In truly awful conditions the U14's played out a very entertaining game against league leaders Ilkley but lost 4-2 despite putting in a superb performance.
The rain had threatened to postpone the fixture but the pitch had cleared in the last few days and it was just about playable when the game kicked off at 11am. However the forecast heavy rain had already started and the conditions were not helped by the wind or the very cold temperatures. This did not put the girls off however and they started the stronger of the two sides.
Chloe and Emily worked well together supported by good wing play from Courtney and Grace with Honor holding the central midfield role. The Scotton defence also had to on their guard and both Molly and Georgina were glad to see Lowenna cleaning up some good interplay by Ilkley to leave the Ilkley attack frustrated. When they did get through then Sam was in inspired form, coming off her line and closing down the strikers and mopping up the loose balls.
As the half wore on however some defensive holes started to appear and mid way through the half the Ilkley striker found one of these and smashed a shot into the top corner, it was unstoppable but the defence knew that they needed to close the dangerous forward down more quickly.
At the other end Grace continued to work hard on the left and Chloe led the line rally well, showing some great inter-passing with Emily. One such move found Emily on the penalty spot, she received the ball and as she attempted to turned the defender her standing foot was caught by the defender and there was no doubting the penalty.
Emily stepped up and found the bottom right corner only to find that the ref was still speaking to the offending Ilkley player so a re-take was needed. Nervous times! Emily kept her cool and this time found the opposite corner with a text book power penalty. 1-1.
The game was alive by now and as players tired the substitute bench came into action with Catherine replacing Honor, Eloise coming on for Chloe, who had worked so hard up front, and Jayde replacing the equally hard working Grace.
Ilkley re-established their lead with a strike from the top draw, hitting the ball from 15 yards out with top spin that just beat Sam's stretched fingertips and clipped the underside of the crossbar as it went in. 1-2.
The scores were almost levelled straight away as another dangerous corner from Emily on the left found the back post defender who failed to clear, the goalkeeper was literally stuck in the mud trying to recover the loose ball as it fell to Courtney but unfortunately her shot was just wide.
The Scorchers were not to be disheartened however and on the stoke of half time Emily's weighted pass on the the energetic Jayde was perfect for Jayde to run onto and poke it past the advancing keeper into the empty net. 2-2 at half time.
The second half was much the same as the first with chances at both ends, but it was Ilkley who found the net first with another unstoppable strike from 10 yards out to make the score 2-3.
As Scotton searched for yet another equaliser the game became stretched and players from both sides were looking tired and cold but their determination was not diminished. Honor replaced Georgina at right back while Catherine replaced Molly at left back, allowing the midfield of Eloise, Grace and Courtney to focus on pushing forward. This was bound to leave space at the back and unfortunately this was exploited again by the impressive Ilkley striker who completed her hat-trick in impressive style with another long range unstoppable shot which powered into the top corner, nothing Sam could have done about it. 2-4
As Scotton pushed forward Sam was in great form stopping everything else that Ilkley could throw at them and the team pushed in the last 10 minutes for the two goals that we needed to take it to extra time. Emily hit the front of the bar direct from another in-swinging corner while Grace, Chloe, Courtney, Jayde and Eloise all dispayed some great passing and movement as they tried to unlock the defence. One such move found Emily in space and with her left foot she hit a shot to the right corner. The keeper got a hand on it but as it rolled towards the line it held up in the mud and the keeper managed to gather it on the line.
The pitch by this stage was getting close to unplayable and time ran out for the Scorchers as the final whistle went with the rain hammering down and big puddles starting to form on the pitch.
This was a superb game of football and a great advertisement for the game with two teams playing in dreadful conditions but playing the game in a very positive way, with quality and determination and in the spirit that we have come to expect in the Harrogate League. There were three cheers and warm handshakes at full time, and we wish both Knaresborough and Ilkley well in the final.
Player of the match was Sam for her outstanding performance in goal, she was cold and wet, her golves were very slippy and her green shirt was almost unrecognisable as it was caked in mud - just how goalkeepers like it!
Well done to all the girls on both sides, a very entertaining end the the U14's season.
