| Date: |
Sunday 7th February 2010 |
| Location: |
Bedford Park, Birkdale |
| Result: |
Birkdale United Ladies (3) Dingle Ladies (1) |
The long wait for a league fixture was finally over as Birkdale Ladies played their first competitive game since November 22nd. They faced a Dingle side who had given them a tough game at the start of the season in a fixture which saw a 3-3 draw, so the home side knew they were going to be in for a tough game. From the last time out against Mossley Hill, McKenna missed out with an ear infection while Lloyd, Tuakli, Waring and Gillingham returned to the squad.
The visitors started the first half strongly and didnt give Birkdale any time on the ball. They forced a couple of corners which were well defended, but the home team found it difficult to string any passes together. Therefore it was a surprise when from their first attack. the home team took the lead. Granby did very well to win the ball down the left and play it to Cooper. She looked up and whipped a ball across goal which the keeper could not deal with and Gillingham was waiting at the far post to poke it in.
This settled the home side a little and they began to have a more even share of the game. They were unlucky not to double their lead when a fantastic pass from Davidson put Cooper in, but her shot hit the post and bounced out. She retrieved the ball and crossed it to Tuakli who headed wide when it seemed easier to score. This let-off galvanised the visitors and they drew level with a well-rehearsed corner routine but poor defending from Birkdale, as players were allowed to run unchallenged and head the ball home , giving Hesketh no chance.
Both teams had chances to take the lead before half-time, with Dingle narrowly missing from a deep free-kick, while Waring seemed to be impeded in the box when put through after good work from Reppion and Gillingham. Cooper was also very unlucky when she hit the crossbar from distance with the keeper beaten. However, at half-time the teams were level.
At half-time, Noel and Dave spoke to the girls about making sure they won the first and second ball. Up until then the visitors had been that bit more determined than their hosts and they needed to gain a foothold in midfield in the second half.
In fairness, the second half started much better for Birkdale, with Dixon and Jackson controlling the central area, and Gillingham and Ferguson causing problems with their pace down the flanks. Good work from Gillingham and Reppion seemed to have released Waring clear on goal, but she was narrowly judged offside with the goal gaping. Dixon was also causing problems with her long throws. At the back, the unit of Davidson, Lloyd, McEvoy and Coulter were having a collectively excellent game, ensuring that Hesketh had very little to do, although the keeper was alert off her line on a number of occasions.
It seemed as though nothing was going right in the opponents’ penalty area for the home side with Tuakli being denied by a good save from the ‘keeper and Cooper hitting the post again with a low, powerful shot. However, with a quarter of an hour remaining, Birkdale retook the lead. Granby took a throw which Griffiths flicked on to Cooper. She then hooked the ball over her shoulder into the six-yard box. Gillingham rose highest to beat the keeper to the ball, and it fell kindly for Tuakli to volley calmly into the unguarded net.
The home side stepped up a gear from this point and began to exert more pressure on their guests, but the back four had to remain alert and did so to great effect. Cooper was very unlucky to score on two occasions, once after excellent work from Coulter and Griffiths, and again after a neat passing move involving Gillingham and Jackson which led to a snap-shot which the keeper did well to save. The relief was short-lived though, as Cooper’s corner was delivered with pin-point accuracy to allow Granby to power a diving header into the back of the net for a goal which her performance had certainly merited. There was not much time after this for the visitors to stage a comeback, and the final whistle sounded to signal a valuable victory for Birkdale.
This had been a searching test of the home side’s credentials against a strong, determined opponent and although the first half display was not particularly good and showcased a considerable amount of rustiness, the second half was much more impressive with every team member making a valuable contribution. Of particular note was the solidity of the defence as a unit, which formed the foundation for the victory. They should take heart from the fact that they weren’t at their very best but managed to do just enough to merit a victory against one of the best sides in the league. Well done, and keep it up!
The Player of the Match, awarded by Dingle, went to A. Gillingham.
The Manager’s Player of the Match was shared between L. Granby and A. McEvoy.
The team was Hesketh, Davidson, Coulter (c), Lloyd, Tuakli, Cooper, Griffiths, Jackson, Granby, Gillingham, McEvoy, Reppion, Waring, Dixon and Ferguson.
