What a miserable day for football today but both teams lit up percy fields with some tremendous football in difficult conditions!
So before the game we checked this week's injury list which consisted of a lump on the head with a black eye,a sore back,tight hamstrings and an overly tight and sore brace!Well done to all though for soldiering through.
In the first half the scorchers started off passing the ball around very well and this coupled with some strong running from Molly in midfield heaped a lot of pressure on the Ripon goalkeeper, who can I say was a delight to watch today and looked like she was having a great time diving around in the mud!!!
As ever Molly was ably assisted by Georgie and Becky C in midfield and with Georgia T and CAPTAIN Katy upfront this potent strike force soon forced an unfortunate own goal from a corner to take the scorchers into a 1-0 lead.
The back three of Becky S,Hannah and Ellie looked as dependable as ever and were talking and helping each other out really well. With these three in front of Jayde 'The Cat' Latimer in goal who stopped everything that was shot at her the scorchers kept a quite comfortable clean sheet till half time and stayed one goal ahead.
In the second half we changed things around a bit with Becky C going in goal and Emma and Jess coming on to the left hand side of the field. A big thankyou to Jess again for stepping up and helping out, who I should tell you does not look out of place at this level.Jess played just in front of Emma and both players did very well. Jess with some great work up and down and some great passing and Emma who did a fantastic job of marking Ripon's centre forward (who didn't move a great deal!!)which to be fair took a lot of discipline and concentration,a very good job.
The second half started off similar to the first half with quite a bit of pressure from the scorchers and this resulted in 'Bruiser' Ryan scoring a great goal from a long way out with a bullet of a strike.GT was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet this week but she showed she is more than just a goalscorer with some great teamwork, encouraging team mates, holding the ball up and laying the ball off unselfishly.It was a shot from GT which led to the scorchers third goal, a great effort from GT was superbly saved by the brave Ripon keeper but on hand to finish the move off was 'sniffer' Adamson with a great poachers goal.(Shearer would of been proud!)3-0
At this though Ripon really came back at the girls strongly and played some great football themselves and managed a good goal in the corner of the scorchers net.3-1 Then for a good ten minute spell Ripon really tested the girls concentration and resolve and forced a penalty when the ball struck a stray arm in the penalty box. It was a definite penalty which took a strong referee to make the decision, well done wayne never an easy one but he got it right and rules are rules.
So Becky C in goal versus Ripon striker: the penalty was struck well which Becky had covered all the way onto the post but it rebounded back and then the Ripon player thumped passed Becky in goal leaving her in no chance of saving it.3-2 and the game looked really close now.
But up stepped Molly who looked determined to score today and off she set with a strong run straight down the middle of the field skipped past two Ripon players and rounded it off with a strong shot straight past the brave Ripon keeper and this calmed everybody's nerves and the game finished 4-2 to the scorchers.
Well done to all girls,Scorchers and Ripon, a truly great game in difficult conditions played in a great spirit.
Today's player of the match for an all round display was Becky C, well done Becky,great game.
GO SCORCHERS!
