The Team

League Match
WED 11 APR, 6.30pm	Buxton	2	v	1	Manchester Stingers

Scorers
Jinny Ursell (25mins)


Player of the Match
Rachael Scouse Brown

Match Report
There was high anticipation for the big midweek match - no, not Liverpool vs. PSV, Buxton vs. Manchester Stingers! After all, tradition holds that if it's a Wednesday evening in early April, the Whalley Range team must have had to trek up the A6 into the hills to play a rescheduled game previously scuppered by the Derbyshire weather.

The game kicked off with the sun low in a cloudless blue sky, the dazzle giving goalkeeper Mickey problems. After an opening five minutes of midfield scrapping between the teams, Buxton got a throw-in level with the Yellows' area. The resultant throw created a major confusion in Stingers' defence, with the ball not cleared from the danger area, eventually being slotted into the left corner of the net daisy-cutter style. 1 - 0 Buxton.

The next half hour was taken up with pressure from both teams, with a nervy looking Stingers trying to break free down the flanks, and up for it Buxton creating some heart-in-mouth moments down the other end of the pitch. It was the Manchester team who made the breakthrough however, with a fantastic shot from Armstrong only palmed away by the Buxton goalie for a throw-in. This went to Rachael, who moved the ball onto Armstrong whose shot flew into the box, which Jinny got on the end of and directed past the helpless goalie. 1 -1!

After some calming and encouraging words from coach Harris at half time, the next 45 (oh, no, make that 40 - that sun doesn't half set fast!) minutes started brightly for Stingers, who finally got their passing game on the go. Armstrong lobbed the keeper from distance, only to see the in form Buxton player tip the ball over the bar at the last moment. The extra pressure from the Yellows got the home team riled and tetchy, with tackles flying in and fouls committed to break down our momentum. This in turn seemed to fire up Buxton, with their players getting to the ball first and battling like their lives depended on it.

With 15 minutes to go a fairly innocuous looking 50-50 shoulder charge down the left wing was seen as a foul by the ref (oops, sorry, I forgot this is ladies football - no touching please!), who also seemed quite happy for the ball to be moved about four yards in from where the 'offence' actually happened. The free kick was hit sweetly, going past everyone in the box and curling into the far corner of the goal. Having said that, we might have done better with more than super-size Jinny on her own as a wall of one.

This injustice seemed to get the Yellows tails up though, with real determination back in their game, getting several corners, and a fair few shots on goal only for the Buxton keeper to make some crucial saves. But hey-ho, down in Stingers penalty box, Scouse got caught ball-to-handing and the home team were given a penalty. Mickey stood tall in goal, which must have put the player off because she leathered the ball high, wide and handsome. Forget the second tier of the stands; this was more like the bird table in the garden of the house at the end of the street!

Full time came with jubilation from the home supporters and dejection from the visitors, but Manchester Stingers will live to fight another day - that day being this Sunday, with another crucial tie against Bolton Ambassadors. C'mon girls, you know what you have to do, and you know you can do it, so let's have a bit more of that fighting spirit you showed away in the freezing cold at Leigh.

Effort of the match: The whole team for managing to get to the ground on time, especially ex-goal machine Eve, who came by train from Birmingham.

Idiot of the match: This has been edited out...but we're sure both teams would agree on the candidate.
Philippa