Match Report NMJFC U11 Girls vs Bollington United U11s Capybaras 20/09/2025

Despite the miserable, wet conditions this afternoon, our girls delivered an excellent performance full of determination, energy, and moments of real quality. Florence set the tone in goal with several crucial saves, showing confidence in her distribution and composure under pressure. She commanded her box well and, when called upon, produced a stunning knee save to deny what looked a certain goal. In defence, Millie and Poppy J were disciplined and reliable throughout, combining strong tackles with clever passing out from the back. Millie also pushed forward to support attacks, while Poppy J showed excellent awareness by always making herself available as an outlet for the keeper.

Martha impressed on the left with tireless running, covering ground to track back when needed while also driving the ball forward to keep the pressure on. Jessica controlled the midfield with incisive passing and relentless energy, carrying the ball into the opposition half and linking play neatly with striker Stevie. Up front, Stevie led the line well, dropping into midfield when required and combining effectively with teammates. Annabella was a constant threat down the right, driving past defenders with power and determination, taking the ball from defence to the byline several times, and testing the keeper with shots on target.

The second half brought fresh energy from Ava and Seren on the wings, both carrying the ball with purpose and stretching the opposition defence. Seren looked sharp and dangerous with strong runs, while Ava found joy down the right, pushing the team further upfield. Poppy D was outstanding in midfield, covering every blade of grass. She broke up play, supported the defence when required, and tested the goalkeeper with efforts of her own. Her vision and passing kept the game flowing and allowed teammates to shine around her. Paige’s pressing disrupted the opposition throughout, and her persistence was rewarded with a thunderous strike, a goal that reflected her hard work across the pitch.

Two standout moments captured the quality of the girl's performance. The first was a flowing attacking move that began with a firm tackle and clever hold-up play by Poppy J, continued with a pass to Poppy D, then onto Seren, who slipped the ball to Paige - a sequence of football that deserved a goal and showed how well the team worked together. The second was the goal of the game: Millie’s remarkable corner, that came back to her, and struck directly into the net from the byline, an effort of both precision and power.

Player of the Week was awarded to Poppy D for her all-round contribution, excellent passing, and ability to adapt to different roles across the pitch. However, this was very much a team performance, with every player making a significant contribution. Despite the challenging weather, I absolutely loved today's game, and the resilience, teamwork, and flashes of brilliance shown by each, they should all be so proud of themselves! Well done girls!

⚽️🖤💛⚽️

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