Under 11 Performance Squad vs St Francis Rangers Girls

Hampshire FA U12 Girls Cup

Our U11 Performance Team kicked off their Hampshire Cup campaign today with a straight knockout tie, meaning the pressure was on from the first whistle! The girls rose to the challenge, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory to advance to the next round.

The game began with the team dominating possession. St Francis deployed a very deep, low block defence, which allowed us plenty of space to build play from the back. However, the final third became congested, making it difficult to find a clear route to goal. Despite controlling the flow, we initially struggled to break down their resolute defence, lacking some of the intensity and speed we showed in previous weeks.

The breakthrough finally arrived after a lovely period of possession. Following a string of passes, Ruby delivered a perfectly weighted ball forward for Ivy to run onto. Ivy showed great composure, confidently finishing into the bottom corner to send the team into the break with a crucial 1-0 lead.

The coaches asked the girls to raise the tempo at halftime, and the team responded with a burst of energy in the second half. We were camped in the offensive half, maintaining relentless pressure. Unfortunately, against the run of play, St Francis managed to pinch a goal back, leveling the score at 1-1 and setting up a nervy finish.

With the clock ticking and the threat of a penalty shootout looming, the girls showed incredible determination. They continued to press for the winner and were finally rewarded just minutes before the full-time whistle! Lily received the ball close to goal and unleashed a powerful strike into the top corner, restoring our lead at 2-1.

The final whistle confirmed a well-deserved win. While perhaps not their strongest performance of the season, the girls showed immense character and grit, securing the victory and avoiding the drama of a penalty shootout!

Lolly was deservedly named Player of the Match.

Lolly played both defence and midfield today and adapted very well to each position. In defence, she was strong, fast, and gave St Francis no real opportunities to shoot. Then, when she moved forward to midfield, she worked hard and had some excellent attempts on goal – she was very unlucky not to score!