Match Report: UCFB Misfire in Merseyside

UCFB Women’s suffered a cruel defeat on the road, with Liverpool John Moors University successfully seizing nine opportunities on the away side’s goal

Spirits were high prior to the game following good recent form.

UCFB came into the game with high spirits, following a good spell of form with an 11-0 victory and a close 3-1 Quarter-Final exit in the Northern Conference Cup against the two Leeds sides. The Manchester-based side were looking to put their unlucky defeat behind them, aiming to find their first league win of the season away at the Jeffrey Humble Football Hub in Liverpool.

Bickley-Parton’s side saw many positives from their previous showing at Leeds Beckett, but having seen Liverpool John Moors’ impressive recent form, had opted to start the game with a 5-at-the-back formation. This was an attempt to stifle the opposition’s free scoring attacking unit which had hoisted their side to second in the league table.

Turner isn't afraid to put her head in the way of an otherwise-certain goal.

The game was passionate from the off, a theme that would continue for the full ninety minutes, with the home side pressuring the visitors with a succession of corners early on. However, these were smartly defended by UCFB.

The away side were boosted by the return of their goalkeeper, Cecile Haug, who had suffered injury earlier in the season. Haug was repeatedly tested in the early minutes, managing a spectacular save low to the ground of a ripping opposition attempt. She also prevented a glancing header from finding the back of her net, before stopping another knee-high shot to keep the score-line all square at the ten-minute mark.

Bickley-Parton and Bethell talk tactics during a stop in play.

However, John Moors’ attacking aptitude would unfortunately soon prove to be too much for Haug and her defensive line. The opposition found their first of the afternoon via a ball whipped into the UCFB box from the left-hand side, which was met with a diving header from the Liverpool side’s right winger. Haug was able to get her fingertips on the ball, but this would find the back of the net via the underside of the bar.

UCFB responded positively to conceding the first of the day, with Mia Wildin gracefully pushing the ball around John Moors’ defenders before she poked it past the on-rushing goalkeeper. However, the Liverpool defenders made a miraculous recovery to bravely clear the ball off their own goal-line, an excruciating near-miss for the away side.

Haug made a sparkling shot-stopping return, but was able to do little to prevent the onslaught.

Just minutes after Wildin’s chance, things were made even worse for UCFB. Alisha Bethell clipped a John Moors attacker in the box, giving the referee no choice but to award a penalty to the Liverpool side. This was coolly slotted to the left of Haug, doubling the home side’s advantage.

UCFB suffered a quick-fire third, with a whipped ball from the left side evading their defensive line to find an unmarked John Moors attacker, who calmly tapped it in at the far post. A miserable first half for the visitors was topped off with a fourth for the home side – with UCFB falling victim to poor communication and organisation. This allowed Liverpool the opportunity to slot the ball into the bottom-left corner from close range, offering the goalkeeper little chance of saving it.

Captain Bradbeer shows UCFB's fighting spirit - even when multiple goals down.

Bickley-Parton recognised the need for change in the second half, looking to bring new energy into his side via a double substitution, which saw Katie-Leigh Scott and Alisha Bethell replaced by Mia Perfit and Leah Clayton.

Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be enough to prevent Liverpool John Moors from adding their fifth of the afternoon early in the second half. The home side embraced a moment of chaos from UCFB, who had initially cleared the ball from their box following a corner scramble, only to see this effort hooked back into their box and onto the head of an opposition player, who nodded it over the goal line at the near post.

Clayton imitates everyone shivering on the side-lines.

A sixth soon followed from another header, which was powerfully prodded past Haug at the near post after a corner. From this point onwards, UCFB would struggle to find their way back into the game.

A powerful long-range effort flew past the UCFB defenders and over the head of the goalkeeper for their opposition’s seventh goal, an effort which few keepers could have stopped. The Liverpool side added an eighth with an intricate dribble from their left-winger, who then cut inside and drove into the box to confidently slot the ball into the top right of the goal.

It was a difficult game for UCFB, but heads didn't drop for a single minute.

The final goal of the afternoon came through a low, driven shot from the right side of the box which found the opposite corner of the UCFB net, somewhat dulling the sense of promise that had been generated after the team’s promising recent performance.