South turned up to the across-city derby as the underdogs, Jan’s weekend preview saying what everyone was thinking: “[Getting any points is] going to be a tough ask… City are likely favourites to win this game.” Except nobody can have told the two teams who turned up to play!

Having had a pre-match mimed team talk in the stable from Bethlehem, the L3s started this game very much in control. We passed, we pressured and we hoovered up the ball any time it came into our defensive half to recycle it out and pile on the pressure again and again. City didn’t feature in the first half; but for City’s previous league record, South would have been entitled to believe the game was theirs. Indeed, it was not long before South netted their first goal – a real team effort: long corner taken by Louisa, to Rebecca, a smart pirouette from Tuffers to release a pass, for Lauren B to charge in on straight into goal. One-nil, South! City were rocked!

City, predictably, came out fighting (and quite aggressive) in the second half; but it was still South who gained the advantage with a second goal from a long corner. This time Olivia passed to Rebecca, who passed from the base line to Jasmine to deflect the ball in. Two-nil, South! City were shocked!

The final score was three-two to City; all City goals came in the last fifteen minutes. The final score was against the run of play and South only lost this game because we believed City were the better side. They were not. It was a strong performance from every player and we look to carry this play through to the rest of the season, with a belief we can take on the higher teams in our division. With better luck, we can hopefully start turning these sorts of games into wins!

Overall, every single L3s player was on form today: MoM votes came in for Jasmine (great attacking play); Emma (fab defending); Louise (some great saves); Hayley (fantastic play throughout). It was Lauren Coates who won out – she was everywhere in her role as sweeper/centre half, totaling controlling the game, making brilliant connections. I’m afraid to report that I was voted LoM for being a little bit stroppy and having a potty mouth when “discussing” whether the ball (which went on to become City’s winning goal in the last second) had gone out of play.