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Women’s team undefeated in End of Season Tournament
Cyril Ray Lewis20 Apr - 20:29
Finishing second on goal difference and can be proud of their performance
Our women’s team competed in the end of season tournament yesterday held at the Birmingham FA headquarters in Great Barr, Birmingham where 20 teams celebrated with a tournament and presentation of trophies.
Our ladies finished the competition having played 8 games, winning 3, drawing 5, scoring 5 goals and conceding NONE.
The teams were drawn into 4 mixed groups of 5 teams representing the 3 divisions in the league. The winners of each group going forward to play the winners of the other groups and the second place teams playing the second place teams of the other groups etc.
Owing to the unavailability of some regulars, we took 10 players to the competition.
In our first group were Oxford, Kettering, Hartshill Blue and Castle Donnington.
The games were a duration of 10 minutes. Our first match was against Oxford and try as we did, we just could not find the back of the net after being the dominant team. Sarah an Elaine were solid at the back protecting our goalkeeper Phyl who had little to do in this match. Our attack was on top but we missed our opportunity to gain 3 points and had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Next up was Castle Donnington who we totally dominated but only came away with a 2-0 victory having hit the bar twice and had several other efforts saved by their keeper or just wide of the target. Up front Becky Davies returning to the team after a long absence due to knee surgery bagging a brace and being unlucky not to get a hat-trick, had a fine game supported by hardworking midfielders Sharon, Claire and Hannah.
We faced Kettering next and maintained our clean sheet in a 0-0 draw in a game where we had chances but could not convert them despite going close on several occasions. Lorette and Lisa were introduced into the team and to their credit performed very well, so well that the change in personnel did not disrupt the rhythm of the side. The referee, our old friend Mr Alan Caron adjudged that one of our players had encroached into the area and awarded Kettering a penalty. Our goalkeeper Phyl stood firm and saved it. However, if it had gone in, Mr Caron said he would have disallowed it because the player is supposed to have had a “backward” motion while taking the kick. Confused? ?
Our final match in this group against an established Hartshill Blue side proved to be our hardest where both sides battled hard but could not find a break through, our defence was tight and our attacking players were a handful, but time ran out, so finished in a creditable honours even scoreline of 0-0.
The first group matches were over and due to a win and three 0-0 draws, we finished third in the group, so we went into the next group of third placed finishers.
We now faced Collingham and for some strange reason, Kettering again, plus Milton Keynes and Alcester.
The first match was against Collingham (a Forest Vets team).
We had lost to these twice in the League but this Coventry team had got the bit between its teeth and were determined to take the fight to them. In an end to end match were there were chances at both ends, the teams cancelled each other out and yet again at this competition it ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Our second group matches saw us up against Kettering again. Now, I have read their own match report on this game and I don’t think I was at the same match according to that report. In my opinion we were the better team putting some good passing and movement together and despite several efforts on goal, we could not ruffle the back of the net. Our goalkeeper Phyl was also kept busy, so it was a close match but again ended 0-0.
At this stage other results in the group deemed that if we wanted to win this group and ultimately a cup, we would have to win the two final matches and hope that Collingham who had a better goal difference than us, slipped up. With that in mind we changed the set up to a 2-2-2 formation and decided it was shit or bust.
Our penultimate game was against Milton Keynes and we started off on the front foot from the outset with continual pressure on their defence who had dropped back. Claire rattled the crossbar and Sharon and Elaine in the middle were dictating the play with Becky and Claire getting Into good goalscoring opportunities, testing their goalkeeper who was having a good game. Finally, from 15 yards out, Claire hammered an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net. Despite our continued efforts we could not increase the lead and the game finished with a 1-0 victory to us. Our change in formation had worked.
Collingham played their game and won it putting us on level points but they had a slightly better goal difference.
We went into our final match against Alcester knowing a win was vital if we wanted to win the group and a cup.
Just like the previous match we were at the races from the off and although Alcester were under pressure, to their credit, they were making a match of it. In the end all our pressure paid dividends with striker Becky Davies adding another two to her goal tally taking it to four in the competition. Final score Cov 2 Alcester 0.
In the final analysis, we finished second on goal difference and came home fruitless, but everyone put in a shift all day and can be proud of their performance throughout, particularly keeping a clean sheet in all eight games. An excellent effort and an enjoyable drink back home for those who indulged.
The squad: Elaine (capt), Phyl (gk), Sarah, Becky, Lisa, Lorette, Hannah, Sharon, Claire, Katie. Alwyn (mgr).
Our ladies finished the competition having played 8 games, winning 3, drawing 5, scoring 5 goals and conceding NONE.
The teams were drawn into 4 mixed groups of 5 teams representing the 3 divisions in the league. The winners of each group going forward to play the winners of the other groups and the second place teams playing the second place teams of the other groups etc.
Owing to the unavailability of some regulars, we took 10 players to the competition.
In our first group were Oxford, Kettering, Hartshill Blue and Castle Donnington.
The games were a duration of 10 minutes. Our first match was against Oxford and try as we did, we just could not find the back of the net after being the dominant team. Sarah an Elaine were solid at the back protecting our goalkeeper Phyl who had little to do in this match. Our attack was on top but we missed our opportunity to gain 3 points and had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Next up was Castle Donnington who we totally dominated but only came away with a 2-0 victory having hit the bar twice and had several other efforts saved by their keeper or just wide of the target. Up front Becky Davies returning to the team after a long absence due to knee surgery bagging a brace and being unlucky not to get a hat-trick, had a fine game supported by hardworking midfielders Sharon, Claire and Hannah.
We faced Kettering next and maintained our clean sheet in a 0-0 draw in a game where we had chances but could not convert them despite going close on several occasions. Lorette and Lisa were introduced into the team and to their credit performed very well, so well that the change in personnel did not disrupt the rhythm of the side. The referee, our old friend Mr Alan Caron adjudged that one of our players had encroached into the area and awarded Kettering a penalty. Our goalkeeper Phyl stood firm and saved it. However, if it had gone in, Mr Caron said he would have disallowed it because the player is supposed to have had a “backward” motion while taking the kick. Confused? ?
Our final match in this group against an established Hartshill Blue side proved to be our hardest where both sides battled hard but could not find a break through, our defence was tight and our attacking players were a handful, but time ran out, so finished in a creditable honours even scoreline of 0-0.
The first group matches were over and due to a win and three 0-0 draws, we finished third in the group, so we went into the next group of third placed finishers.
We now faced Collingham and for some strange reason, Kettering again, plus Milton Keynes and Alcester.
The first match was against Collingham (a Forest Vets team).
We had lost to these twice in the League but this Coventry team had got the bit between its teeth and were determined to take the fight to them. In an end to end match were there were chances at both ends, the teams cancelled each other out and yet again at this competition it ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Our second group matches saw us up against Kettering again. Now, I have read their own match report on this game and I don’t think I was at the same match according to that report. In my opinion we were the better team putting some good passing and movement together and despite several efforts on goal, we could not ruffle the back of the net. Our goalkeeper Phyl was also kept busy, so it was a close match but again ended 0-0.
At this stage other results in the group deemed that if we wanted to win this group and ultimately a cup, we would have to win the two final matches and hope that Collingham who had a better goal difference than us, slipped up. With that in mind we changed the set up to a 2-2-2 formation and decided it was shit or bust.
Our penultimate game was against Milton Keynes and we started off on the front foot from the outset with continual pressure on their defence who had dropped back. Claire rattled the crossbar and Sharon and Elaine in the middle were dictating the play with Becky and Claire getting Into good goalscoring opportunities, testing their goalkeeper who was having a good game. Finally, from 15 yards out, Claire hammered an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net. Despite our continued efforts we could not increase the lead and the game finished with a 1-0 victory to us. Our change in formation had worked.
Collingham played their game and won it putting us on level points but they had a slightly better goal difference.
We went into our final match against Alcester knowing a win was vital if we wanted to win the group and a cup.
Just like the previous match we were at the races from the off and although Alcester were under pressure, to their credit, they were making a match of it. In the end all our pressure paid dividends with striker Becky Davies adding another two to her goal tally taking it to four in the competition. Final score Cov 2 Alcester 0.
In the final analysis, we finished second on goal difference and came home fruitless, but everyone put in a shift all day and can be proud of their performance throughout, particularly keeping a clean sheet in all eight games. An excellent effort and an enjoyable drink back home for those who indulged.
The squad: Elaine (capt), Phyl (gk), Sarah, Becky, Lisa, Lorette, Hannah, Sharon, Claire, Katie. Alwyn (mgr).
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