30 Sep 2006: Lisbon St Antonys 5-3 Stalybridge Celtic (HT 3-1)

Today was our third home game of the season and probably our hardest game yet. We knew Stalybridge was going to be a hard game as they were unbeaten and had yet to concede a goal.

The day started well with me, Pat, Claire and Fred arriving early to set the pitch up. This gave the team the chance to have a decent warm up, and I was really impressed with the effort all the team made (best warm up this season).

It was a quick start for Stalybridge, scoring their first goal on six minutes (0-1), but this kind of helped Lisbon out because you could hear the team cheering each other on, backed up by the coaches and the supporters. Lisbon passed the ball well and continued to put pressure on Stalybridge, and on seventeen minutes Jess scored a right footed goal after a great pass from Fred (1-1). This was soon 2-1 after Jess was played in by Hanifa to beat the keeper to the ball – Jess moved the ball to her left foot, went round the keeper and slotted it in (well taken goal).

Lisbon continued to play well, led by the keeper, Ria, who was fantastic all day. Stalybridge struggled to beat our defence who had their best first half all season. With a solid back four, our midfield kept the pressure on Stalybridge and a great ball over the top by Hanifa was chased down by Jess, who kept her cool to head the ball over the keeper and complete a perfect hat trick on thirty minutes (3-1). The first half continued to go well, with Lisbon missing a number of chances to increase the score (Jess, Hanifa and Frankie) and the defence played extremely well to limit Stalybridge chances. Unfortunately injuries to Laura and Lucy ended their contributions to the first half of the game.

Half time: 3-1. Second half substitutions were made by swapping Frankie for April on the left wing, and Beth for Joely at right back, Laura stayed off the pitch with a sore knee, and the team continued to play well. A quick passing move developed, and the ball was passed to Lucy who made a great run into the box only for their keeper to commit a two-footed challenge and bring her down – penalty! With the game being so evenly poised it was time for the captain to step up and slot the ball into the back of the net – the keeper didn’t even move (4-1). Stalybridge continued to battle and scored their second goal on forty one minutes (4-2). The football was end-to-end by both teams and then a mistake by the defence gave away a penalty to Stalybridge.

Ria took a deep breath and as the penalty was taken, she saved it with her left foot (great save), the ball was put behind for a corner and we heard a whistle – Stalybridge were given a second chance with the penalty (refereeeeee what are you doing), the keeper had apparently come off her line. Once again, Ria stood tall and saved the second penalty! Ria, Ria, so good, she saved it twice. The ball had been pushed behind for a corner again, and this time the Lisbon defence were watching planes as the corner came in and a great header by Stalybridge made it 4-3 but just like the week before, Lisbon stepped up the pace and won a free kick forty yards out. Fred stepped up, cheekily took a direct shot and scored – what a fantastic goal but noooooo, the referee blew for offside.

Just after that unfairly disallowed goal, Claire said in my ear we’re playing with ten players (I said even the coaches would make mistakes), we quickly put Joely back on the pitch and than swapped Frankie for Lucy who was unlucky not to score earlier in the game. Lisbon continued to enjoy the majority of the possession and on sixty seven minutes, Frankie won a free kick just outside the area. Stalybridge put four girls in the wall but even a great effort by the keeper could’t keep Fred’s amazing free kick (5-3).

At half time there was never a doubt in my mind that we would take all three points today, our first half performance was excellent with all the team contributing to a fantastic performance. Our defence headed the long balls clear, our midfield was strong and skilful, our strikers were fast and accurate and our keeper was outstanding all game.

Well done girls!

Dave, Pat and Claire.

This was the first Lisbon game I watched all the way through, and I must say I was really impressed – not just with the footballing skills on show, both individual and as a team, but also with the mental strength of the girls and their sheer determination even when things looked dodgy.

The game started really well with both teams showing some good skill and passing moves but with Lisbon definitely having better possession. A couple of chances were missed by Lisbon (one only a few feet from goal but it was a stretch and so the ball went over) and then disaster! Stalybridge got through Lisbon’s defence, which was near the halfway line after an attack, and scored. Aargh! How would Lisbon react? Stalybridge were ecstatic and started playing even more confidently – for a short while. Lisbon’s players never even considered the thought of defeat and their passing and movement stepped up a gear and was too much for Stalybridge. The Stalybridge defence was pierced many times and it was only their goalkeeper who stopped a hatful of goals, even if one of these saves flattened Lucy and should probably have been a penalty. Jess proved to be the coolest of Lisbon’s attackers in the first half, slotting away most of her chances.

Fred and Hanifa stayed mostly in position in midfield in their Keano and Scholsey roles, and most attacks stopped and started with them. Stalybridge did manage to get past our defenders a couple of times but Ria in goal played a blinder – winning every one-on-one situation.

The second half was a bit scrappier as Stalybridge came out all guns blazing, intending to take no prisoners as they tried to get back in the game. Our defence held firm and we started to get back our ascendancy in possession – Lucy was set free with a good pass, she raced in towards the goal and the goalie speared her again with a two footed challenge. Fred slotted home the resulting penalty calmly, but Stalybridge were a bit wound up and really started pushing forward, they overloaded the right side of defence and got a goal. They tried the same thing again and our defender got a brilliant tackle in to clear the ball for a corner but their attacker fell over like she’d been pole-axed! Ria saved the penalty brilliantly and also the retaken one (the ref said she’d moved off the line for the first one). We were too busy being relieved after the penalty to mark the corner properly and Stalybridge scored a good headed goal.

It was 4-3 now. Stalybridge were cock-a-hoop and thought they were on a roll now. Would Lisbon crack under the pressure? Would they heck? Lisbon just calmly stepped up another gear (and I don’t think they’ve reached anywhere near the rev limit). We won a free kick and Fred whacked it straight in from near the halfway line but the referee ruled it out for offside! To be fair, he’d blown the whistle as soon as Fred hit it, before it was obvious that it was a shot not a pass. Fred had another chance, when Frankie was scythed down just outside the area and the 4-player wall was woeful as Fred bent it around the right of the wall straight past the goalie.

All in all, Lisbon deserved to win the game with better possession and distribution. The next match should be interesting but I think Lisbon will do even better! They get better when the going gets tough.

Kamal (Hanaan’s dad).

Goals: 1^st half – Jess x3, 2^nd half – Fred x2
Player of the Match: Fred