Date: 28/11/2004
Fixture: BAWFC V Celtic
Result:6-4
Author:Petra Lausen

So, after two draws, one win and one defeat against Celtic in the recent 5-aside competitions, this Sunday promised to be an exciting game! And with 10 goals in 90 minutes, I hope none of the supporters were disappointed. Well, the match certainly didn’t give me any time to worry about jetlag ;-)

Celtic kick-off and they started strong, but, after our initial confusion (and thanks to Sarah’s composure in goal, and her loooong kicks!), we gradually got into the game. As usual, Sarah’s saves kept us in (not sure when exactly they all happened in the sequence of the afternoon’s events, but who could forget that dive putting the ball round the post out for a corner?! I’ll also have to mention the occasion when Sarah ended up standing FACING our goal and still somehow grabbed the ball from the ensuing scramble. Phew!) Anyway, while I made sure that our keeper was kept busy, Preeti didn’t only chase the Celtic strikers down, but also put the ball forward wherever possible. Now that’s what centre-backs should do ;-) Great stuff alongside, on the left, Simone, who stopped anyone and anything going for goal and Pam, who continually put the ball down the right wing, to be collected by the forwards, who created some lovely play (you had to be there!). Great movement all around: Char (how is your arm?) and Stacey (how is your toe?) in the centre, worked well with both Nav on the left and Deby on the right (and sometimes on the ground ;-) and gave Tania and Heidi plenty of support up front.

After a free-kick just outside the area, our efforts were finally rewarded when Tania coolly placed her shot in the bottom right hand corner of the Celtic goal. 1-0 to us! Unfortunately our celebrations were short-lived as, only minutes later, one of the fast Celtic strikers somehow managed to score the equaliser. However, that didn’t stop us from creating more chances until, once again, a Tania strike hit the back of the net and made it 2-1 to us at half-time. Fingers crossed that we could hold on to our lead!

After the break, it was Celtic who scored first - paving the way for an exciting second half: the play was great to watch from the back with some fantastic passing down the wings and through the middle. We were unlucky a number of times not to go ahead before we eventually did (Nav, was it your shot that went just wide after the ball had been crossed in from the right and everyone else had had an attempt at goal as well?), so when yet another one of Heidi’s many amazing corners was beautifully placed in the box, Stacey didn’t hesitate and fired a shot on target. First goal for our captain, congratulations and well done! In the meantime Jen had come onto the pitch to take Nav’s place on the left, and Belinda replaced Pam at right back. All the while, both teams kept going for goal resulting in a Celtic effort (a shot from outside the area - a la Danni/Harriet in fact) sailing across the entire defence and over Sarah’s head into the back of the net. 3-3, and there was more to come!

Not satisfied with the prospect of one point, we continued to put on the pressure. From what I remember a move that started with Belinda collecting the ball of the opposition at the back and passing it down the line and that ended with Char running towards goal and putting in a perfect cross to Heidi, who made it 4-3. Yippee! Back in the lead, that was only the beginning: not long afterwards, Heidi collected the ball from one of my clearance kicks and went on to score a second. And only minutes later, her hat-trick was complete! Nice fin(n)ish ;-)

While at the back (with the help from the midfielders - thanks Jen, Deby, Char and Stacey!), we had been trying to preserve our lead, the attacks up front all happened so fast that we/I couldn’t stop cheering. When the ball landed in the Celtic net for the sixth time that afternoon, we had secured the 3 points that put us above them in the League table. It was only a blunder just before the final whistle (ooops!) that allowed their (tall) number 10 a clear shot on goal - unstoppable even for Sarah!

Final score after an action packed match (and despite the Footie Section xmas do the night before - looking forward to those pictures!): 6-4. Well done everybody! Now try and find one player of the match ;-)

Another superb team effort with our corners and free-kicks well used and without any foul throws! As usual, the crowd were a great help (thanks for running the line as well, Waqas!) - and special cheers for Suzie for being there (and for organising the Christmas meal, of course)