Ducklington Girls 2007-8

Ducklington U11 Girls - Match Report

9th February 2008

Carterton	0 - 0	Ducklington

Match Report - Kev Thompson

A fine sunny morning and it’s off to Carterton for a return match with another local side. It was earlier in the season that the girls took on Carterton at home, a last minute goal by the home side denied Carterton a 1-0 win.

So now with Carterton on home turf they may have the upper hand. An early warm up first and both coaches, Graham and Steve were finding it a little hard to get some of the girls ‘fired’ up, as most had spent the week away on residential with school. All were looking a bit tired.

Still, a 10.30 kick off, saw the home side straight on the attack. This would surly clear the heads and get the girls concentrating on the game. Early play saw the ball see-saw up and down the pitch, with the visitors noticeably sluggish on the ball.

It was only after Carterton managed to break through the Ducklington defence and get a shot off at goal that all seemed to change. ‘Foxy’ always keen to make an impression made a fantastic run at goal, with a fine shot, well on target, but saved by a quick thinking goalie.

A noticeable change in the game now as the ‘Ducks’ started to wake up and put pressure on the home side. A corner ball saw ‘Foxy’ with another chance at goal, but on this occasion it was a near miss. Carterton always a well disciplined side, being very quick to fall back when needed. They were certainly making it difficult today for Ducklington to capitalise on any chances.

Some great midfield play by Channel Ebanja 15 minutes into the game saw her with a chance at goal but his was saved by a very ‘sharp’ home side goalie. Ducklington were really getting stronger in the later stages of the first half, and we saw a great run by Katie Mullis right down the left wing, with a fabulous left footed curling shot at goal. Only just off target.

Half time 0-0

After an obvious good talking to during the break, Carterton came out with all guns blazing. This half certainly not starting where the first had finished. But it was now the turn of the ‘Duck’ defence to get stuck in. Both Megan Ostle and Millie Eaton, battling well to clear and protect Megan Wants’ goal.

Carterton were really piling on the pressure now, and it was sometime before Ducklington started to even things up again. This half though was to see as much action on the pitch as there was off. A number of ‘Ref’ decisions agitating the visitors supporters, so much so that some shouts at the ‘Ref’ saw him stop the game. Graham Ostle was pulled over to one side and told to control some of his sides supporters, or they’d be ‘sin binned’ to the car park.

Is this bloke refereeing the right game? (Six nations springs to mind) This reporter though has been sworn to secrecy as to the identity of the culprits, needless to say that the ring leader has a history of such outbursts from way back in the grassroots Hereford days.

Back on the pitch, and with both sides trying to get that illusive first goal it was eventually Ducklington who had a series of half chances, but good luck was not shining today. A last minute attempt at goal by Katie was saved and you could sense that the game today was going nowhere.

Final score 0-0 Well done girls!

A last chance at reconciliation with the referee by Steve Hill was met with a ‘teddies out of the cot’ or more like ‘whistle out of the cot’ response. The lonely dejected figure of the man in black stormed off to the changing rooms, hopefully to do some reading from the football rule book.

Don’t take it all personally mate.

Player Of The Match – Millie Eaton (Still rock solid in defence, well deserved)