Round 1 - Womens Premier League Cyclones vs Urunga Raiders

Northern Storm Logo Northern Storm Football Club Match Report
Northern Storm Team Womens Premier League Cyclones
Date & Venue 2/4 Urunga
Opposition Urunga Raiders
Coach / Manager Mike Lloyd
Player of the Match Jaqui Kambere
Score 5-5
Match Report:

A delayed start at 4pm gave a few players time to recover from our Reserve grade game. Due to injury & absence we started the game with only 9 fresh players and in 30 degree heat.



The first 25 minutes were awesome, as we played the way we have trained in a long pre-season. Excellent passing and movement set up chance after chance, and some really good defence kept things tight at the back. A couple of great team goals finished by Kodie left us 2-2 at half time, as tiredness started to creep in.



The 2nd half was a frantic effort from both sides. Again we started on fire with some awesome play and went up 4-2 with 25 minutes to go. However things began to go off the rails as we ran out of fitness in the heat. With no fresh bench players we were struggling to shut down Urunga's midfield and a couple of long range shots found their mark. Then we snagged a goal back to go to 5-4. Urunga hit back with 10 to go and we were locked at 5-5!



The girls all lifted sensing an upset win and determined not to let this one slip away. Charlotte Dodd cracked a ball into the Urunga post with minutes left but we just couldn't find the back of the net.



All in all a very good effort against a top side, and with fitness and a full squad we will really be able to match it with the best this season.

Player of the match was Jaqui Kambere due to a strong running game in midfield, repeatedly shutting down the dangerous Urunga players