Ladies 1st XI mid season Report

Mid Term (Season) report

For us the pre season started back in August with individual player stats and major forward planning taking place during the tail end of the summer league.

A totally different approach was required this year if we were to achieve our pre season target of top 3 finish, some tough calls were obviously going to be made as I took the view of being absolutely true to the team and doing whatever it takes to put out a team full of confidence and belief in themselves and their fellow players.

The 4 pre-season matches went without a hitch, new formations were tried and it seemed that whatever we did paid off. The players were on fire and the team spirit was not waning under the pressure. We scored 24 and conceded only 3 in 4 matches winning them all, but this was opposition from lesser divisions and I knew we would be up against much tougher encounters in the coming weeks as we started our campaign.

Match day 1 (H v Newark) We opened in a tense but terrific game at home against Newark, running out 3-1 winners with Taran bagging 2.

Match day 2 (A v Leicester) the trip down to Leicester saw us come away with 3 points again as a good team effort resulted in a 3-0 win. For the 2nd week running Taran bagged a brace and but for some more consistent umpiring we could have scored at least another 3-4, but a win was a win and when you consider we drew at home and lost at Leicester when we last met in the league, the improvement was there to see.

Match day 3 (H v W Bridgford) was a chance to put away some bad memories and even though there was high tension in the air before we started, another win was under our belts as a PC from Becky Norman opened her account for the season and despite some late pressure from Bridgford we still ran out 1-0 winners.

Match day 4 (H v Northampton Saints) This was a potential banana skin for us as Saints had come into the league on the back of a terrific season and with the 1st XI just dropping out of National League the player quality should have been there to put us under pressure. But a stunning goal on just 2 mins from Taran and a hat-trick from Rachael Whittaker plus Kath opening her account saw us with an incredible 5 goal lead and 4 wins from 4. We were starting to believe we were getting it right.

Match day 5 (A v Barton) Top of the table clash this one with Barton 2nd and Derby top but it was Barton who ran out 3-2 winners on the day. A tremendous save by the Barton full back on the line from Marie denied us a share of the points in the final minutes but I have to admit Barton did deserve the win.

Match day 6 (A v Kettering) A bad day all round as again we were robbed of picking up another 3 points due to very questionable umpiring and had to settle for a point thanks to a late Taran goal and some sparkling saves from Lisa early doors. A good team effort but you just can’t account for several key incidents during the game and your opposition putting 9 players inside the area.

Match day 7 (H v Matlock) A very sweet result as for the 4th time in 5 meetings we beat our near neighbours this time 3-1 in a game that could have been even more emphatic, the best allround team performance so far with an incredible opening goal by Taran but its Rachael that should take all the credit for a totally unselfish piece of team play leaving Taran a simple finish.

So that’s where the 1st half of the season ended due to iced pitches and snow with us in 2nd place just 3 points off the top. A terrific start to this campaign.



Some interesting stats:

(inc pre season)

Pld 11 Won 9 Draw 1 Lost 1 F: 42 A:10

(League)

Pld 7 Won 5 Draw 1 Lost 1 F: 18 A:7

Averages

Goals
F: 2.57
A: 1

Pts
2.28 pts per game

We currently sit 9th out of 50 teams in the Midlands league overall.

Scorers (league Only)

7 - Taran
4 - Rachael
1 - Anna
1 - Becky
1 - Beth
1 - Kath
1 - Kelly
1 - Laura
1 - Marie


We have now begun to play with more technical and tactical awareness. We look solid in defence, creative in midfield and dangerous up front.

No player has stood out, which is testimony to the team ethic, and everyone has enhanced their belief not only in their own abilities but the whole teams.

We have now appointed Nigel as Team Manager to take some of the pressures off myself and Marie. His opinion is one that I certainly respect and having someone else to “bounce opinion” off is helping tremendously.


As for the 2nd half of the season who knows.

If we continue to improve as we have this half and take into our games the belief and technical know how we have, the final standings are totally up to us.

Its been a great start but the job is only half done.

The 2nd half promises to be an absolute cracker. Bring it on.