Under 12’s Black Socks

Under 12's Black Socks Match Report

Derby County Ladies Black Socks U12s 5 – 1 Allestree Juniors Dortmund U12s

Derby Junior League

15^th September 2019

The Black Socks produced a dominant performance against Allestree Juniors to run out comfortable 5-1 winners in their second match in the Derby Junior League, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season. New signing Macie, who was away for the opening weekend, came in to make her debut and gave a cultured and assured performance in both midfield and defence.

Derby were on top from the start and good passing from right to left enabled them to work the ball wide to Hollie. She hit a looping shot which was collected by the goalkeeper. Shortly after, the girls won a corner on the right which Abi whipped in to box, finding EJ. Although crowded she was able to poke it to Liv whose shot went just wide.

The pressure was starting to tell on Dortmund who were struggling to get out of their own half. Hollie collected the ball on the left wing, beat her defender and squared it to Macie who was central on the edge of the box. She made space for the shot which the keeper beat out to the right, Abi hit it first time but the goalkeeper made a good reaction save, however the ball landed at the feet of Liv who smashed it past the sprawling keeper from ten yards to give the Ewes a deserved lead, and was the midfielder’s second goal in successive matches.

Abi did well down the right before firing in a good cross to Hollie who had ghosted in to the box, but her shot was closed down and blocked by an Allestree defender and went behind for a corner.

Skye was performing superbly in defence and any time the boys thought they had an opportunity to break past the Ewes defensive line, she was there to halt their progression. She showed absolutely no effect of the ankle injury that had made her limp out of last week’s draw against Stenson Rams.

Emma made an excellent clearance from left defence which put Hollie in a race with two Allestree defenders and their goalkeeper. The Black Socks’ number eleven got there ahead of the keeper and shot first time. The ball just screwed wide of the post, but the keeper injured himself in rushing out and attempting to make the block and had to be replaced by one of his team-mates.

Soon after, Emma made a marauding run from her position in left defence and was ultimately stopped by a foul just outside the Allestree box. Hollie shot from the free kick and it looked like the ball was going to squirm in to the goal, but a scramble by the goalkeeper and one of his defenders managed to keep it out and it was eventually cleared.

The girls continued to have the best of the chances. Abi played the ball infield to Hollie just inside the box. The keeper came out to block and the ball broke to Courtney, who was playing centre forward, and her shot went just wide.

Eventually the Ewes got their deserved second goal, and it came from a source the Black Socks will use many times this season. Rhianna came out to collect the ball and launched a long kick down field. Hollie collected it just inside the Allestree half and raced in on goal. As the keeper rushed off his line she smashed it past him to double Derby’s lead.

Dortmund’s best chance of the first half came following an element of confusion between Rhianna and the referee. The linesman signalled for an offside and at the same time Macie was limping and looked like she needed treatment. Rhianna had thought the referee had signalled the free-kick and stepped out of the area with the ball, but instead the referee gave a free kick to Allestree. The girls set-up a wall, but the shot went through it and Rhianna produced an excellent reaction save. The ball was cleared quickly and the Ewes were immediately on the attack again, this time Honor hit a good shot from the edge of the box which the boys’ keeper did well to save. Despite not being their recognised goalkeeper, the replacement in goal did well throughout the game.

Although Derby continued to dominate in the second half, Allestree had greater possession than in the first period and came in to the game a bit more. However, Belle, EJ, Macie and Faith did well to contain any threat while Rhianna dominated her box. She is very good with her feet, providing her defenders another option in where to play the ball meaning the boys still struggled to press enough to create clear chances.

Derby kept passing the ball well and can attack down either wing or through the middle, making it difficult for the opposition to nullify the threat they pose. Viktoria, Jasmine and Honor were busy in midfield and when Viktoria drifted out to the right she was tormenting the Allestree leftback. Her low centre of gravity and quick turn of direction had him tied up in knots at times.

Skye had moved upfront early in the second half and Abi collected a throw before squaring it Skye whose shot was well saved by Allestree’s goalkeeper. At the other end, EJ made a fantastic tackle to stop the boy’s very good number 14, who was threatening down their left.

Faith was also playing further forward and she and Courtney combined well but the keeper again kept the shot out. Although not a dirty game, there were a few free-kicks (probably more than were given in the whole of last season) and Rhianna was again well positioned to make a comfortable save from an Allestree set-piece eighteen yards out.

The girls eventually made the game safe and it was a regular combination of Emma winning the ball and playing Hollie in on the left. The Ewes’ top goalscorer dropped her shoulder, knocked it past her defender and calmly passed it beyond the onrushing goalkeeper. Derby extended their lead shortly after when Rhianna again hit a long kick from her hands to find Hollie, she picked out Courtney with a superb cross and our number nine was left with a simple tap-in, having done well to gamble on the ball coming in.

From the kick-off the girls switched off and were immediately punished. Allestree’s number 10 collected the ball halfway inside the Derby half, beat a couple of defenders raced in on goal and almost walked the ball over the line to make it 4-1. However, the Ewes continued to play their football and look for further openings and towards the end of the game Hollie completed her hattrick. Courtney did excellently down the right, spun her defender to create the space for the cross and then picked Hollie out and she her shot went in off the post to give the Black Socks a comfortable 5-1 victory.

After the match, Team Manager Dom Anderson, said “Today was the first time we have had a full team available and I was so pleased with the performance every one of them put in. Our goal is their development and the girls continue to go from strength to strength. They worked so hard and dominated the game.” Next week the Black Socks switch to cup football and play a team three divisions above them.

Goals:

• Liv
• Hollie x 3
• Courtney