A 9.30 kick off at the Ducklington home ground saw a match against old rivals Carterton. The first challenging game of the new season.
Fired up to continue their winning streak, the home side were straight on the attack with both Katie Mullis and ‘Foxy’ hounding the Carterton goal from the outset. A great shot by Katie within a minute of play was only just off target, but good enough to make Carterton realise that the ‘Ducks’ were keen to get an early goal.
A fine piece of tackling by Millie ‘Foxy’ gave her the chance to make a blinding run up the right wing, two Carterton players falling in her wake, as he made it well into the Carterton defence. Unfortunately, her shot at goal was off target.
In midfield, tackling was hard, but both Gaby Hill and Channel Ebanja were up to the task, feeding ball through to the strikers where possible.
The Carterton defence held its shape well, and further shots at goal by Katie, ‘Foxy’ and Gaby Hill were thwarted by great defending and sharp play by the Carterton goalie.
All home spectators on the line were eagerly awaiting that first goal, which defiantly was to come any minute, with such attacking play.
A Sudden break in midfield saw a Carterton striker pace through the ‘Duck’ defence and head for goal. Suddenly, Megan Want in goal had something to do, but not much could stop this shot, as it hammered into the home goal, to give the visitors the first goal.
A wake up call to the home side. After such big scoring wins in games up to now.
Carterton now piled on the pressure at the Ducklington end, keen to consolidate their lead, but great defending by Millie Eaton and Tasia Horne held the score line at 0-1 until the half time whistle.
The second half saw Carterton continue the pressure. Their seemed no way through the visitors defence, all ways seemed blocked. Any shots at goal were speedily dealt with by a very confident goalie, or the ‘ducks’ strikers were put under so much pressure that shots were forced off target.
As Frustration mounted amongst the home supporters and team coaches, Carterton continued to raise their game and seemed to take control of the game.
Some notable fine runs up field by Megan Ostle, show a great Midfield player in the making, but finishing today seemed frustratingly impossible.
Realising that if the score was to be levelled, it would surely come from the proximity of a corner ball, the home side piled in the bodies, when these chances came. As the ball came in for corners, play resembled more of a rugby ‘ruck’ than football, as all Ducklington players in the box scrambled to get that equalising ball into the back of the net.
Now with only minutes on the clock, it seemed all was lost.
A last minute corner saw Eleanor’banana’Thompson line up at the far post. A ‘cracking’ ball into the box lands at Channel’s feet, quick as a flash she ‘chips’ it to Eleanor, who powers it into the back of the net, to finely level the score.
A much jubilant and relived home side rejoices, including all supporters on the line, some seen biting their nails.
This was a game which could be summed up quite simply in two words, Frustration, Frustration!
All seemed happy apart from the two team coaches who seem unimpressed with the sides overall performance. So much so, that this week, there would be no player of the match! This much to this dismay of all the girls. It was felt that the home side allowed the visitors to gradually take control of the game, and very much deserved to win today.
So girls, it’s back to some hard training, in preparation for next week and that big game later in the season with Kidlington.
A very entertaining game today, although nerve racking, right to the very end. Well done girls, and especially Eleanor, for saving the day!
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