Church U16 Whites Respond Again

It was 2nd v 1st this weekend in Div 2 of the Sheffield & Hallamshire U16 Girls League. Penistone were hosting top of the table Kiveton who had blown away their previous opponents to achieve a perfect start to the season with 4 wins from 4.

Penistone who headed into the game trying to preserve their own unbeaten start knew they would have to rely on the strength of their squad to cope without a couple of influential attacking options if they were to get anything from the game.

And it was clear from the very outset that Kiveton meant business with a direct approach from all area's of the pitch and particulalry from set pieces giving them a terrortorial advantage in the opening 20 minutes. It seemed almost invevitable that the pressure being put on the Penistone defence would lead to an opportunity which came after another long throw was trebuchet into the Penistone area and bundled into the net after a scramble.

As the half wore on Penistone warmed to the task and as they began to win an increasing amount of second balls following defensive clearances, and securing possesion higher up the pitch the chances began to flow. Jessica Atherton saw an effort parried agonisingly across the goal line and Freya Wright saw a long range free kick dip centimetres over the bar.

At half time little coaching or instruction was required from the Penistone bench as the Penistone girls own calmness and steely determintation was again exemplified with lots of player led conversation about how they could get back into the game. This growing autonomy amongst the players has become a stand out feature of the team this year and shows their growing maturity as footballers and people.

Now in the ascendency Penistone began the second half how they had finished the first, on the front foot and creating chances. After an excellent first half the defence continued to be dominant and restricted Kivetons progress at every opportunity. The away teams most significant attack of the second half inexplicably came directly after the referee allowed Kiveton to take a throw in he had awarded to Penistone to a player who had been left offside by the home defence due to his orginal decison!

When the equaliser did arrive mid way through the second half from the boot of Freya Wright Penistone found another gear just at a point in the game where the Kiveton girls starting 11 were begining to tire. An incredible last ditch tackle from a Kiveton defender prevented a certain goal from Daisy Sykes before Izzy Lomas looked to have won it in the last minute only to see her lob go agonisingly over from 20+ yards with the keeper stranded.

By the end the final whistle could not come soon enough for the visitors who celebrated with

rapture when the referee brought things to a close.

All in all a great game against two teams with a very different approach but whose players both gave everything on the day.

Girls of the game for Penistone were Jessica Atherton and Freya Wright.