Hard Fought Victory

Penistone Church Women U12s 2–0 Aston Swallownest

A hard-fought league victory was the perfect response to last week’s cup disappointment, as Penistone Church bounced back in determined fashion on a wet winter’s day.

Penistone started brightly and pushed hard from the first whistle but couldn’t quite find the breakthrough early on. Several efforts drifted wide or over, and one dramatic goalmouth scramble saw a certain goal cleared off the line. The game struggled to find rhythm, with frequent stoppages slowing the tempo and making it difficult for Penistone to play their usual quick passing football. Despite the pressure, both sides went into the break level.

The second half saw Penistone step it up again, showing real intent to take control. The breakthrough finally came in the final 10 minutes. A brilliant low cross from Maggie zipped across the wet turf into the box, where leading goalscorer Liz timed her run perfectly to finish with confidence.

With just two minutes left on the clock, Liz struck again. She reacted quickest to a half clearance, collected the ball calmly, and produced a composed finish to seal the game beyond doubt and secure a deserved 2–0 win.

There were strong performances all over the pitch. Olivia was solid between the posts to earn a well-deserved clean sheet. Anya led superbly with a true captain’s performance, while Maggie’s assist capped an excellent display. Girl of the Game Evie was outstanding — after pushing hard for a starting place on the wing, she made the role her own today, often drifting into a number 10 position, twisting and turning brilliantly to create chances.

A fantastic team performance and a well-earned three points that move Penistone up to 4th in the league.

Well done, girls — onto the next one!

Up the Church ⛪⚽⚫⚪