More photos on SlideshowThe U14's latest league encounter saw them welcome Thornton Dale to a bright and sunny Percy Field.
Thornton came out strongly from the start but Scotton quickly countered and a few minutes into the match a move from the right gave Georgie an opportunity for a shot which beat the keeper: 1-0.
Thornton immediately attacked from the restart, moving the ball around well and gaining a corner - however the Scorchers then took possession and a further strike from Georgie crossed just in front of Dale's goal. Play then ebbed and flowed up and down the pitch until(approaching twenty minutes into the match)Scotton were awarded a free kick: Ellie's subsequent strike curled to the left and Georgia was on hand to put the ball away: 2-0.
A couple of changes were then made with Riah coming on for Ciara and Molly and Georgie swapping wings. Play continued to move up and down the pitch at speed, with both sides creating opportunities but Scotton beginning to look more confident. First a run from Molly on the left saw a shot go just wide of the goal; then Georgie had another strike and a couple of minutes later Georgia had a near miss following a corner. Thornton Dale then broke out and a great run from one of their players led to a shot which fortunately Jayde read well. Thornton then gained a corner but Scotton managed to clear the ball just before the whistle went for half time.
After the break Ciara came back on for Georgie, Riah went into goal and Jayde came out to join the forwards. Scotton came out very positively and over the next twenty minutes a series of assaults were launched on Dale's defence: First Molly ran in from the right; then a good move from Georgia led to a shot from Ciara; next a good piece of play from Jayde and Becky S culminated in a near miss; then a run from Ciara brought first Georgia and then Becky S close to a scoring position. For their part the Thornton girls were defending well and constantly trying to get the ball up the pitch, but were being regularly thwarted by effective midfield play from Scotton - Becky C having a particularly good game here, putting in tackle after tackle and then passing the ball forward well.
A further substitution was then made (with Georgie coming back on in place of Hannah). Scotton continued to press forward and within the space of a few minutes moves from Molly, Ciara and Jayde all created chances. However Dale weathered these attacks and managed to break out and threaten the Scorchers' goal, only to lose possession and once again have to deal with runs from Molly, Ciara and Becky S.
As play entered the final ten minutes another substitution was made (Hannah coming back on and Becky S going off) and Thornton Dale attacked again, gaining a corner and forcing a good save from Riah. Scotton immediately responded, with the ball moving from Hannah to Molly and then to Georgia, who came close to scoring with another shot. Once again Thornton pushed forward, but Scotton regained possession and another great run from Molly set Ellie up to tap the ball away for a third goal just before the final whistle went.
This was a good performance by the U14s against an energetic Thornton Dale side who proved themselves to be very capable opposition.
Player of the Match: Becky C.
