Ascot Diamonds Girls U14 team faced Division One opponents Wargrave Warriors on Saturday 14th March at the Wargrave ground in the Berkshire Cup Semi finals
The Diamonds went two goals behind in the first 10 minutes thanks to a wonderful chip shot from Wargrave and a deflection for an own goal.
It was not an ideal start for the Diamonds who now faced a real test of character at this stage, but if it is one thing this team has got is character, determination and self belief but they would need all three in heavy doses now, let’s not forget this was a quality Div 1 side.
In the next few minutes Ascot refused to be outplayed and again started to create some problems winning the ball back from Wargrave four times in succession all within their half before forcing a corner. In the 14th minute Hollie Lake delivered a crisp corner which Wargrave failed to clear before Holly McFarlance alert and electric as usual charged through the blue wall to tuck the ball away past the keeper who never saw it. 2-1 and Ascot back in the game. What a frenetic start but very exciting viewing for the neutral.
This was Holly’s 2nd goal from open play this season and a timely strike at that stage.
Ascot now started to get the better exchanges of the game and looked the most likely team to score next as a number of key battles were taking place all over the pitch, Holly McFarlane drawing lots of attention for her energetic runs, and spins, Gabby Goodall for her sheer determination to go into battle head to head, Macy Sealy on the wing with two defenders hanging on to both sides off her shirt whilst she kept going, and Mia Gill and Phoebe Thomas having to deal with some audacious attempts to get into the Ascot box but the Diamonds were showing not only were they glinting but they were tough.
The second half kicked off at 9.43 am and in the 38th minute Amira Khan (leading the golden boot race this year) trying to make her presence felt made a neat overhead kick to Gabby Goodall who drove down the line before lacing a shot into the far post to make it 2-2. What a start to the second half as that was Gabby’s 8th goal of the season and Amira’s 4th assist to level up the business at hand for the Diamonds
In the 60th minute Wargrave again surged forward and again having played some lovely football to get deep they fired a shot across goal which was aimed for the far post and the Ascot defence valiantly trying to clear the ball invertedly diverted the ball into the net to make it 3-2 to Wargrave.
Yes it was a stroke of good fortune for Wargrave for the second time in the match, and yes it was a rare thing to see two own goals in a match, but most importantly on the run of play, it perhaps was more a result of a steady buildup of pressure by Wargrave than an error by the Ascot defence for that goal.
It was where the game ended unfortunately for the Diamonds who came to within 10 minutes of forcing yet another penalty kick decider against Division one opponents and also the end of a magnificent run in the Berkshire Cup.
It was another fine performance by the Diamonds regardless of the result against their third straight Division 1 team