Woking Cougars FC
Team Pages
U11 Girls Season 2007 / 2008 SPL under 8 Div
24/02/08 – Cougars U11 Girls 2 South Park
Girls 2
After last week’s heavy defeat, South Park came to
West End fired up and looking for revenge, and they caught Cougars cold
with a goal less than 10 seconds after kick off. Earlier in the season,
such an early goal would have been devastating to the girls, but they
are made of sterner stuff these days and responded quickly and
decisively. Within 10 minutes a Chloe cross had been scrambled home by
Steph, and a Chloe corner caused so much confusion in the South Park box
that the ball rebounded off a defender into the net to put Cougars 2-1
up.
Once again, Cougars were beginning to get the better
of their opponents. Megan was relishing starting the game on the left
side, and the midfield of her, Chloe and Alice were winning plenty of
possession, feeding Steph up front, who was tormenting the opponent’s
defence. Chloe’s work rate in particular was most impressive – fed by
some excellent passing from Emily, Alice & Ashleigh, time and again she
broke down the right midfield channel to get a cross in. One such cross
resulted in another goal mouth scramble that saw a Cougars shot hit the
bar and bounce away.
But as the half drew to a close, South Park, backed
by some particularly vocal support, began to get into the game more. One
of their shots hit the post and was scrambled away by Jess. Then, from a
corner, 3 Cougars defenders missed the ball and South Park gratefully
smashed it into the net for the equaliser.
Encouraged at half time to put the lapse in
concentration behind them, Cougars started the second half brightly.
Lucy had a chance which was just wide, Emily put another just over the
bar. Valli came on and made some solid defensive tackles at right back,
and one great run into the opposition last third nearly spilt the away
defence apart. The game began to open up, both teams looking for the
goal that would give them the win. It flowed from end to end, South Park
pressing and forcing several corners, then Cougars breaking away and
terrifying the opposition defence with the pace of Chloe and Steph.
In a frantic final few minutes, Chloe, Emily and
Steph all went close, but the deciding goal never came and an exciting
game ended all square.
Player of the Game - Chloe
16/12/07 – Cougars U11 Girls 1 – Ascot Diamonds 0
Manager Terry asked for an early Christmas present
from his team, and they duly responded as a second half strike from
Emily gave the girls maximum points for the third time this season.
Ascot have once of the meanest defences in the league
this season to date, and so it showed as, despite lots of pressure,
Cougars were limited to just a handful of first half chances. Timidity
in front of goal has been no stranger to the girls this season, and once
again the reluctance to shoot frustrated the watching coach and
supporters. But fortunately Ascot’s attacking threat was limited to just
a single first half shot themselves, any thing else easily snuffed out
by Ashleigh at the back.
Player of the Game – Emily.
10/02/08 – Cougars U11 Girls 0 – Ascot Diamonds 0
The return fixture against Ascot took place on a
cold, frosty but gloriously sunny morning. The 9.15am scheduled kick off
was delayed by one of the penalty areas still being frozen. Eventually
the supporters were called upon to move the goalposts to a part of the
field already basking in early morning sun so that the game could
start.
Cougars opened up well, keen to get on the score
sheet early. They forced a series of early corners, but despite the
pressure could not find the back of the net, a combination of desperate
defending and bad luck keeping the Cougars at bay. Emily shot just over,
Steph hit the post, Chloe put one just wide, Alice had a shot blocked.
Coach Terry rang the changes in search of the elusive goal, and Megan,
Lucy and Josie also made telling contributions as Cougars continued to
dominate. The girls even got their passing game going, only to find a
line of Ascot defenders keeping them at bay.
Ascot did not offer much of an attacking threat.
Their only first half chance produced a great save from Jess, who rushed
out to close down the space on the onrushing attacker. The reliable
Ashleigh continues to impress at the back, and she and Valli made sure
not much else got through to Jess.
The second half continued in the same vain as Cougars
did all the attacking. The girls really upped the tempo in this half,
laying siege to the Ascot goal. Somehow the ball stayed out, although
credit must be given to the home goalkeeper for some outstanding saves.
In a final throw of the dice, Terry went for 3 up front to try and find
that goal. His endeavour was very nearly rewarded in the dying seconds
when a cross from Chloe found the head of Steph who glanced it wide with
the goal at her mercy.
And so it ended goalless. One of the most one sided
0-0 draws you will ever see. This game again showed that this team never
gives up trying, but are just lacking the killer touch in front of goal.
Quote of the season so far from Terry: ‘I’d have paid
to see that game’!!
Player of the Game - Alice
17/02/08 – South Park Girls 1 Cougars U11 Girls 6
The emphasis in training and in the pre match team
talk this week was all about turning your chances into goals. And how
the girls responded! Doubling their previous highest tally of the season
far, the girls swept aside a South Park team with a resounding victory
on another frosty morning.
Right from the off today, the girls were passing the
ball around with confidence. But none of the watching spectators could
gave guessed what was to come as South Park took an early lead, a shot
superbly saved by Lauren which unluckily bounced out into the path of an
on-coming forward. Cougars, despite playing uphill, hit back quickly
with a sweet shot by Steph, and then took the lead when a shot by Emily
squeezed under the opposing keeper. With Steph running free up front
being fed by some great through balls from Chloe and Emily, the South
Park defence was getting frequently turned, who were just unable to cope
with being attacked at pace. Ably backed up by Alice in midfield, Lucy &
Alex sharing the left midfield birth and Ashleigh sweeping up at the
back, South Park didn’t know what had hit them as two more goals from
Chloe and Steph meant we turned around 4-1 up. The best 25 minutes the
girls have played this season.
Terry really didn’t have to say much at half time –
just “more of the same please”. And the girls duly delivered. South Park
threatened for the first 5 minutes or so of the half, but Cougars soaked
up the pressure, helped out by some truly outstanding saves from Lauren.
With the hill now to their advantage, Cougars continued to find spaces
behind the opposition defence, frequently breaking down the channels and
getting in the crosses which caused havoc in the home defence. From one
such move, the ball was crossed from the left, found Emily coming in
unmarked on the far post, and her shot found the back of the net. This
was the killer goal, and there was no way back for South Park now. And
the day was complete as Steph scored number 6 to claim her first hat
trick of the season. Cougars were really enjoying themselves now.
Straight from the kick off, Chloe stole the ball on the halfway, ran 10
yards and tried an audacious shot that would have been the goal of the
season had it not been tipped over the bar by the South Park goalie.
Everything came together today, and the smiles and
hugs at the end of the game showed that the girls knew that.
Player of the Game - Steph
The Season So Far
This is the first season most of the girls have
played competitive football. After a couple of heavy early season
defeats, the girls have settled into their positions and are beginning
to work well together as a team, applying on the pitch Marc’s Tuesday
night practice drills, and this is showing in the improvement in the
results.
Squad - Chloe, Alice, Emily, Ashleigh, Steph, Jess,
Amber, Lauren, Lucy, Holly, Megan, Alex, Valli and Josie.
4/11/07 – Kingstonian Youth 0 -
Cougars U11 Girls 3
After some good performances over the last few weeks,
including their first points of the season against Ascot, the girls were
confident of getting their first win of the season against bottom of the
table Kingston. Right from kick off, Cougars put pressure on the
opposition and forced a series of corners and a number of excellent
saves from the home team’s outstanding keeper. But the pressure
eventually told and a Chloe special from a corner took a wicked
deflection off a defender into the net. With Steph running free up front
and Chloe continuing to dictate the game a second goal wasn’t too long
in coming, the ball forced over the line by Steph after a goalmouth
scramble. The home team did threaten with long clearances from the
keeper aimed at their very quick forward, but Ashleigh played her best
game of the season in the defence, making sure the forward had no direct
shot on goal.
The second half saw the girls best play of the season
so far, with some good passing movements being put together for the
first time. Excellent approach work from Emily led to a corner, which
saw Chloe score direct from yet again. 3 – 0 to the Cougars – their
first ever victory!
Player of the Game - Chloe
11/11/07 – Cougars U11 Girls 3 – Abbey Rangers 1
After being at the wrong end of a 12-0 defeat by
Abbey in their first game of the season, Cougars were determined to put
things right in the return match. Indeed, they started this game as if
they were the team at the top of the league, not Abbey Rangers. Cougars
dominated the early exchanges and Steph, Chloe and Alice all went close.
Cougars continued to press and a shot from the edge of the area by Emily
found the back of the net. A solid midfield display from Chloe, Lucy and
Alice broke up many Abbey attacks before they threatened, and any long
balls directed over the top at their fast forwards were dealt with
coolly by Ashleigh at the back. The girls continued to put Abbey under
pressure, and were rewarded with a second goal before half time, again
from Emily, as she cut inside after a run down the right and beat the
goalie with a fine shot. 2-0 to Cougars at half time. At the start of
the second half, Abbey came back into the game and went close on a
number of occasions, but a number of fine saves from Jess and more
excellent defending kept them out. Valli, who along with Josie had come
on as a sub at half time, made her presence felt in the midfield where
Cougars continued to dominate. Then Emily got away down the left and let
fly with a shot that ended up in the top of the net. 3-0, a hat trick
for Emily and no way back for Abbey. They did grab a consolation goal
near the end, but Cougars kept their heads to hold onto a result that
will make the rest of the division stand up and take notice. To beat a
team that only 8 weeks ago they lost to so heavily shows what great
spirit and determination there is in this team.
Player of the Game – Emily.
