Another Moulton attack on 81 minutes saw Jess unable to get in a shot, so she back heeled to Sophie G who shot just past the post. A few minutes from the end Morgan chased another lost cause but won the ball only to get smashed over and the referee awarded a Moulton penalty which Jess took and calmly hit the ball firm and low past the keeper for 11-0.
Then on 89 minutes NN Utd attacked and their 21 hit a firm shot in towards the corner of the net. Harriet dived and only managed to finger tip it into the corner for a goal to NN Utd, 11-1. However Moulton were not finished yet. Morgan again saw NN Utd defenders being clever at the back so she pressured them, won the ball and went round the keeper and scored her third to make it 12-1.
What a performance from all the Moulton players and subs. Sophie T was on fire with 4 goals, Morgan on her league debut for Moulton scored a hat trick with the rest of the goals well spread around the team. The fight will now be on for places in the squad each week as a quality squad has been put together. Next week we host Corby Ladies who we always have close matches against.
Player of the Match was Sophie Gates closely followed by Shannon and Sophie T. The rest of the players and subs all deserve mention as it was an excellent team performance.