GIRLS’ FOOTBALL – HALF TERM ROUND-UP
The next report in our mini-series of posts, rounding up the achievements of the students who have played girls’ football this term. If you’ve missed previous reports, just look back in the timeline.
REPORT 2: U15 VS STOKESLEY – AREA CUP FIRST ROUND – 3-2
The first run out for Richmond’s U15 team saw them in a hotly contested game against Stokesley in the first round of the Area Cup. Having a squad of 17 girls gave a fantastic opportunity for everyone to play some competitive football, a few of them for the first time.
The game got off to a frantic start with chances falling to both sides. Grace, in goal for Richmond, kept things level with several fantastic saves. Some resolute defending from the back four of Emily, Isla, Katie and Meg allowed the midfielders of Sarah, Ava, Lottie and Chloe to push forward, feeding in Freya and Bea who were playing up top.
Utilising the midfield space, Ava was able to slip the ball through to Freya who slotted it home, making it 1-0 to Richmond. A few moments later, Chloe whipped the ball into the box and Bea brilliantly volleyed to make it 2-0. Stokesley were not about to go down without a fight and scored a well worked team goal just before the half time break: 2-1 to Richmond at half time.
Richmond came back in the second half with chance after chance down the left wing. Sarah had shots crash off the cross bar and saved by the keeper but eventually scored smartly into the bottom corner to make the game 3-1. This only inspired more pressure from Stokesley who bounced back with a quick goal themselves, taking the game to 3-2 for the last few minutes of the game. However, with Isla and Katie being a stonewall centre back pairing, the two kept the Stokesley forwards at bay for the final few minutes. This left Richmond school victorious, progressing onto the quarter finals where Risedale waited.
Player of the match went to Ava, who did not stop running the entire game, ran the show in midfield and created numerous chances for the forwards to score from.
Pictured: Isla Jenkinson, Emily Jones, Bea Corrence, Freya Wilford, Jorge Lumley, Katie Smart, Meg Scott-Hall, Lottie Mowbray-Barnes, Sarah Nolan, Ava Suryodinigrat-Dinsdale, Bella Callin, Chloe Hanratty, Molly Patterson, Grace Baleilekutu, Erica Heron, Lucie White and Chloe Wilford.