YORK WOMEN’S Futsal reached the quarter-finals of the BUCS championship after thrashing Nottingham Trent 12-3. Captain Jess Craig led the way with an amazing six goals, while Anty Cole showed her deadly goalscoring touch with four. Ellie Whittaker and Kayleigh Peters also got themselves on the scoresheet.
York absolutely dominated the game from start to finish, showcasing their attacking firepower and defensive solidity. Skipper Craig led by example, and with her in seamless tandem with striker Cole, York were in unstoppable form. Trent were unable to handle Cole’s presence up front, with her hold up play and close control bringing her an incredible five assists to go along with her four goals.
York started strongly, with Craig and Cole both missing opportunities in the opening minutes. It didn’t take long for the first goal to come, with Cole nicely laying off for Craig to put York 1-0 up.
The York pressure continued with NTU only managing one shot before Craig doubled her tally with a deflected shot. Her hat trick was to come soon after, with Cole providing another assist for another simple finish.
NTU were to hit back straight away after Ellie Whittaker, otherwise solid throughout, was dispossessed in her own half to leave an easy two-on-one situation which was finished nicely.
It was to be false hope for NTU however, as Cole finally got the goal her play so far had deserved. A long ball over the top from keeper Anna Cook found Cole who skilfully turned the defender with a dummy over her shoulder and poked home.
Within a few minutes Cole had scored again; a sublime first touch taking her away from the defending player before finishing left-footed.
York Sport President candidate Ellie Whittaker then got herself a goal, weaving past several players and laying off to Cole who smashed her shot against the post, with the rebound falling nicely for Whittaker to finish.
Captain Craig’s reintroduction spelled more trouble for NTU, and she bagged her fourth of the day after a great one-two with Cole leading to a tap in.
York’s already burgeoning lead could have increased even further before the break, but the NTU keeper made an outstanding triple save from Craig, Cole and Lauren Larkin.
Leading 7-1 at the break, the game was already out of reach for NTU. Early York pressure in the second period came to nothing before Trent managed to get two goals back, the second a dazzling solo run and finish.
York didn’t panic and further increased their lead through Kayleigh Peters, whose sharp run across goal brought an easy finish from a corner.
It was all York from then on, and Cole’s hat trick goal stretched their lead, with Peters turning provider for Cole to finish easily.
The Craig-Cole combination worked like a treat again for York. Cole was playing Craig beautifully through the middle and her captain obliged with a finish through the keeper’s legs, taking York into double figures.
Some great build up play from Peters and Cole brought Craig her sixth straight afterwards, and Cole was then on hand to finish again, taking the final score to 12-3.
Captain Jess Craig said: “We weren’t sure what to expect from today’s game, Nottingham Trent won all of their league games so we knew it was going to be tough!
“Overall, we showed good discipline when defending and took our goals well. We’re very pleased with the win and looking forward to the next round!”
Vision WotM: Jess Craig