After a long coach journey and push back being pushed back half an hour, the unbeaten women’s
first team were shaken out of their cold stupor with a heart-stopping Northumbrian break in the first
minute of the match. Their forwards broke through the York defence to get a shot on goal. Although
saved on the line by Dolton, she gave away a penalty by clearing the ball onto her own foot.
Keeper Kate Atherton was tested with a tricky shot but saved effortlessly.
York recovered from this early scare with a textbook goal. Captain Hannah Gage took a free hit
outside the D, driving it in to release to Montezuma who powered it in to make the score 1-0.
Despite a troublesome Northumbrian centre mid, whose quick play and intelligent positioning
proved difficult to defend against, York scored again. Laura Welsing ran penetratingly into the D, beating
many players to unselfishly pop the ball the Rachael Faustino on the keeper who scored on her third
attempt.
Welsing got her goal, however, minutes later with a splendid ball from Storm. She received it with
style at the top of the D and hit it home, the sound reverberating around the freezing pitch.
Northumbria, however, kept battling on. Their captain made a great run up the right wing to
into the York D. She shot on a very tricky angle, but skilfully made the score 3-1. York kept
finding themselves on the defence for the rest of the half. Northumbria scored again with a very
controversial goal. Despite defender Sally Warrington seemingly clearing it on the goal line, the
umpire ruled that it had crossed and awarded Northumbria a goal. Despite anguished objection
from York, the half ended with the score line 3-2 to the women in black and yellow.
Huddled like penguins during the half time talk, York came back on fire in the second half.
Montezuma scoring her second of the match with a great first touch on the penalty spot.
York utilised the spaces on the pitch to great effect with some very assured switching round the
back. Playing a very measured game against the very nippy Northumbria side who were especially
adept at running to the ball, often beating the York players.
However, the score was made 5-2 with a near perfect short corner routine from York. Taken by
Mercer, she released the ball to Gage who slipped it to Storm to finish it flawlessly, giving the
defenders no chance. Montezuma completed her hat trick, converting a shot from storm into her
own- making the score 6-2 to the visitors.
One of Northumbria’s many breaks was transformed into a goal with quick assured play from
the forwards, pushing through the York defence and onto goal. A swift push launched around
keeper Atherton found the backboard. Despite a short corner being awarded in the last seconds to
Northumbria, they didn’t utilise the opportunity and the match ended 6-3 to the white rose.
York captain Hannah Gage commented on the ‘great team performance’ and that she was ‘looking
forward to next week’. Let’s hope the ladies finish their unbeaten BUCS term with a clean sheet next
week.