Date: 06/01/08
Game: BAWFC Vs Alexander Park (Russell Cup: 1st round)
Author: Nav
Player of the match: TBC

BAWFC Vs Alexander Park (4-0)

Team: Svitlana, Simone, Preeti, Nicole, Mandip, Char, Lou(1), Gilly, Lynsie (Rachael(1) ), Nav(1), Marie(1)
Subs: Rachael, Kim

Our first game of 2008 was a first round Russell Cup fixture against Division 3 side Alexander Park.

After a few changes to the line up from Coach Gerry, with the winter bugs still making the rounds we were all confident of a positive result against Alexander Park. Lynsie making her debut for BA being put straight into the deep starting at left wing.

No need to worry about who were the first 5 penalty takers – this match was going to be completed within the 90 minutes no problem.

Playing on the newly laid pitch 3 we had perfect conditions for a great game of football.

We dominated the game; in fact Alexander Park only had the one shot on goal in the whole match. That was a very ambitious free kick from over 30 yards out which Svit juggled before Nicole cleared.

Lou opened the scoring with a typical Frank strike. A shot from outside that box that the keeper got her fingertips to but could only watch it hit the post and get in the back of the net. 1nil BA!

Ok, then I should of got number 2 not long afterwards when I was though on goal, took too long striking the ball and missed my opportunity when a Alexander Park defender got back and tackled me. I will practice the early shot! Sorry I can’t remember who passed that great ball to me – but thanks! Keep those fantastic balls coming.

But I made up for it with a fantastic strike from 40 yards out that left the keeper no chance! What a fantastic strike it was! Ok, so it was a tap in from like a yard out – but it all counts! A goal is a goal. The Alexander Park keeper fumbled Char’s cross to gift me a tap in – what can I say, right place, right time… takes quality to be that good…2nil BA!

We went into the half time ready for a telling off, we knew we should of at least doubled our 2nil lead already. Me again missing a great opportunity to make it 3nil with the half time whistle just about to go. Lou having a few more strikes from outside the box going up and over. The lineo calling a few dodgy off sides when we could have been through one on one. Gilly and Marie could of added to the score sheet with shots inside the box. Generally weak shots when we know we really shoulda done better.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first. With missed chances and not a lot of defending needed by our back 4 and keeper. The defence were working on passing it out, playing football, something we’ve been working on this season and really we totally outplayed the opposition in every position on the pitch. Nicole linking up well with Mandip, and Preeti linking up well with Simone and covering well for each other. Simone getting my pick of the bunch for performance at the back. Gilly as per usual giving 100% playing in the middle of the pitch, Char getting some great crosses in and the wing backs linking up well with the wingers, in particular on the left flank with Mandip linking up well with Lynsie in the first half and Rachael in the second half.

Marie after all her hard work through out the game got a well deserved goal from Rachael’s cross, Rachael having come on for Lynsie at the start of the second half battled hard to win back the ball down the left flank. The opposition thought the ball had gone out of play and had stopped playing – girls please remember play to the ref’s whistle – this is exactly why! With the whole ball not being over the line the ref waved play on, Rachael took advantage of the defences confusion and crossed it into Marie who slotted in from a 2 yards out. 3nil BA!

Shortly afterwards it was Rachael’s turn to get on the scoresheet. Scoring her first goal for BA in only her third appearance for the club. Louise’s excellent corner eventually found her sister Rachael whose beautiful strike left the keeper no chance looping into the top right hand corner. 4nil BA! And also the biggest cheer of the day. Rach – you deserve a cigarette for that!

A well deserved victory means that we now face Division 2 opposition Watford Youth away in the 2nd round of the Russell Cup on the 3rd February.

Highlight of the game has to be Preeti putting her foot in it when she was surrounded by players from the opposition team outsie the changing rooms, and saying to Majid, ‘We can’t play like that against a decent opposition, we’d get beaten’. Yeah, that went down really well…