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CHAMPIONS
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NORTH DEVON U15 GIRLS LEAGUE
30TH JANUARY 2005
North Molton 1 Barnstaple Lionesses 4
Barnstaple Lionesses showed, that they not only have class, but have the grit of true champions as they beat a very brave and physical North Molton team to become the first ever winners of the North Devon Opticot U15 Girls league at Rockfields on Sunday.
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From the whistle the Lionesses pushed forward and Legg, Pott and Coomber all came close to scoring.
However, North Molton, defended resolutely and for the first time started to get into the match carving out some very dangerous counter attacks. They not undeservedly opened the scoring in about the tenth minute after Jo Passmore made an uncharacteristic mistake, after only moments earlier making one of the best saving tackles of the season to stop them from taking the lead.
Leah Legg does not take kindly to the Lionesses going behind ever. Not to mention a championship desider. It is the kind of thing that gets on her nerves. So after picking the ball up from a pass from Ellie Early in midfield, she skipped past a couple of North Molton defenders with ease and belted the ball into the net beating the flailing Keeper to level the score at 1-1.
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Lionesses pile on the pressure in the opening exchanges as Legg prepares to take a corner.
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At about halfway through the opening half Shenade Foubister was brought on for Leanne Pott, who had been unwell leading up to the game, but had played well but needed a rest.
Foubister, who has been carrying a knee injury since November, did well. She made a few good tackles and had a good run down the left forcing a corner out of nothing.
Nearing the end of the first half Leisha Thomas who had had a quiet game so far, started to get into the game, setting up some good chances for the attackers.
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The Battling Lionesses fought through the remainder of the half with their defence holding fast. Ellie Early, a contender for girl of the match, played as though she thought that she owned the ball and took great exception to anyone else having it.
The match was level at 1-1 at halftime and the outcome was in the balance.
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Pott was brought back on for Foubister at half time, the latters injury had flared up again and the Lionesses coaching staff did not want to take a risk with her.
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Legg flicks on the ball from a corner as Early, Pott and Thomas try to work a goal
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Ellie contender for girl of the match.
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The second half began and the opening exchanges were very hard fought. But gradually Barnstaple started to take control. Jacqui Coomber, also a contender for girl of the match, started to come back into midfield to get the ball and was making telling runs into the North Molton defence. This enabled Thomas to start getting forward in support of Legg in attack and the Lionesses looked like they were a goal waiting to happen.
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And then it did. Minutes after Chloe Ogden had been brought on to replace Pott, at halfway through the second half, Coomber at last broke free from her markers and slammed the ball into the net with some aplomb. The Lionesses were in the lead for the first time in the match and were so close to being champions they could taste it.
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The superb Jacqui Coomber in action
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There was an anxious moment soon after this, when a North Molton player broke free and fired a shot toward the bottom left hand corner of the goal. But keeper, Beth Dalton, not for the first time this season, made a fantastic diving save to keep the Lionesses in front.
The Lionesses broke from the corner. Legg dribbling the ball through midfield, slipping through a well timed pass to Ogden who lined up a shot on the edge of the area for Thomas. Thomas who was now starting to pull the strings in midfield thundered the ball into the top left hand of the goal. There was fifteen minutes left and the Lionesses 3-1 up.
With the League title now in the bag Barnstaple started to turn on the style. They were Champions and they knew it. Jo Passmore, who after a shakey start, had started to play like her normal self. Early was like a rock at the back. Thomas was domineering in midfield. Legg beating players and putting through telling passes. Ogden battling up front and Coomber blasting in some powerful shots.
Just to round-off a fantastic second half display, Barnstaple's leading scorer Coomber thumped in her second of the game.
Adams and Robb replaced Ogden and Pott just before the final whistle.
Lionesses Coach Greg Doyle remarked after the game. "It was a very exciting match and for a long time the result was in the balance. North Molton were great and played really well, but on the day we were the better side and deserved to win. We are very impressed with the improvement in the North Molton side since earlier in the season. This must be down to their coach. We've the greatest respect for them and with cup matches left to play we know we havn't heard the last from them this season."
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