"A great performance from your girls - thank you for coming and taking the game to us. We're not used to that"

Words of praise from our opposition today as our girls gave the most gutsy, determined and disciplined performance away at, without doubt, by far the strongest team in the whole of NWGFL U12s. Our hosts Gorleston are used to teams camping out and playing damage limitation, as they have racked up many double digit wins this season. But our girls obviously had other ideas today, as they lined up as follows:

Amalie T; Lily B, Lauren R, Ruth D; Emily P, Mahala G, Beth J; Caitlin F (c), Sophia M;

Subs: Honey P, Tia H.

On a generously grassed playing surface, our girls started brightly but were unlucky only four minutes in to go a goal down as the hosts grabbed an early lead. But when most teams have folded against Gorleston in having gone behind this season, we really stepped up our game and grew into the match superbly. It was to be the start of a incredibly disciplined performance which drew praise from the opposition coaches and parents, as being their hardest test this season. Praise indeed.

Typifying the discipline was Amalie, making an appearance between the sticks, and giving a faultless display. Some really smart saves and first class handling ensured that we were always in the game first half, and it was not surprising when Beth - having charged through from midfield - carefully considered the options of Caitlin and Sophia either side of her, before firing us level in the 23rd minute. This was no less than the girls deserved in a gritty first half which was underpinned by some fantastic defending by Lauren at centre back, and a managers-player-of-the-match showing by Ruth who was amazing at right back, playing some real quality balls out from the back. Lily, having picked the hardest game possible to return with, having been out injured for three weeks deserves praise, too, for the manner in which she got stuck straight back in. This defensive unit was bolstered further by Honey joining the ranks to give Lily some respite after the umpteenth Gorleston attack down our left hand side in the closing stages of the first half. Again, huge praise for Honey here as this was a relatively unknown position for her in recent times, and she immediately had an impact breaking up a dangerous Gorleston attack as we got to half time.

The start of the second half saw our optimism blunted, as within 60 seconds the hosts retook the lead going 2-1 up. Harsh on the girls who pretty soon after took their frustration out on the scoreline by making it a very deserved and symmetrical 2-2. This arose from the fact that Emily gambled and come out on top chasing a ball over the top at the end of a smart move, started off by another good save by Amalie at the other end, and coolly finishing to peg Gorleston back for the second time.

By now, the girls really did believe.

Mahala, with a display that saw her cover a quite ridiculous amount of grass for 60 minutes, was everywhere and had the knack of popping up wherever needed - at the same time as not getting out of position. Quite a feat! Mahala's energy was met with Caitlin's strength, as she gave the Gorleston defence the hardest of hours with a lot of physicality. Sophia was a menace throughout and was often providing the much needed outlet in the second half.

Beth continued to be her industrious self on the way to deservedly getting the opposition player of the match award, and understandably needed a breather towards the end when a reshuffle saw Tia enter the fray up front with some really promising runs at the home defence. As the game wore on, fuel tanks become emptier and the fitness of our opposition told. But having got to 42 minutes and more than matched our hosts, 2-2 grew with four goals in 14 minutes, which was harsh on our girls.

But whilst a 2-6 scoreline was the closest anyone has run Gorleston for a long long time, more importantly, a clear message was sent out today.

This is a determined, disciplined and daring group - daring to be different by having a right good go and matching the league standard bearers for 42 minutes - and where others have feared to tread this season.

Well done girls, you're a huge credit to our club!!!