Birkdale United Ladies v Liverpool Feds County Reserves
November 12th, 2009 by admin| Date: | Sunday 11th November 2009 |
| Location: | Bedford Park, Birkdale |
| Result: | Birkdale United Ladies (4) Liverpool Feds County Reserves (2) |
Birkdale United looked to continue their recent good form with a tough home game against Liverpool Feds, a long established team with a fine tradition in the women’s game. The home side were hit with two substantial blows before kick-off. Both Lloyd (family commitments) and Griner (injury) were ruled out, while Waring was away on holiday. Changes to the starting team from the previous game saw McEvoy line up alongside Birnie in the centre of defence, and Ferguson started on the left hand side of midfield.
The home side started well and began to put the dangerous visiters under pressure. Their early pressure was rewarded as they took the lead within the first five minutes. Cooper worked hard to win Birkdale a corner down their left. White went over to take hit and played a dangerous ball towards the near post. The Feds defender had no choice but to go for the ball but only succeeded in helping it on its way into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance.
Birkdale were buoyed by this and put the visitors under more pressure but were finding them a particularly tough and organised nut to crack. Set pieces were very dangerous, and Jackson was very unlucky with a controlled volley from a corner which flashed just past the angle of post and bar. Cooper then brought the very best out of the Feds keeper as she hit a dipping, swerving shot from fully 25 yards which looked destined for the top corner, only for the keeper to pull off a stunning save away to her right.
It was a crucial stop as Feds drew level soon after. They won a corner on their left, and as the ball was whipped in, a Feds player stole a run and rose high to nod the ball into the net giving Hesketh no chance. A few of the Birkdale defenders felt they had been pushed or impeded, but in truth it was impossible for the referee to ascertain this with the penalty area so packed. It was not long after this that the half-time whistle sounded to show a promising performance if a slightly frustrating scoreline for the home side.
Noel and Dave spoke to the players at half time and stressed that the performance had been good, and that if they continued in a similar fashion they would reap the rewards of their play. They needed to work hard and play the ball as simply as they could.
Feds started the second half strongly, and Jackson and Dixon in midfield were working hard to stem the flow, while the passing forward had become a little aimless. The home side had a lucky escape when Feds hit the crossbar with a shot from a corner, the rebound from which fell to a home player. Indeed, it was from a succession of pressure and corners for the visitors that Birkdale retook the lead. Davidson cleared the ball out of the area and Jackson battled hard to win the ball before playing it forward to Cooper. The Birkdale striker showed strength and speed to manouver her man-marker into allowing a shooting opportunity. She fired low across goal forcing a fine save from the keeper, but the rebound was into the path of the supporting Corrigan, who showed great composure in curling the ball into the net for her first goal for the club.
Feds were understandably deflated by this having started the second half so well, and sought to regain the initiative but were hit by a further sucker-punch. A ball forward from Feds was intercepted by McEvoy, who chipped an accurate ball over the top of the defence into the path of Cooper. She got to the ball before the keeper and managed to head it away from her but also away from goal. The ball came to Gillingham with her back to goal, and she took one look towards goal with the keeper stranded but two players on the line, and in one motion turned and chipped the ball from 20 yards over all three and into the back of the net for a fine, deserved goal.
Establishing a two-goal lead gave the home side confidence and they were unlucky not to increase their lead with opportunities for Granby, Griffiths, Cooper and Gillingham, however they had to be mindful of the constant threat from the visitors, with Hesketh and her defence having to be constantly on their guard. The next goal would prove crucial, and it came to the home side. Dixon won the ball in midfield and worked it to White, who chipped an accurate ball forward into the path of Cooper. It bounced up and towards the keeper but Cooper was not to be denied and, despite being unintentionally felled by the onrushing keeper, managed to get to the ball first and head it into the net for a goal which her all-round performance had certainly merited.
If anything, the home side were guilty of relaxing a little and this gave Feds the initiative which they were only too happy to take. With five minutes on the clock they cut the deficit with a fine goal. Birkdale cleared a corner but only to the edge of the area, and it was played across for a player to hit a fine strike with the outside of her right foot, curling into the top corner giving Hesketh no chance – although she should certainly have been closed down quicker. This gave the Feds renewed hope, but in the end the clock was against them and Birkdale ran out 4-2 winners.
This was an extremely entertaining and competitive game between two good sides played in a good spirit, and was a good advertisement for the league. Noel and Dave were delighted with the performance of their side. They had not quite played to their full potential but they had certainly raised their level from the previous few games and were returning to the standards set against Dingle and Tranmere. They were particularly pleased with the way in which many of the players had worked so well together, and also the team spirit which had helped carry them through. They are exceeding all expectations and are a credit to themselves and the club. Hopefully their great start to the season will continue in the County Cup match against TMS next weekend.
The Player of the Match, awarded by Liverpool Feds, went to A. Cooper.
The Managers’ Player of the Match was awarded to A. Gillingham.
The team was Hesketh, Davidson, Coulter (c), Birnie, Cooper, Griffiths, Jackson, Gillingham, White, McEvoy, Ferguson, Dixon, Corrigan and Granby.
