UNDER 16 GIRLS v HELSBY HIGH SCHOOL (ESFA CUP- ROUND 5)- 4th December

Under-16 Progress in National Cup

Tonight (Thursday 4^th December) the under-16 girls’ came from behind to beat Helsby High School 2-1 in round five of the Premier League School’s Cup. The victory saw them through to the last-16 in the country.

Both teams had chances inside the opening five minutes but it was CHS who came closest to opening the scoring on five minutes, when Amy Rodgers saw her shot from 25 yards out deflected just wide.

CHS continued to find themselves in good positions but were unable to provide that clinical finish with Helsby’s goalkeeper required on various occasions to collect CHS crosses. Another, Lucy Wright cross was just behind Beth Jones, in the middle of the area, who couldn’t direct her glancing header goalwards.

Helsby looked threatening on the break but the away side could only manage shots from outside the area, which did not cause CHS goalkeeper, Sian Wright too many problems.

CHS had their best chance of opening the scoring on 24 minutes. A Congleton corner, from the left, resulted in Beth Jones firing over from close range. Her reaction said it all, she knew she should have done better with her shot.

Four minutes later, she had a chance to make up for her miss when she was through on goal but her shot, from the left of centre, was straight at the onrushing goalkeeper.

Congleton continued to try and break the deadlock and Lucy Wright found space inside the area, in the final few minutes of the first half, but her rising shot, from 12 yards out, was straight at the Helsby goalkeeper.

The final piece of action of the first half was arguably one of CHS’ best pieces of play with them playing with a much higher tempo, but the shot, from inside the area, went over the crossbar.

Half-time- Congleton 0-0 Helsby

CHS manger, Mr Naylor decided to counter-act the problem of Helsby breaking by dropping Lucy Wright into centre-back to sure up the CHS defence and also moved Zoe Tweats into centre-midfield alongside Hollie Massey.

Mr Naylor provided the half-time entertainment showing off his dance moves to Olly Murs’ new single ‘Wrapped Up’- if he wasn’t a PE teacher then I am sure he would have made it as a backing dancer!

It is just a shame that his dancing did not encourage CHS as it was Helsby who broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half. CHS’ high defensive line was playing on the half-way line and Helsby’s number nine beat the offside trap (although it was very tight) and saw herself through on goal. Lucy Wright did brilliantly to recover and managed to stop Helsby’s forward but she could not get a hard enough touch on the ball to clear the danger. Instead Helsby’s striker showed great composure and her shot, from 14 yards, found the bottom corner.

CHS nearly drew level, three minutes later, but Zoe Tweats placed shot from close range was brilliantly pushed away from the goal by a low diving save by the Helsby goalkeeper. Unfortunately, Beth Jones could not steer the rebound goalwards.

However, Congleton were level two minutes later. Beth Jones’ shot was turned onto the post by the goalkeeper’s feet before ricocheting off the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. 1-1. Game On.

Helsby nearly found themselves in front again when Lucy Wright miss-judged her header on the half-way line, with the ball going backwards off her head. This allowed Helsby’s striker to get behind the CHS defence and through on goal. However, player of the match, Lydia Bennet did fantastic to get back and produce a goal saving block to stop the striker’s shot before Lucy Wright recovered from her mistake to clear the danger.

Bennet’s block seemed even more important when CHS went in front for the first time in the game one minute later. Amy Rodgers beat the last defender to the ball. All she had to do was put the ball past the keeper (although this is harder said than done) and she calmly rolled the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper from the edge of the box and none of Helsby’s defenders could get back in time to prevent Congleton taking the lead with just five minutes left.

Emma Nisbit nearly sealed the victory and CHS’ place in the next round, two minutes from time, but she saw her shot from the edge of the area go only a couple of feet wide.

Full-time- Congleton 2-1 Helsby

CHS showed great character in turning the game on its head and deserved to go through to the last-16 in the country where they face a home tie against St. Wilfrid’s Catholic High School from Wakefield.

These two teams will meet again in a few weeks time when CHS will travel to Helsby in the Cheshire Trophy quarter-final.

Written by Adam Bailey