Girls Football Match Reports
U14 Girls reach County Cup Final
Match reports submitted for the weekend of 28th and 29th January 2012
U14 Jarvis Brook Girls (2) v (0) U14 Crawley Town Girls
- Jarvis Brook Girls reach County Cup Final
- Jarvis Brook Girls under 14s secured their place in the County Cup Final with a good team performance beating a strong Crawley Town team 2-0.
The key to their victory was good organisation and strong defence and the ability to take the few chances that presented themselves. Brook welcomed back Hedley after a minor operation who bolstered central midfield with her tough tackling. Alongside Jackson who was in inspiring form, the trickery of Smith on the left and the pace and free running of Rose on the right, Brook dominated the midfield throughout the match.
In defence they were rarely troubled except for a 15 minute period at the start of the second half, but keeper McCarthy and Captain Saunders always provided the cover required when Brook’s strong defence of Hedley, Howell and Richardson was breached.
Brook’s top scorer Johnson was marked out of the game but this created space for others to take advantage of. Midway through the first half Rose found space on the right and her pinpoint cross was cleverly tapped in by Jackson.
After Brook had soaked up early second half pressure they came into the ascendency and chances were starting to be created. Brook’s second and winning goal came midway through the second half when Johnson laid off for fellow striker Plane to finish with aplomb.
Substitutes Wenban and Gaughan performed well when called upon and they helped Brook into the final on Sunday 11th March where they will play the might of Patcham Utd.
U15 Jarvis Brook Girls (6) v (6) U15 Eastbourne Girls
- Brook Girls in Scintillating Top of the Table Clash
Sparks usually fly when Jarvis Brook Girls under 15s play Eastbourne Girls, but no-one could predict the drama that was to unfold in this top of the table clash at Palesgate Lane on Sunday.
Captain Rowe gave Brook an early lead which was quickly cancelled out by an Eastbourne reply and then another to put the visitors in the lead. It looked like it was to be a torrid afternoon for Brook’s keeper Dobson and defenders Squire, Ryall and Betts who struggled to cope with the pace of Eastbourne attacks.
But Brook’s midfield worked hard to regain the advantage with wide players Burbridge and Creed always probing and O’Nunain running and tackling tirelessly in the centre. Brook got the equaliser when Dier was played through and finished coolly sliding the ball past the oncoming keeper. Soon after top scorer Amos got in on the act to put Brook back into the lead but this was soon cancelled out by another Eastbourne break.
It looked like it would be all square at the break that was until Purnell, Brook’s uncompromising centre back, launched a long ball forward from near the half way line, the ball travelled a long way and with the unsuspecting Eastbourne keeper off her line the ball dropped under the crossbar and into the net to give Brook the half time lead.
The break was needed for everyone to get their breath back, including the spectators, but the second started off at the same frenetic pace. Amos soon added her second to give the home side a two goal advantage but this just spurred Eastbourne on. The speed of their breaks was hard for the Brook defence to cope with and over the next 15 minutes they added three goals to take a 5-6 lead.
Baldock and Buttifant came on for Brook to replace tired legs and Amos completed her hat-trick with 10 minutes left to level the score.
Both teams squandered good chances that could have won the game but there was relief at the final whistle, a draw being the fairest result of this remarkable match and both teams received the applause of the large crowd gathered.
Level at the top of the table on 34 points each, the title will be decided in two weeks when the teams meet again in Eastbourne.
