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Another Cup Final win for
the Under-10 Blues was secured with an assured display, although a
hard-working Luton side made things more difficult than some might have
thought.
In fact, the Belles might
have taken an early lead to shock Spurs in the third minute, when a low
cross found it's way to the far post and the Luton forward was unable to
keep her shot down and it cleared the bar from close range.
It proved a costly miss
as within a minute Spurs had gone in front. Danielle Wheeler
played the ball wide on the right to Chloe Smith, who beat her opponent
and fired in a cross shot that flew into the top corner of the net with
a cracking finish. The goal settled the team and within another
minute, Chloe had struck a low shot from a similar position and saw the
ball bounce back off the upright.
Spurs were starting to
pass the ball around with growing confidence and Lulu Fox had a
scrambled effort kicked off the line after nine minutes and another
goalmouth melee ended in the same fashion after 15 minutes.
With Phoebe Guiver
working tirelessly in midfield and Keegan Russell and Molly Bartrip
mopping up any through balls at the back, the side were looking solid as
they went into the second half.
An early goal in that
half made the Belles' task even more difficult. Keegan played a
long, straight pass into the Luton area and Lulu was there to turn the
ball past the goalie to make it 2-0. It was a real goal-poacher's
goal.
Chloe and Danielle were
linking well in attack, as they had in the first half and with six
minutes of the second half gone, Chloe put Danielle in on the right to
shoot, but the keeper made a good save, although the respite was brief.
When the ball was won back by Spurs, they moved the ball wide to
Danielle again and she smashed a shot across the keeper into the roof of
the net for Tottenham's third.
Izzy Rueben-Crompton and
Alison Woodward came on to add some fresh legs and both troubled the
Luton defence. Alison went on a run through the centre of the
defence and was only denied when a dive at her feet by the keeper forced
her to shoot just wide, while Izzy hit a left footed shot wide of the
post.
Having had a quiet League
Cup campaign in goal, Naomi Coulson was called upon to keep her record
of not having conceded in this competition by diving to save a shot and
then intercepting a dangerous looking through ball.
At the final whistle, the
Under-10 Blues celebrated their third trophy of the season and some
credit for a well-contested game must go to the Luton girls, who proved
a well-organised team, who kept going until the end without giving up. |
