Best team performances of the season

Stockport’s skeleton squad of 11 players put on one of the best team performances of the season so far to move through to the second round of the All Divisions’ cup.

Stockport seemed up for the match from the start, and put the Uni defence to the test with patiently built-up passing moves from the midfield into attack and a series of runs and great crosses from the right wing by Jenny Worth.  However, the Uni team stood their ground and Stockport couldn’t quite make the final connection to get through the defensive ring.  The positions were then reversed with the Uni mounting waves of attacking moves, but Stockport’s defence worked hard to frustrate Manchester in both open play and at short-corners despite having to play into the glare of the sun.   With about a quarter of an hour left in the half, Lucy Cook took the full force of a hit on her elbow and had to go off.  Stockport had no substitute to bring on!  However, with great support from the midfielders, Stockport’s defence managed to hang on and the game went into half-time 0-0.      

After some early pressure from the Uni was successfully resisted, Stockport dealt the Uni two blows in quick succession, with Jenny Worth piercing the Uni defence with a great long shot from the edge of the D five minutes into the half and then repeating the trick just 3 minutes later.   The Uni upped their game in response, and came looking for the goal that could get them back into the match.  Stockport continued to keep them out with a mixture of some really solid defending and redistribution from the midfield and some desperate scrabbling and frantic clearances.  However, it looked as though the goal the Uni clearly wanted had come when they finally managed to get in behind the Stockport defence and the keeper’s challenge resulted in the ball squirting high over the goal only to be knocked down and into the back of the net by an unmarked Uni player.   Fortunately, Amy Nicklin realised the move was illegal and calmly queried the decision with the result that, after an umpire confab, the goal was disallowed.

Stockport took full advantage of Manchester’s disappointment and on 29 minutes, Lisa Horbury completed a trademark tight turn in the D to slot in Stockport’s third.  The Uni continued to press to the end and after stretching Stockport’s defence again scored a deserved consolation goal just minutes from time.