HEADINGTON ATHLETIC WFC

"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road" (Mohammed Ali)

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Players : Lucy, Chrisi (Mess 45'), Ferris, Nikki G, Jess, Lisa (Ellie 65'), Alice, Nicki O, Cecile, Sarah 

Match report : Nearly identical to the last time we played them! Crap first half, great second half. Good spirit on the pitch. Brasenose facilities are superb.

Moral goalscorer (hit the bar!) : Claire 'that wasn't a cross' Messenger

Quote from the management :  "Hey, one of you marks that girl !! " - Jamaïcan reply from the pitch : "I ain't marking anyone. I ain't got no friend !! "

Players: Cecile (GK), Jess, Nikki G. (Mess 60'), Ferris, Ellie, Anna, Nikki O, Asa, Lucy, Lisa, Sarah

Match Report: Luckily we played on sun-day, rather than on (water-)satur(-ated)day. Against Reading, through Henley, just after the boat race, beautiful road. Now onto the pitch we went, with a genuine intention not to let go of 3 points and in the end went away with 1 after 80 minutes at 11 and 10 minutes at 10. 

Opposition Player of the Match: Ferris

Manager Player of the Match: Anna

Goalscorers: Asa, Lisa

Quote from the management: 'Back to the draw...ing board! '

Players : Lucy (GK), Ellie (Jess, 45'), Nikki G, Lucy (65', Alicia), Ferris, Anna, Asa, Sarah, Cecile,  Lisa, Rhiannon (Cat, 45')

Match report : A slightly strange game today which Headington dominated but which was competitive to the end. Conditions were windy in the first half with countless chances on Headington's side (crisp through-balls from the midfield to the forwards, good crosses from wingers, shots on target or close misses, headers from corners, shots and headers off the post and across the goalmouth) ... but frustratingly no goals scored. There wasn't any real stress at half time as Headington knew (?) that something should eventually come. Two changes were made at half-time with Jess coming on for Ellie at left back and Cat coming on for Rhiannon upfront. The ball hit the back of the Oxford United goal around the 60th minute thanks to a neat finish from Lisa into the right side of the keeper Lou's net after a cross from the left - but this goal was disallowed because of a mystery  offside player (names, please, girls!). A Headington goal was finally allowed around the 70th minute - as nerves were starting to show - when Cecile tucked in from her left midfield position to make it to the edge of the eighteen yard box then swung a long low shot around the keeper. 1-0. From then on, Headington played with more authority and the chances multiplied as the formation moved from a 4-4-2 to a 3-4-3. Ferris upped the pressure in centre midfield, making sure she was first to the ball, with Asa holding the fort steady and distributing the ball cleverly.  Sarah moved upfront with Lisa, with Cat supporting from behind. Anna in right midfield was steaming up and down despite her proclaimed lack of fitness. Everyone was very eager which meant that communication between players suffered at times. However, the second goal came at the 75th minute from a through ball cut back from Cecile into Lisa's path who cooly slotted home to hit the net for a second time. This time it counted. 2-0. There was corner after corner but Oxford United defended bravely. The third goal, close to the final whistle, was one of Asa's specials from a pass laid back from Ferris : a towering strike placed almost from the half way line into the top right-hand corner of the net. 3-0. The defence and Lucy in goal coped with everything Oxford United tried but they were not over-pressured today. The game was played in a good sporting spirit on both sides.  

Manager Player of the match : Lisa

Opposition Player of the match : Asa 

Goalscorers : Cecile, Lisa, Asa

Quote from the management : 'P... de m..., faites gaffe au hors-jeu !!!' (I wonder if you might possibly consider being so kind as to mind the offside [rough translation])

Players : Lucy (GK), Jess, Seema, Nikki G, Ellie, Nicki O (Cat, 65'), Asa, Ferris, Cecile, Lisa, Sarah - Subs: Chrisi, Lucy, Anna

Match report: After last week's counterpeformance which is still to be explained, Headington was back in form this week holding the team at the top of the league to a 1-1 draw which could have easily been a Headington win. The game started at a fast and competitive pace and within 20 minutes two Chesham players went down injured, but without any malice on the part of any Headington player. Headington was passing the ball smoothly and the level of team play and support was great. On the whole, the first half was a very even business with threatening chances and shots on targets on both sides. Sarah and Lisa were combining well upfront, helped on occasions by Cecile steaming down the left or by Nikki O cooly and accurately distributing the passes from the right.  In midfield, Asa was challenging all the balls she could and Ferris did a great job in manmarking the playmaker that had made Headington suffer so much during the away game. In defence, Seema was sweeping with authority as Jess, Ellie and Nikki G repeatedly managed to break up the Chesham attacks. The second half saw Headington take the lead quite quickly with a long chip from Lisa over the Chesham  goalkeeper, who was standing too far off her line. This stung Chesham and Lisa Welling took off her sub's tracksuit to enter the arena in midfield. With five in midfield Chesham piled up the pressure on Headington but rather disappointingly - and this for both teams I suspect - the only Chesham goal that came was as a result of a long pass over the Headington defence that was picked up by a Chesham striker. Only one point for Headington, but what a point! 

Manager Player of the match : Sarah

Opposition Player of the match : Asa

Goalscorer : Lisa

Quote from the management : 'Thanks girls. I am a happy manager ... '

Players: Lucy, Nikki G (Chrisi, 75'), Seema, Asa, Jess (Anna, 60'), Lisa, Ferris, Nicki O, Cecile, Sarah, Rhiannon  

Match report: One should never let youngsters celebrate their birthday before a match.

Opposition Player of the match : Rhiannon

Manager Player of the match : Asa

Goalscorers: Sarah, Cecile

Quote from the management: 'Forget the result, it's style that matters '

Players: Cécile (GK), Nikki G., Asa, Jess, Ellie, Lisa, Rachael, Sarah, Patricia, Ferris, Catherine

Match Report : A rescheduled fixture saw an unusual Headington 11 take on the Woodley Saints on their home ground. Headington went into this game with several players making their debut on the starting line and for 90 minutes. As this was against a team which had five players who had played at national level in previous years, the challenge was daunting but it was something to look forward to on  a bright sunny afternoon and after two months without playing football. With some unusual player positioning, it was not surprising that the first goal against Headington came within the first 15 minutes from a lack of communication in the back. However, this did not demoralise Headington, who fought back with gusto and composure. This meant that the action was quite even on both sides of the pitch though it would be fair to say that most of the threatening attacks came from the Woodley side. Their wingers and strikers were attacking left, right and centre putting the goalkeeper under repeated pressure. However, the Headington back four held fast with Asa and Jess doing a wonderful job in central defence and Nikki G and Ellie holding their respective players at bay. They were helped in their efforts by Rachael who, in spite of her declared lack of fitness, had a superb game as holding midfielder. In attack, Lisa was her usual self on the left, travelling down the line with intent and helped in this by Sarah in a much-loathed-yet-fruitful attacking midfielder position and by Cat in support for the link up to Ferris up front. The second goal against Headington came ten minutes before half time when the Headington defence found itself finally overrun and the ball was neatly slotted into the far corner. The scoring pattern of the second half followed a very similar pattern to that of the first but, with the understandable lack of match fitness increasingly showing, the goalkeeper was forced to make some improbable saves, probably exhausting her stock of luck for 2008. Headington also managed some threatening moves with Sarah hitting the crossbar and Cat and Ferris very nearly scoring. This was mouth watering for Jamie on the touchline who, in spite of being severely jetlagged and weaned off Cuban rum, made some clear sighted strategic positional switches. There was no Headington goal but the performance meant there was plenty of honour and good spirit in defeat.

Opposition Player of the match : Cécile

Manager Player of the match : Sarah

Goalscorers (well, nearly) : Sarah (nice cross bar!), Ferris (don't want to play upfront, won't play upfront), Cat (yeh, yeh, yeeehh!!!!!!!)

Quote from the linesman : '... the liver and kidneys haven't recovered yet ..."

Players: Lucy (GK), Jess, Asa, Seema, Nikki G, Rachael, Nicki O (Cecile 75'), Ferris, Lisa, Rhiannon, Sarah (Patricia 75') - Kat

Match Report : The draw that should have never been ...

Opposition Player of the Match : Asa

Manager Player of the Match :

Goalscorer : Sarah

Quote from the management : 'As soon as the kit arrives, we'll go out and have a good warm up!'

Players : Cecile (GK), Asa, Ferris (Mess 75'), Jess, Nikki G, Lisa, Nicky O (Cat 75'), Seema, Rhiannon, Nat, Newps (Patricia 75')

Match report : First half : Shit!   Second half : Great!   What a crazy head game football is!. The referee - Mark Simpson - was superb. 

Opposition's player of match : Lisa

Managers player of the match : Lisa

Quote from the management : "I've got four different sauces on my hot dog!"   

Players : Lucy, Jess (70' Ciara), Asa, Seema, Nikki G (55' Rhiannon), Lisa, Nicki O ( 65' Patricia), Ferris, Rachel (70' Cat), Nat, Sarah - Sub : Cecile

Match report : An important win for Headington today with one of the prettiest goals this season with Rhiannon running down the line on the right, stopping and turning to cross the ball to Sarah who flicked it first touch to Nat who slottted it neatly into the net! The game started at a slow pace with both teams watching each other closely. Headington was finding it hard to develop the kind of flowing football its players like to play until Sarah opened the score by overunning the United defence from a crisp, low driven midfield pass, soon to be followed by a second Headington goal scored by a header from Asa from a corner on the left corner expertly taken by Rachael. 2-0 and Headington's nerves started to settle and some good football started to be played on both sides with United fighting to close the gap. That was the situation at half time. The second half was more lively and exciting with Headington taking the lead from the whistle. Sarah scored her second goal thanks to good support from the midfield and with Nat finally finding the net after several unlucky close attempts. United rarely came close to the Headington goal which meant fewer opportunities for the defenders and goalkeeper to shine as had been the case during the first half with some fine saves from Lucy, expert sweeping from Seema (including her left foot!) and sturdy standing up/closing down moves from Jess and Nikki G. As usual, Asa was making a nuisance of herself by breaking many threatening attacks before they could be converted into goalscoring opportunities. Ferris was obviously very happy to be back on the pitch after a knee injury which meant she was very active in midfield (her official position), but also chasing back and forward.  Nicki O was holding the fort keeping an eye on Lisa's moves on the right and then on the left so as to serve her some crafty balls on the run. Some strategic changes were made with Rhiannon coming into a front line of three with three in the back. Patricia and Cat came into midfield offering fresh legs while Ciara in the back replaced Jess. Sarah completed a hat trick just before United saved their honor by scoring in  the last two minutes of the match.

Opposition Player of the Match : Seema

Manager's Player of the Match : Jess

Goalscorers : Sarah 3, Nat 2, Asa 1

Quote from the management : 'Onwards and upwards!'  

Players : Lucy (GK), Jess, Asa, Seema, Nikki G, Rhiannon, Nicki O, Rachel, Lisa, Sarah, Nat - Subs : Ferris, Ciara

Match report :  Another glorious sunny day with Headington facing a team which is currently top of the league. No goals were scored during the first half but serious chances were missed on both sides with some great saves from Lucy whose confidence and courage seem to grow match after match. Sarah, Rhiannon and Nat all had shots at goals which were unlucky not to find the net. A great counter attack involving Nikki. O, Lisa and Sarah saw the ball being fired by Sarah just wide of the post.The Headington midfield and defence were solid and kept their shape, fending off wide threatening attacks from Reading. Asa won and cleared key balls, Seema swept efficiently, Jess battled hard and Nikki G held back a fast and strong opposition. Lisa and Rhiannon used their skills and speed to great effect with accurate service from Nikki O helped by Rachael adapting well to her midfield position. The second half saw Headington take the lead thanks to a goal from Sarah who, from a clearance from midfield, charged behind the Reading defence and beat the goalkeeper. 1-0. Reading was quick to retaliate and level the score on a rebound from the Headington goalkeeper who had done well to stop the initial shot. 1-1. A similar move to the first saw Sarah net a second goal to put Headington in the lead once more only for the score to be leveled in seconds. The third Reading goal was scored in the last minutes of the match after a moment of misunderstanding at the back not helped by injuries sustained. Headington put up a great battle and could have easily come away with the spoils if a couple of their many good chances had found their target. The match was played in a fine atmosphere which was a credit to both sides.  

Opposition's Player of the Match : Asa

Manager Players of the match : Rhiannon, Lucy

Goalscorer : Sarah Newport 2

Quote from the management :  Exotic - but enjoyable - managerial arrangement ... thanks girls!

Players : Lucy (KG), Nikki G, Seema, Asa, Mess, Lisa, Ferris, Nikki O, Kat (45' Jess), Nat, Sarah

Unofficial match report : Local derby between 2 recently promoted sides (see Season 2006/7) => High stakes = Double-sided tensions.

Red (Headington) against Yellow (Chinnor) on a dark green pitch in the midst of orange turning foliage as autumn sets in.

Headington went in with heads up boosted by last week's win. Chinnor went in with heads up boosted by recent victories. Chinnor was first on the attack but the Headington defence and their goal keeper were quick to react. 1-1 (with Nat smacking one of those shots I suppose, but tell me if I am wrong, I was not there yet...). Positional discipline seemed hard to maintain but it worked in favour of Headington, in particular when Nikki O found herself in reception of the ball just outside the 18-yard box and cooly lofted it over a bunch of yellow and red jerseys who had gathered there, and into the opposite corner of the goal. 1-2 for Headington, into half-time and a rousing managerial talk (part of which is reproduced at the end of this report). Hop! into the second-half Headington went! ... just in time to get a goal scored against them, as Seema was pondering whether she should really use this left foot to try and clear the ball or not (Jamie over to you!) ...

Official match report : A battling performance saw Headington come away with the spoils in this lively local derby against second placed Chinnor who were previously unbeaten in the league. Chinnor scored first within five minutes through Natalie Eustace and it took a while for Headington to settle into their passing game. On 20 minutes Natalie Creed latched onto a diagonal ball and deftly lifted it over the oncoming keeper's head to draw the sides level. Nicky Ostinelli added a second for Headington not long before half time when she coolly lofted the ball over a melee of players and into the net. Chinnor started the second half as well as they had the first by scoring within a few minutes when Sinead Ollenbuttel converted a right wing cross. The rest of the half saw both sides cancelling each other out until Natalie Creed broke the deadlock when she slammed the ball home to grab her second with less than ten minutes left. The solid central defensive pairing of Asa Jufvas and Seema Grewal, Headington’s player of the match, snuffed out any further threat to leave a happy Headington with all three points.

Opposition Player of the Match : Seema

Manager Player of the match : Seema

Goalscorers : Not Seema (she can't have it all ...) but Nat 2, Nikki O 1

Quote from the management : 'First observation, they are fast. Second observation, we should let the ball do the running. Third observation ... can't remember what it was!'

Players : Lucy (GK) , Claire, Seema, Asa, Nikki G, Kat (Nat 45'), Nikki O, Ferris, Cecile (Rachael 45'), Sarah, Rhiannon 

Match report : On a warm - make or break - sunny day, 13 Red Headington Devils took to the pitch and within 15 minutes their born killer instinct put them in the lead. From centre back position Seema cleared the ball with intent to centre midfield Nikki O, who dispatched it with great coolness and accuracy to Cecile, who was lying in wait in left midfield, who curved into the path of the fast accelerating Rhiannon, who beat the defenders to slot the ball in to the right of the goalkeeper. 1-0. Understandably Denham accelerated the rhythm and increased the pressure from their very solid midfield players. But the Headington defenders held fast, with Claire putting her feet and body wherever she was badly needed and stopping many dangerous attacks from going through, Seema steaming up, down and to the side to help in breaking the attack wherever it was necessary, Asa stopping the ball from being played and laying it off for the counter-attack and Nikki G sweeping the ball imperiously. The second Headington goal came soon after in a very similar way to the first one, with Ferris this time being at the end of Cecile's pass and - after what felt like an eternity - slotting the ball in passed the goalkeeper. 2-0. Headington lost concentration for a while which allowed Denham to reduce the score with a long range shot that Lucy, in spite of her excellent performance, had little chance of stopping. 2-1. Would Headington collapse under the pressure? Well, Ferris and Nikki O in centre midfield made sure that this would not happen by battling for each ball, on the right of midfield Kat's cool-headedness was helping to keep things in shape by holding the ball and laying it back or sidewise, whilst on the left things were becoming dodgier with Cecile moving out and about with decreasing efficiency as her ankle was busy doubling in size, but receiving great help from Nikki G and Asa from the back and Sarah and Rhiannon from the front. The relief for Headington came with a penalty due to a hand-ball in the 18-yard box which Cecile dispatched together with a final writing off of her ankle. 3-1. The relief was short-lived as another long range Denham effort hit the woodwork and the ball went in just behind the Headington goalkeeper and goal line. 3-2. It was time for half-time and, luckily, it was half-time! The second half saw a couple of changes being made. Rachael Nimmo, on her debut for Headington, came in at left midfield for Cecile and Nat Creed, also on her league debut for Headington, stepped in as forward whilst Rhiannon replaced Kat in right midfield. Headington kept on attacking left, right and centre with some great team moves and nice attacking triangles but Denham was determined not to give up and battled back with gusto putting the Headington manager on an emotional roller-coaster until Sarah finally pinned down a superb shot to open her scoring account for the season. This spurred Denham into renewed attacking efforts but also relaxed Headington players who remained solid until the final whistle.

Opposition Player of the Match : Ferris

Manager's Players of the Match : Asa and Claire

Goalscorers : Rhiannon, Ferris, Cecile, Sarah

Quote from the management : 'It's entertainment!'

Players : Philippa (GK, Cecile 15'), Jess, Nikki G., Ferris, Claire (Raj 75'), Cecile, Seema, Asa (Nikki O 15', Catherine 75'), Lisa, Rhiannon, Sarah. 

Match report : Windy but sunny day. Great goal from Rhiannon. Positive management. Exotic goalkeeping arrangements.

Opposition player of the match : Ferris

Manager's Player of the Match : Jess

Goalscorer : Rhiannon

Quote from the management : 'The substitute goalkeeper was merde !' 

Players : Philippa (GK), Asa, Ferris, Nikki G., Cecile, Seema, Claire, Nicole, Lisa, Sarah  /  Substitute : Becky, Raj

Match report : Beautiful drive, beautiful day, shame about the slope.

Opposition Player of the Match : Asa

Manager's Player of the Match : Nicole

Quote from the management : 'I didn't bring the water bottles 'cos didn't want the whole team to catch a stomach bug !'  

Players : Philippa (GK), Asa, Ferris, Nikki G., Cecile, Seema (Becky 75'), Abigail, Lisa, Rhiannon, Sarah  - Sub : Raj, Cat                                                                                

Match report : Great free-kick from A¢sa (pronounce 'awesome'), we want more of these. Otherwise we lost.  

Opposition Player of the Match : Cecile

Manager's Player of the Match : Lisa 

Goalscorers : Lisa, Rhiannon, Asa         

Quote from the management : "Hey, don't get discouraged! After all, these are our pre-season matches !'