Brent Schools’ FA 7-0 Highgate Rangers
The Brent Schools’ FA Under-14 Girls team consolidated their winning start to the season by handing out a thrashing to rivals Highgate Rangers in the Regents Park Youth League.
The Brent girls were sharp from the start, winning a corner in the first minute which was taken by Celia Marmion and neatly converted by debutant Adele Roca.
Highgate Rangers reacted swiftly from the kick off, only to see their attempt at goal run out for a goal kick to Brent. Zoey De Souza Mantas took a powerful goal kick which rose over the Rangers defenders and Sophie Owen collected the ball, brought it forward then calmly stroked it past the goalkeeper for Brent to take a 2-0 lead within three minutes.
Four minutes later Owen produced a superb solo effort to take a bouncing ball on the half volley and thunder it into the net. Owen then completed a nine minute hat-trick, taking advantage of a mix up by Rangers defenders to calmly slot the ball home to make the score 4-0. On the quarter hour, Marmion was at it again, delivering another perfect corner which was hammered home by Willow Stone.
A shell shocked Rangers team – now 5-0 down – regrouped and were able to deny Brent additional goals in the first half.
The second half began in lively fashion with Rangers seeking an early goal to reduce the deficit but their shots were snuffed out and calmly gathered by Hannah Derks in the Brent goal. In the third minute of the second half, a Brent goal kick taken by De Souza Mantas was collected by Owen who beat several defenders and then unselfishly squared the ball to Evie Roe whose shot was too powerful for the goalkeeper to stop.
Owen thought she had a fourth goal after thumping the ball home only for it to be chalked off for a narrow offside. Marmion, who had provided two assists was nearly on the scoresheet herself after narrowly failing to convert a driving pass across the Rangers box.
The rest of the match was played out with Brent defenders Scarlett Hunn, Finlay Cottle and Tallulah Swaby determined to retain a clean sheet and throwing themselves at everything Rangers produced. Brent’s captain, De Souza Mantas had a couple of attempts at goal thwarted by the Rangers ‘keeper and was unfortunate not to get on the score sheet.
With two minutes remaining and Brent comfortably ahead, a speculative long shot hit low and hard by centre-back Swaby eluded all of the Rangers defense and popped through the ‘keeper’s legs for Brent to win the match 7-0.
Player of The Match: Sophie Owen
Brent coach Steve Swaby said: “The girls were immense today. It was a well-deserved win against a good opponent.
Brent squad: Adele Roca, Celia Marmion, Evie Roe, Finlay Cottle , Hannah Derks, Sophie Owen, Tallulah Swaby, Scarlett Hunn (c), Willow Stone, Zoey De Souza Mantas
Elsewhere Brent Under-11 boys lost 3-0 away to Dacorum. Brent’s Under-15 girls put on a good display but went down 6-1 away against title favourites Ruislip Rangers.
Brent Under-9 girls had cause to celebrate as the scored their first goal of the campaign. They put on another spirited display but in a game that was much closer than the score line suggests went down 7-1.