Under 12 Maroon vs Hawks Community Youth U12 Girls

Division 1

Our U12 Maroon team clinched a hard-fought 3-1 victory against Hawks Community Youth at home today. Despite not being their most fluid performance, the girls showed resilience and determination to secure the win.

The game started slowly for the girls, who allowed the Hawks too much time and space on the ball. The home side struggled with intensity, pressure, and support, which led to the Hawks dominating possession early on. A well-timed change in player positions by the coaches helped the girls find their footing and begin to challenge the opposition.

However, the Hawks broke the deadlock with a deflected goal, putting them ahead 1-0. Just as it looked like the girls would go into halftime a goal down, Ava H leveled the score. After making a fantastic run, she held off a defender and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper with her left foot.

A halftime talk from the coaches seemed to have a positive effect, as the girls emerged for the second half with a new sense of purpose. They began to work as a unit, moving the ball more effectively. Player of the Match Zosia was a rock in defence, giving the team the confidence to push forward.

The team's confidence grew, and they were awarded a penalty when Ava H was brought down in the box. Liv stepped up and coolly converted the spot-kick to give the team the lead. The team's performance dipped slightly after going ahead, allowing the Hawks a chance on goal, but a combination of solid defending and a phenomenal save from our keeper denied them an equaliser. The victory was sealed five minutes from time when Ava H now playing in a deeper midfield role, went on another weaving run, breezed past the defence, and slotted home her second goal of the match.

While the team acknowledged this wasn't their best performance, the ability to win even when not at their peak is a sign of a great team. The coaches noted that there's still plenty of work to do on positioning but praised the girls for their hard work and determination.

Congratulations, girls!