PLAYSTATION SCHOOL'S CUP SEMI-FINAL- 26th March

Spirited Performance Ends in Cup Exit

Tonight (Wednesday 26^th March) an incredible 350 people watched Congleton High’s under 15 girls football team go head-to-head with St. Bede’s, from Blackburn, in the ESFA Cup semi-final.

The match was enough to warm you up on a chilly, rainy night with the incentive a place in a national final. Congleton kicked off to rapturous applause from one of the biggest crowds the home of Congleton Town FC has seen for the past few years.

St. Bede’s had the first shot on goal but it was from distance and turned out to be a routine save for the crouching Lydia Bennett, in the CHS goal. It took just 7 minutes for the team from Blackburn to add to their 58 goals in the competition. CHS left cracks in their defence and St. Bede’s forward from 12 yards out drilled it low into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Bennett.

CHS then survived a lucky escape, on 15 minutes, when keeper Bennett fumbled the ball at the feet of one of St. Bede’s striker, who didn’t strike the ball cleanly and her attempt fell 6 feet wide of the target.

Despite the persistent rain CHS’ support on the hill, behind the goal CHS were attacking, spurred the team with their chants. It appeared to work as soon after, great work from Lucy Wright on the right played it into the danger area and St. Bede’s didn’t react initially. Bede’s defender then took two CHS players out on the edge of the box as Massey tried to advance with the ball. Emma Nisbit subsequently latched onto the loose ball and after a slight surge further into the box she slotted it past the St. Bede’s goalkeeper. After CHS’ first real attack on goal they made it 1-1 after 23 minutes.

Minutes later, St. Bede’s number 10 beat CHS’ high line but her strike on goal was nearer to the corner flag than the net. St. Bede’s had chances to retake the lead before half-time with one chance going just wide of the post from close range. Bede’s then went close with a header from a free-kick, just outside the area, following CHS’ goalkeeper handling the ball outside the area.

HT- 1-1.

CHS would have been disappointed that they didn’t trouble St. Bede’s goalkeeper more in the first half, with her looking very nervy and hardly moving off her line. Something I know that CHS’ coaches wanted to be exploited more.

The match restarted just as CHS Principal, Mr Hermitt, returned with his pie and chips. It was mostly St. Bede’s in the opening five minutes of the second half and they got a deserved goal on 49 minutes. An initial Bede’s corner wasn’t cleared by CHS, which resulted in a scramble in the box. The ball came to the edge of the area and a St. Bede’s midfielder bullet strike evaded all the leg’s in the box and went straight into the bottom corner, leaving Bennett just staring. 2-1 St. Bede’s. They nearly extended their lead further after 55 minutes when a cross from the left went close with no CHS’ defender’s near and three Bede’s attackers all arriving.

Just after the hour mark, CHS kicked into action for the first time in the second half after a stunning run from Hollie Massey on the left wing starting from inside her own half. She beat a number of players before cutting into the box and a perfect timed tackle from St. Bede’s centre back, on the edge of the box, denied Massey a shot at goal or a chance to cross it. There were appeals from the CHS supporters for a penalty but the Bede’s defender won the ball cleanly. The ball went out for a corner and from the corner St. Bede’s went straight down the other end, with a counter-attack, and were 2 on 1. Lydia Bennett came off her line but Bede’s number 11 squared it to their player in the middle who had lots of time and slotted it home and surely put the game beyond CHS’ reach. From CHS having their brightest move of the second half, they found their deficit even bigger, although there were strong shouts from the crowd as to why the linesman hadn’t flagged for off-side and from where I was sat it did look as if the Bede’s player was offside.

It took 20 minutes into the second half for CHS to have their first shot on target of the half but it caused no real trouble for the goalkeeper with Hollie Massey’s 25 yard half-volley straight down the keeper’s throat.

Lydia Bennett then kept CHS in the game with a string of great saves to deny St. Bede’s increasing their lead. First a good block from a close range shot on 70 minutes before a double save from a shot from the left with Amy Rodger’s helping out with a goal saving block.

Was there going to be another twist in the tale? Yes there was as after 78 minutes Hollie Massey closed the deficit to just one goal. Massey’s dangerous free-kick wasn’t cleared fully, it then came back out to Massey on the right side of the box who struck it cleanly and her thunderous strike beat the goalkeeper and gave CHS belief that they could at least force extra-time.

CHS tried their hardest to score the equaliser but St. Bede’s held firm and the final result was 3-2 to St. Bede’s, who will be tough to beat in the final of the ESFA Cup.

In the end the best team won with St. Bede’s proving too strong for CHS, who will be a little disappointed that they didn’t trouble the opposing goalkeeper more. Anyhow, the girls can be very proud of their achievement to even reach the semi-final of the national competition and still have a shot at silverware in the Cheshire Cup, which they play on Friday in the semi-final.

Principal Mr Hermitt said he was "very proud" of the team and tonight was a perfect example of 'Achieving Success Together'.

Team manager, Mr Naylor said that the “better team” won in the end, a side which he described as "incredible", but he added that the CHS girls can take “incredible pride in their achievement’s” and he is sure they will bounce back with a win on Friday in the Cheshire Cup as they are "determined not to end the season empty handed."

Written by Adam Bailey. Photography by Nathan Stirk Photography.