Defensively we looked very strong with Molly putting in a great battling performance and georgina providing plenty of strength in defence. Honor, making her debut for the Scorchers, was asked to play in a defensive midfield role while Audrey was given licence to roam forward and support Emily and Chloe who were the strikers. However most of the work was required in defence and Molly, Georgina, Honor and often Emily and Audrey defended resolutely.
The only game of the first half came from a great corner which deflected off Molly past Sam, neither player being able to do anything about the own goal. Sam pulled off a number of great saves and the Scorchers stated to get into their stride. Lowenna came on for Georgina and we started to push forward. Honor became an increasing threat in midfield and Emily continued to try and work an opening but failed to convert several half chances and the Ilkley keeper showing some skills that were equal to Sam's. The best Scorchers chance came at the end of the first half when Emily curled a free kick agonisingly wide of the far post with the keeper beaten but it also beat the outside of the post.
At half time the girls knew that they had to up their game but with Ilkley now playing down the slope they again started the brightest. Lowenna and Molly continued to hold out defensively and Sam again made some great reaction saves. Ilkley managed to get further ahead when a lapse in concentration allowed their strike to turn smartly and shoot low into the bottom corner to make the score 0-2.
The Scorchers started to show some signs of improvement and were able to give debuts to their other two new players, Elouise and Sophie. Both players showed some promising signs and Elouise, playing in midfield had a half chance to score in a period where the Scorchers started to apply the pressure. Unfortunately however Ilkely held out and were the deserved winners on the day.
The player of the match was a close call, Honor worked hard in midfield along side Audrey, Molly matched her player of the match performance in the same fixture last year and Emily worked very hard to try and create chances for the team in a game which offered very little for the strikers but player of the match went to Sam who kept the score down with some terrific saves and probably put in the best performance in a Scotton Scorchers GK shirt.
The friendly also ended in defeat 2-1 with Chloe equalising an early Ilkely goal and the winner coming from yet another deflected own goal. It just wasn't the Scorchers day :-(
