Date: 04/09/2005
Tournament: BAWFC vs Croydon Athletic
Author: Petra Lausen
Player of the match: Louise Dutton

First game of the season: League Cup against Croydon Athletic - at home in the heat with two injured subs - and plenty of supporters on the sideline - Steve (thank you for picking the new match ball up from the jungle ;-), Raj, Luke and the Rapas (Dan/John, thank you for running the line!), here's to the start of the season:

After the success in Wednesday's friendly, we tried to get this cup game under control and managed to create some early chances. Despite a few moments of panic in our area, the back four worked hard at keeping the ball out, including some great headers from both of our centre backs (well done, Preeti and Belinda!).

We were unlucky with a couple of through balls played forward to the strikers, being too long for even Danger Mouse Char too reach. However, Jo and Louise linked up well on the left and Heidi curled in her corners beautifully to test the Croydon defence more than once. Unfortunately shots by Char, Olive and Louise all missed the target. So, despite all this excitement, it was Croydon who scored first and went into half-time 1-0 up.

Our efforts continued after the break, with Svitlana's goal-kicks going further and further as the game went along. We were pushing forward, helped by free-kicks from the back taken by Preeti, from the right taken by Nav and from the left taken by Char - and more of that later....

We did come under pressure again, but as a Croydon striker ran on to goal, Svitlana pulled off a brilliant save by sticking her foot out in the right moment. Unfortunately a well-executed Croydon corner meant that we suddenly found ourselves 2-0 down. Ooops. Their goal woke us up again though, and with Simone pushing the ball down the right wing and Heidi and Stacey now working the midfield - helped by the wingers and supported from the back, of course - we started making the most of our newly found energy: Heidi picked up the ball deep in our half, Char laid it off to Olive, who coolly slotted the ball into the net - 2:1 and we were back in the game!

Our tackles, passing and movement improved while Char kept on creating chances from all angles and was prevented from scoring more than once by the Croydon keeper's brilliant saves. Then, somehow, a goal went in at the wrong side, i..e. against us ... But at 3-1 down, it wasn't over yet! Minutes before the final whistle Heidi produced one of her trademark free-kicks (this one from the left just inside the Croydon half) and the ball sailed through the air and dipped into goal - need I say more?

Final score: 2-3.
Not the result we wished for, but nevertheless a promising start to the season: we certainly gave them a good game in the end Well done to all our old and new players who braved the heat on a Sunday afternoon!