Seven Heaven For Gornal Girls U16's FC

They say a lot can happen in a week in football and the Gornal ladies certainly had a taste of this the past seven days.

After a disappointing defeat against title contenders Coventry Utd last Saturday, the sad departure of Erin from the club and to cap it all we discovered on Friday night prior to training “Travellers” have very kindly moved onto our home ground and have decided to use our pitch as a race track for their cars.

With a calm head, manager Mick Hickman quickly relocated training to a nearby park and reorganised our home match at Coseley leisure centre the next morning.

It was pleasing to see the good attitude of the team during the patched up training session against the odds. For the third week in a row, the team and formation picked itself due to availability but on the positive side we saw the return of our original goal keeper Ellie “The Brick Wall” Harwood returning to help us out between the sticks releasing Chloe Edwards to return to her natural goal scoring position upfront.

Gornal started well putting together some neat passing but it was the away team that took an early advantage. 3mins). After a disputable corner kick awarded in the favour of Stratford Town, the away team scored direct from the corner flag beating both our near post defender and keeper with a delightful flighted ball that curled into the top of the net. 6mins).

Going one goal down early on gave Gornal the shock they needed and responded with great character and skill with some attacking flair they burst into life. Only three minutes later Gornal won a penalty. With regular penalty taker Kelly Shirley away on holiday, fellow striker Emily Derrer stepped forward to take the opportunity but was desperately unlucky when her shot rebounded from the underside of the cross bar and the keeper reacted the quickest to stop the follow up shot. 8mins).

Gornal continued to press for the equaliser and creative midfielder Sara Carter delivered a defence splitting pass to find winger Emily Smith down the right flank. Emily used her pace to get to the bye line before sending over a wonderful cross that found name sake Emily Derrer at the far post whose brave volley that went inches wide to deny Gornal what would have been a great team goal. 9mins).

Like a true natural goal scorer, Emily Derrer put that disappointment behind her to grab a deserved equaliser with a great finish from a good corner routine from left back Sophie Liggins. 16mins).

Gornal increased their dominance with a powerful run by winger Emily Smith and with great composure chipped the ball over the rushing keeper and celebrated with her trade mark cart wheel to give Gornal the deserved lead. 30mins).

The girls continue to press and dominate possession and were rewarded with another goal when midfielder Loz Thompson burst free from the centre of the pitch to beat the Stratford defence and smash the ball into the back of the net to continue her rich form in front of goal this season. 35mins).

The away team were eager to snatch a goal back before the half time whistle but were denied by a brilliant double save by Ellie Harwood in the Gornal goal. 38mins). Ellie was at her best again will another great save this time using her knee’s to clear the ball away. 40mins).

With the away team frustrated with the form of the Gornal keeper and back four, Gornal delivered a perfect counter punch with a great move from the back that found striker Emily Derrer in space, with great skill she controlled a high ball on a sixpence before finding striking partner Chloe Edwards to burst through the Stratford back four.

Chloe used her power and with a new confidence and calmness in front of goal she blasted an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to score on the stroke of the half time whistle. Half time 4 – 1 With a strong finish to the first half the girls were very upbeat and manager Mick Hickman demanded the girls to go out and express themselves and enjoy the match, highlighting the next goal will decide the fate of the result. 42mins).

It was Gornal that grabbed the next goal with only two minutes on the clock from the re-start. Top goal scorer Emily Derrer used her strength to control the ball in the box and with a great turn and shot slotted the ball past the keeper. 52mins).

As expected Stratford didn’t give up and were very unlucky when their right winger broke down the right side of the pitch and crashed the ball up against the corner upright of the goal stand and out of play with the keeper beat. 63mins).

Good work from the back four again cleared the ball up to to Chloe Edwards who flicked the ball with her head into the path of speedy Emily Smith who once again chipped over the keeper for her second of the match. 72mins).

Skilful work by left back Sophie Liggins dribbled past two players before finding Emily Derrer. With her speed Emily found herself in a one on one with the keeper. With a clever finish Emily slotted the ball past the keeper from a tight angle only to see her goal bound shot rebound off the inside of the post back into the beaten keepers arms. 76mins).

Some great football between several Gornal players found Sara Carter on the edge of the box. With power Sara drove her shot hard and low that beat the keeper with ease only to see the ball go inches wide of the post. 77mins).

Emily Derrer showed off her hunger for the ball when she single handed chased down a ball from a Stratford goal kick, she beat two players before teeing up Chloe Edwards in space to smash home her second of the game and put Gornal into Seven Heaven! Full time score 7 - 1 Throughout the match and despite Gornal going behind early on the girls showed great strength of character to dominate this match and at times played some brilliant team football.

Ellie was a tower of strength in goal, the back four not only defended well but were instrumental in setting up countless breaks from the back, the midfield won virtually every tackle and header and I lost count how many times Sara “Tink” Carter delivered defence splitting passes to the Gornal front line that each collected two goals apiece. The perfect tonic to end a demanding week! Keep on believing

Based on information supplied by dean longmore-price.