AFC Newbury Girls Under 13 Football
Match Report -- Season 2005-6
North East Hants Youth League Cup - Girls Under 13
11th December 2005
Sandhurst Town 1 AFC Newbury 2
A quarter final which was always going to be a tight affair, although these teams had met in the league, with Newbury coming out easy winners, cup games are always a good leveller. It was the visitors who started the better and for all their good play could not break through a resilient defence and keeper. The home team began to get into the game and although Newbury still had most of the possession, when Sandhurst did get the ball they broke with speed and nearly caught the visitors out but for Chelsea Allen who made a few last gasp tackles. End to end football ensued for most of the half with neither able to break the dead lock but when the home team did break free into the box, their captain was clipped from behind, a penalty was duly awarded. The same player stood up to take the resulting kick and she struck it well, towards the top left hand corner but Honor Ramos was equal to it and first palmed the ball and then dived onto the ball as it landed keeping the scores level. This spurred Newbury on and minutes later Sophie Harvey was put through with a well threaded pass by Hannah Benson and their keeper made two good saves before Sophie finally forced the ball home. The lead lasted a minute, when Sandhurst's captain again broke free and this time she beat Honor with a well struck shot in to the near corner levelling the scores on the stroke of half time.

The second half was a different story with the game starting at a much slower pace with both teams looking jaded. Neither team really took control of the game and it was again end to end stuff with both keepers making good saves to keep things level. The visitors made changes and swapped defenders for attackers to go for the win and although they began to create chances these were not taken. As they pushed for the win again they were caught short at the back but Honor and Chelsea were again more than up to the task. And it was from one of Honor's saves that the winning goal came. After she had collected the ball she threw out to Charlotte Coventry on the right wing who beat a couple of players before passing on to Lucy Mortimer who flew down the same wing and crossed and when the ball reached Ruby Oliver at the far post she steadied herself and fired into the far corner sealing the win with only a few minutes to play. The home team tried to find an equaliser but Newbury and their player of the match Chelsea Allen held on to book their place in the semi finals of the league cup.

Squad: Lucy Mortimer (Capt), Katie Saunders, Honor Ramos, Chelsea Allen, Kelly Summers, Naomi Purvis, Sophie Harvey, Charlotte Coventry, Kellie Payne, Hannah Benson, Ruby Oliver & Alice Lawrence.
Referee:
Goal scorers
Sophie Harvey
Ruby Oliver.
Player of the match
Chelsea Allen.
Next fixture
18th December
Reading Girls Blues
at Speenhamland