Ascot United U14 Diamonds v Woodley United Ladies

Report

Friendly v Woodley United

A bright if not particularly warm morning at the South Ascot pitch in a friendly encounter between the Division 1 County Cup champions Woodley and Div 2 title chasing Ascot.

In the 8^th minute Woodley now starting to win most of the second balls in the midfield strung together three delicious passes, the first out wide the second down the line and the third into the box, where the alert but nimble striker completely out foxed the Ascot defence before calmly slotting the ball past Hanna to make it 1 Nil.  It was a well worked goal and looked like a training ground exercise for that finish.

In the 13^th minute of a passage of play being dominated by Ascot, Tabitha Martin weighted a delivery out wide and Macy Sealy showed great strength and composure to motor past the challenge down the right wing before cracking the ball towards the goal and what an effort that would have been as the ball just sailed wide of the far post, but an excellent effort from right winger.

In the 22^nd minute Hanna Richards now sending the ball down field with ease saw Phoebe Thomas battling away as usual, collect and drive past her marker only to run to traffic in the form of two Woodley defenders but never stopping willingly somehow managed to force the ball through the middle of both defenders, and with the ball still bouncing Phoebe stroked the ball past the Woodley keeper to make it 1-1.

It was Phoebe’s 4^th goal of the season and a timely strike on the back of sheer determination

Two minutes later Alexa Crittenden playing for a short period to help out the 10 player Woodley received a great pass and this time cut in a made no mistake in putting the ball into the net for Woodley. It was a visionary pass that picked out Alexa in the first place and Alexa made no mistake with the finish

Woodley 2 Ascot 1 as they went to the half time break.

In the 39^th minute with the ball bouncing around Ascot tried a back pass which was mis hit and Woodley’s striker alert and waiting skipped in to collect the ball and accept the gift of meat and drink before slamming the ball past Hanna to make it 3-1.  Not the start to the second half that Ascot would have hoped for

In the 49^th minute Woodley’s midfielder dropped her shoulder and drifted two yards to the right before hammering a shot from midway into the Ascot half that clattered into the top post, thanks to a finger tip save from Hanna before gathering the ball up on the rebound. That was a shot with venom

In the 59^th minute, Ascot again looking less than certain in getting the ball out of their half saw Woodley welcome another misplaced pass and send it down the middle for the nimble striker to simply run into the box and pass the ball into the net beyond Hanna

4-1 to Woodley but this was coming as Ascot were looking quite match rusty in working out how to pass the ball forward much to the delight of Woodley.

In the 66^th minute, a stroke of genius thinking from the Ascot coaches Alix and Leigh decided to do something different and asked Macy Sealy and Alexa Crittenden to swap wings, with both players looking slightly less enthusiastic as they trudged over to opposite sides. Exactly 34 seconds later Ascot sent a ball out wide to the left where Alexa…..no sorry Macy on the left wing controlled the ball dead at her feet, and silkily moved past the right back before spotting the keeper just off her line and sweetly hitting the ball with some bend into the far post to make it 4-2.  That was a sensational strike by Macy from off the left wing.

This was also Macy’s 7^th goal of the season.

The match ended shortly after with Mia Gill voted Coaches player of the Match for some at times impossible defensive work and guess who Alexa Crittenden voted opposition player of the match for a record 9^th time this season. Yes 9 times this season. Well done to both