Brent Girls U11s 1-1 Woking
Saturday 9th May saw Brent Girls play their first ever competitive game against league leaders Woking.
Having won their previous two games and scoring 9 in the process, the Brent Girls started quickly and with great purpose. Jada Pollendine was outstanding on the right, confidently taking on and beating her defender on three occasions in the first ten minutes, but each time, star striker Millie Glover was thwarted by a last ditch challenge or a great save. On the left Edie Sunman was showing great trickery and on 12 minutes an incisive one-two with Ciara O’Rourke saw her get in behind the Woking backline. Her final cross was only millimetres away from the on rushing Glover who looked the most likely to break the deadlock.
It was little surprise when with the next attack two minutes later, captain O’Rourke took it upon herself to make the difference as she danced almost Messi-like past four defenders before firing low and hard from the edge of the area. Leading goal scorer Glover was perfectly positioned at the backpost to tap in. Brent were deservedly ahead and that was how it stayed until the break and the Girls’ looked comfortable.
Second half continued with Brent dominating the early exchanges, with Glover twice being denied by good low saves from the opposing goalkeeper. Then on 40 minutes, out of nowhere came an equaliser that stunned the crowd. A long ball forward from the back somehow bounced and bobbled past both Brent centrebacks and into the path of the Woking forward. Her scuffed shot then somehow trickled into the bottom left hand corner of the net. The goal changed the game completely and suddenly Woking began to look very dangerous – had it not been for some incredible defending by Jasmine Warrington-Mainoo and Jessica Kwayie and two outstanding saves by stand-in keeper Christiane Assaad, Brent could easily have lost a game they dominated for large parts.
However in the last minute substitute Noelani Agyeman found showed great strength to force her way through on the right, but her cross shot was well saved low down by the Woking keeper.
1-1 was the final score and a first ever league point on the board for the Brent Girls.
Manager Minesh Randeria said afterwards – “The girls were obviously a little disappointed after the game, but it was good to see the way we battled when when things weren’t going for us and the opposition started to get on top – it’s the first time we’ve really had to dig deep as a team.”
“I was impressed that whether we were dominating or being pegged back we kept going with our philosophy of trying to pass the ball and keep possession.” Ronan O’Rourke – Brent Girls U11s Coach.
Squad: Kiara Miller, Mikayla Whittick, Jessica Kwayie, Ciara O’Rourke (St Joseph’s Wem), Jasmine Warrington Mainoo, Jada Pollendine (Byron Crt), Christiane Assaad (St Mary’s), Susan Uwaifo (St Robert Southwell), Noelani Agyeman (Our Lady of Lourdes), Millie Glover (Uxendon), Edie Sunman (Maple Walk)