Rutherford Ladies v Wallsend BC Ladies [Friendly]

Today we played Wallsend BC Ladies in another pre season friendly. We were originally meant to be playing the reserves side however due to the first teams opponents dropping out of their arranged game we faced them instead of the reserves squad.

The game didn’t start great for us seeing us a goal down after less than 1 minute of play. The team weren’t switched on and Wallsend took full advantage of this. The remainder of the half saw Wallsend on top of the game, creating many chances at goal where the girls had to work extra hard to keep the scoreline at 1-0 before the half time break arrived.

The second half the girls really picked up the pace and began to look like a threat. Their heads were lifted and they worked hard as a team. In the 49th minute Hannah won a clearance ball from our defence, beating the two Wallsend players for speed, driving the ball into box and beat keeper with a left corner top finish to get us the equaliser.

On the 57th minute of play Hannah tried to play a forward ball through to Mel which got intercepted by a wallsend player who cleared it towards the left wing. Ellie picks up the ball and strikes it from 30 yards out lobbing the keeper with a superb finish to give us the lead for the first time in the game.

Wallsend were always a threat looking dangerous on the counter attack. They broke in the 82nd minute to get the equaliser.

The team didn’t drop their heads like the first half, they worked harder to claw back the next goal for the win and boy was it a cracker when it came. On the 90th minute Mel intercepted the Wallsend goal keepers short ball to their full back, where she got her head up and saw the keeper in no man’s land. She struck the ball sending it crashing into the top left hand corner of the goal. Their keeper had no chance to have got there. What a goal which sealed the win.

Player of the match was awarded to Mel for her unbelievable 90 minutes of bloody sweat and tears that went into this game from her. She worked right to the end being rewarded with a goal on the 90th minute to seal the win for the team.

Overall a poor first half where heads dropped and attitudes weren’t right but huge credit to the team who picked up their heads and worked hard for each other reacting well. Captain Steph was key in this influence showing just why she wears the captains armband! Well done girls ⚽️❤️