The girls had a strong start to season and were unfortunate not to earn themselves 6 points in the first 3 games as the results just wouldn't go our way and both we ended up losing in the final stages. The first round cup match against Saltash Youth also succumbed to the same fate with an unfortunate 3-2 loss.
Midseason proved to be more difficult and with the weather conditions meaning games were irregular, the stop start season meant that we were unable to build up any kind of momentum or confidence. We had a significant loss of players throughout the season, including our goalkeeper which resulted in Beth Holmes taking on the majority of goalkeeping responsibilities for our remaining 15 games. This also meant we often had to struggle with a bare 7 players and sometimes only 6. This was unbelievably hard work for the girls who also had to deal with playing on a 9-a-side pitch with an additional 5 minutes each way when compared with last season.
However, the squad we have now have shown they are dedicated to the club through training and matches; they have grown together throughout the season and can all be proud of the performances they have put in.
On Wednesday 7th April we were lying at the foot of the table with only one point, but also still had half our seasons fixtures left to play and were due to have completed these 10 games by Tuesday 4th May. This was set to be a very difficult challenge with the first 4 of those games against top of the league opponents.
With 2 new players joining us for the remainder of the season the team found a new confidence and although the first 3 of those games were played over a period of only 4 days, the girls worked extremely hard for each other and achieved very strong and respectable results. Hannah Yates and Beth Crotty helped out by sharing some of the goalkeeping roles whilst new players Emily Langdon Smith and Hannah Ivory fitted in exceptionally well as if they had been playing for the entire season.
With 6 games left to play we believed we could finish the season on a high note and perhaps closer to mid-table. The first challenge V Saltash Youth, who like us had been struggling at the lower end of the table all season, was a successful one. Not only did we collect our first 3 points this season with a convincing win but we also managed to complete the match with our first clean sheet too!
Over the next 4 games we managed to collect another 7 points, taking our season total to 11, matching last season's total whilst still having one game remaining. Our final game of the season V Activate Youth Rangers was due to be a very critical one, not only to show we have improved from last season, but also to decide who was to claim the golden boot this season.
I would like to thank all the girls and the supporters for their commitment and dedication throughout this difficult season. I would specifically like to thanks Jeff Yates for his encouraging shouting week in and week out, Sally Penney for writing many fantastic match reports, as well as Paul Brown, Phil Dickins and John Holmes for their support and regular help with equipment on match days.
Get ready for the new season - win a load of balls for your team!
Footballs, footballs, footballs! We've teamed up with Umbro to bring you the perfect boost for pre-season training - 10 Club Website footballs for your team!
What would you do to improve the next generation of British footballers?
Youth development has been at the top of the grassroots football agenda lately, so what would you do to help improve the next generation of British talent? Have your say!
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