BRENT SCHOOLS GIRLS WIN U12 CUP SHOOT-OUT
The finals of the Middlesex FA Under 12, Under 14 and Under 16 Girls’ Cups were played on Saturday, 27th May at Rectory Park. We reintroduced our own girls’ competitions last season, following the recent growth of the girls game, to replace the Capital Girls’ Cups, which involved several county FAs. We started the day with the Under 12 final, between Brent Schools and Barnet Nightingales.
Brent Schools are members of the Regents Park Youth League. They have won the league cup and currently sit in second place in the league table. Barnet Nightingales are in Division 2 of the Capital Girls League and have won it by a margin.
13 teams entered this season’s competition.
Brent Schools reached the final with victories over Southgate Adelaide 15-0 (away) in round 1 and Queens Park Rangers 4-3 (at home) in the semi-final. They had a walkover against Hearts of Teddlothian Lynxes in the quarter-final.
Barnet Nightingales beat Ealing Trailfinders Reds 8-1 (away) in round 1, Actonians 6-2 (at home) in the quarter-final and Kensington Dragons Youth 11-0 (at home) in the semi-final.
Matches in this competition are played over 30 minutes in each half, with 9 players a side and rolling substitutions.
The two teams served up a very entertaining match, on a pleasant sunny morning. Brent Schools had the better of the first half and had built up a 2-0 lead by the interval. Barnet Nightingales pulled a goal back immediately after the restart. Brent restored their two-goal advantage, straight away, from the penalty spot. Nightingales continued their fightback and scored twice more to level the score at 3-3, which is how the match finished. The penalty shoot-out was won by Brent Schools.
Brent Schools went ahead after 2 minutes, through Hannah Mondala, who beat the keeper to a loose ball and netted.
Brent remained on the offensive, with the skilful Nancy Wales prominent. Keeper Mia Cerullo saved at her feet and another run ended when she was thwarted by the defensive numbers confronting her.
Hannah Mondala attacked through the middle and lobbed over the bar. Elisha Nyembwe’s freekick from the left was stopped on the goal-line by a defender. Then Hannah’s shot just cleared the crossbar.
Brent doubled their lead in the 21st minute, through skipper, Charlotte Fraser’s low drive.
Barnet Nightingales now came into the match. Bela Lodemann cut in and tested keeper, Olivia Ridley Swettenham. Olivia then saved well from Daniela Jordan. Another effort by Daniela was turned for a corner.
Brent’s Charlotte Fraser made an incisive run but was dispossessed.
Half-time score: Brent Schools 2 Barnet Nightingales 0
Bela Lodemann burst through the Brent defence and netted 2 minutes after the restart.
Brent restored their 2-goal advantage within 3 minutes. Nancy Wales was brought down in the penalty area by Callie-May Chandler and Charlotte Fraser converted from the spot.
The Nightingales had two good chances. Bela set up Daniela Jordan, who shot wide of an open net. Then Bela’s low freekick was stopped on the goal-line.
However, Bela seized a mishit clearance in the 40th minute and shot into the top of the Brent net, for the Nightingale’s second goal.
Evelyn Piller made a timely clearance from Daniela Jordan, who had worked herself into a shooting position.
Nightingales’ keeper, Mia Cerulelo saved Evelyn’s long shot.
In the 46th minute, Daniela’s superb cross-field ball found Bela, who netted the equaliser and completed her hattrick.
Both teams tried hard for a winning goal. Evelyn Piller fired narrowly wide. Amelia Loakim went close with a freekick. Charlotte Fraser was dispossessed, after a run through the Barnet defence. Daniela Jordan was foiled by a well-judged tackle by Myla Villegas Lewis. However, no further goals came and we went to a penalty shoot-out.
Score after 60 minutes: Brent Schools 3 Barnet Nightingales 3
Nancy Wales took over in the Brent goal for the penalty shoot-out.
Barnet Nightingales went first. Amelia Loakim and Charlotte Fraser each converted their kicks. Nancy Wales got her hands to Amelia’s kick but couldn’t prevent it entering the net.
The 2nd pair of takers, Hazel De Pinho Carreira (Nightingales) and Evelyn Piller (Brent), both fired wide.
The 3rd pair, Eve Bolsom (Nightingales) and Alice Moriggi (Brent), both successfully converted their kicks.
Then the respective goalkeepers parried the shots taken by the 4th pair of penalty takers, Nancy Wales saved from Bela Lodemann and Mia Cerullo from Elisha Nyembwe.
So, we went to the 5th pair of spot kicks, with the score at 2-2. Nancy Wales saved Daniela Jordan’s kick and then converted her own penalty, to win the Cup for Brent Schools.
Penalty shoot-out score: Barnet Nightingales 2 Brent Schools 3
We were delighted to welcome, as Guest of Honour, Middlesex FA Finance Director, Steve Grover. Steve was introduced to the teams and match officials before the kick off and presented the cup and the individual mementoes afterwards. He selected Bela Ludemann of Barnet Nightingales as the Player of the Match. He also presented Bela with a match ball, signed by Middlesex FA President, John Davies, in recognition of her second half hattrick.
TEAM LINE-UPS:
Brent Schools: Olivia Ridley-Swettenham, Myla Villegas Lewis, Elisha Nyembwe, Minnie Palmer, Evelyn Piller, Charlotte Fraser (capt), Nancy Wales, Alice Morrigi and Hannah Mondala.
Rolling substitutes: Freda Kelly, Lauryn Griffiths, Ruby Halsby and Sienna Varsani.
Manager: Chris Ampofa Assistant Managers: Hamish Fraser and Ramesh Varsani Coaches: Kate Fox and Lee Slade.
Barnet Nightingales: Mia Cerullo, Eve Bolsom (capt), Amelia Loakim, Natalia Day, Callie-May Chandler. Tiana Khan, Irany Carvalho, Daniela Jordan and Bela Ludemann.
Rolling substitutes; Ayla Ibrahim, Hazel De Pinho Carreira and Willow Clark.
Manager: Simon Reid Coach: Dominic Carini.
Referee: Nicole Bobb Assistant Referees: Isabelle Wong and Elsie Grover Jones Fourth Official: Sasha Cudner.
Attendance: 101
We thank Chris & Jim for covering this match, as ever they have selected their favourite shots from the match, some of which can be seen in this report. Chris has also very kindly provided a full album of imagery for the match.
Full Album Courtesy of Chris Benn
Photography - Chris Benn