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Photos: Ruth Gibson
York’s first squad were aware there first round cup match was going to be tough against the
Sheffield team in the league above them. The match was evenly matched throughout.
Hallam won the pushback and were on the attack from the start. York rose to the challenge and
kept the ball in the opposition’s 25 making it a struggle for the visitors to break. Despite consistent
pressure York struggled to break the solid blockade conjured by the Hallam defenders.
York goalie Laura Porter, struggling from a hip injury, was put into pressure from the Hallam attack,
especially Emma Fearmley, pulling off some lovely, and probably painful, saves.
Hallam were to be the first team to find the back of the net. Unluckily the goal was not to be
counted. It was the end result of a short corner in which the ball has to hit the back board on the
first hit. The ball was frustratingly a foot above the allowable height.
Hallam played a very well executed defensive game. The skilled defenders seemed to construct an
impenetrable barrier to the frustrated York attackers. They were particularly adept at phasing out
players in the D, offering the home side limited shots on goal.
The first half ended with Hallam players being carded twice and warned several times about talking
back to the umpire.
The second half was as evenly matched as the first, both teams made ventures into the opposing
teams territory but repeatedly were stopped scoring. Hallam’s Charlie White was to enjoy several
great runs up the left wing. Especially one half way through the second half, she ended a long run by
firing in the cross which flew by several of the York players only for fresher Alix Haywood to clear it
under pressure on the penalty spot.
York finally managed to convert one of their numerous short corners into a goal in the closing stages
of the match. A perfectly executed injection from man of the match Jill Mercer found Imy Storm on
the edge of the D for her to fire it in to Faustino on the post. Her deflection put the home side one
nil up. Hallam nearly succeeded in evening the score sheet with a close attempt on a short corner.
Emma Fearnley continued a brilliant match by bringing York goalie Laure Porter onto the floor only
for her shot to be saved on the line by Mercer. A stick tackle against Mercer resulted in a 16 yard hit
and the end of Hallam’s chance for equalising.
Sheffield’s Emma Fearmley was to end the match off the pitch after she was given a yellow card for
backchat. The final whistle blew soon after, advancing the jubilant York side to the next round.
Hallam Captain Rosy Stephens commented on the closeness of the game, that Hallam played
a ‘competitive’ game and supported each other well. She controversially added that it was a ‘shame
the umpires dictated the game’. York’s Hannah Gage was in slightly better spirits, remarking that
she was ‘really proud of all the girls today, making a great effort against a strong opponent. Bring on
the next round!’ Indeed Miss Gage.