The Uni Womens Football 2s had a break from normal league action this week, hosting a Leeds Trinity side (who are placed two leagues below), in the cup. They confidently brushed Trinity aside, winning 9-0.
Uni were hot favourites before kick off, and the home side didn’t disappoint in any way. It didn’t take long before Sian Smith found herself in the Trinity box before curling a dipping effort into the bottom right hand corner.
The goal really got Uni’s confidence going. Chloe Hanlon pulled the strings, feeding the Gryphon’s strikers with a host of chances. Minutes after the first goal, Smith nicked the ball off the last defenders toe, leaving her flat-footed before going on to neatly convert her second of the game.
Charlotte Clark wanted in on the action as well, and after finding her way onto the end of two perfect through balls, managed to convert another two goals for Uni.
Before the visitors could even catch their breath from this whirlwind start from the Gryphons, the two Uni maestros were up and running the show again. They linked up once again before half time, leading to Smith having the chance to complete her hat trick. She duly obliged, bringing an outstanding first half display from Uni to an end with the score at 6-0.
A second half substitution saw the arrival of Alexandra Fould, who was soon into the action. Within seconds of being on the field, the tricky winger worked her way into the box and slotted home just inside the far right hand post.
Even when Trinity did occasionally venture into the opposition half, Uni’s two centre-backs looked calm and composed, thus providing the two full-backs, Maggie MacDonald and Eve Griffiths, with time and space to venture forward. With the win all but confirmed, Uni began to ease the pressure, although this didn’t stop Smith from adding another to her tally, taking her to a fabulous five for the day.
The final score was overwhelming; Uni winning 9-0 (the last goal coming from substitute Cesca Ivaldi) to get through to the next round of the cup draw.
Daniel Nixon
Image courtesy of Lucie England-Duce