Lancaster 2 vs Longridge 2

Lancaster 2s      5-1        Longridge 2s

Lancaster 2s took on Longridge 2s in their first league game of this season. Lancaster started brightly with some great link up play earning Lancaster a flurry of attacks.

5 minutes into the first half Carla Bleasdale ran the ball down the wing taking on a number of players before hammering it across the D to Emily Verden who calmly tapped it home, earning Lancaster the lead.

6 minutes later Longridge equalised with some great solo play by their forward on the by line before a quick flick back to a waiting attacker who deflected the ball home. Making the score 1-1.

Longridge continued to attack with the game being very end to end. The Lancaster defence of Cath Foy, Carla Bleasdale, Molly Chapman and Frances Archer remained strong. Goalkeeper Rebecca Halliwell made a number of saves to keep the game level.

4 minutes before half time Lancaster struck again, some great link up play down the right between Carla Bleasdale and Molly Chapman saw the ball be smashed into the D into a swarm of bodies. Beth Fletcher remained calm and smashed the ball home.

At half time Lancaster led 2-1. The half time team talk worked as 4 minutes after starting the second half Lancaster saw Emily Verden latch onto a long ball played by Cath Foy, using her speed she ran at the Longridge defence making them back track further and further back, before she passed the ball to Lauren Allwood who pushed the ball past the outstretched keeper.

Longridge pushed back and earned a number of short corners, but the Lancaster defence remained strong. 10 minutes before her end of the game Izzy Liver found herself with the ball in the byline. She calmly hit the ball which hugged the line all the way towards the goal, due to the power and accuracy no one dared touch it or intercept it in case it fired into the goal. Everyone stood and watched as the ball curved at the last minute and rolled into the goal earning Lancaster a 4-1 lead.

Despite the lead Lancaster didn’t give up, 1 minute before the end of the game the ball was worked forward through some great link up play between the midfield. Izzy Liver found herself at the top of the D with the ball, she calmly ran forward and struck the ball. The ball went towards the top right corner of the goal, the team held their breath as the Longridge keeper jumped to try and save it. The contact the keeper got was not enough and the ball landed in the D, earning Izzy her second and Lancaster a 5-1 lead.

A minute later the final whistle was blown. Lancaster were elated by their 5-1 winning start to the season.

Team: Lauren Allwood, Frances Archer, Emily Bamber-Dowthwaite, Carla Bleasdale, Molly Chapman, Beth Fletcher, Cath Foy, Rebecca Halliwell (C) (GK), Izzy Liver, Naomi Osbourne, Emily Verden and Ellen Wills

Goal Scorers: Emily Verden x 1, Beth Fletcher x 1, Lauren Allwood x 1 and Izzy Liver x 2

Players of the Match: Cath Foy, Lauren Allwood and Izzy Liver 

Ball Sponsor: Katie Benter