Ladies 3rd XI

Match Report

Slazenger Ladies 3s travelled to Ben Rhydding to take on the experienced Skipton Ladies 1’s. Skipton opened the scoring with a short corner. Goalkeeper Gemma Wilson did brilliantly to dive across and get a touch on the ball, but unfortunately, it still found its way into the corner of the net. Skipton added a second soon after to take a 2-0 lead.

Despite the early setback, Slazenger continued to work hard, with the midfield putting in an impressive shift. Lisa Minchella and Lauren Wood linked up particularly well, breaking down Skipton's attacks and driving play forward. Slazenger were then awarded a penalty flick after an attacking move was stopped on the line by a Skipton foot. Unfortunately, the flick was saved, and Slaz went into half-time trailing 2-0.

The second half saw Slazenger come out with a real belief that they could get back into the game. Their persistence paid off when they won a short corner, with Ellie Page delivering a clean strike that thundered into the backboard to make it 2-1!

With momentum building, Slazenger continued to push for an equaliser and were awarded a second penalty flick after another goal-bound effort was stopped by a Skipton defender's foot, but frustratingly, the second flick was also saved.

Far from letting their missed opportunities get them down, Slazenger raised their game further. The final 15 minutes saw them pile on the pressure, with Page firing dangerous crosses across the D and the team coming agonisingly close to finding the equaliser on several occasions.

As the clock ticked down, Skipton appeared increasingly concerned by Slaz's growing threat and resorted to taking the ball to the attacking corner flag to retain possession during the final three and a half minutes. Slazenger eventually won the ball back and drove forward in search of a late goal, only to narrowly miss the target once again. Skipton subsequently returned to the corner to run down the clock.

While Slazenger were disappointed to see the closing stages unfold this way, they could take real pride in their performance, their resilience and the pressure they put on an experienced opposition. The final whistle confirmed a frustrating 2-1 defeat.

Lauren Wood was deservedly named Player of the Match for her excellent display in midfield, combining skill, speed and determination throughout the game.