MNJYSA game #6
The Wildcats played their third consecutive home game on the third different home field; moving from the large Cobblestone mudbath, to the medium sized bumpy Palmer to the huge Harrington field. This was the second match against Hillside this season, and they were probably looking to avenge the season opening last minute loss.
Syd, who missed the first Hillside game, was back for this game, but Lin was away and Reb stepped up to play keeper in the second half. The game started with Hillside bringing the ball down quickly and getting a shot off within the first miute, but the Wildcats woke up and countered right back. We applied pressure and kept the ball in the Storm's defensive third, and came close in the 5th minute when Hannah sent a cross over, that Reb sent back across the goal. Two minutes later Jules was set free in the center circle, and if not for a temendous recovery and last lunge effort from the Hillside sweeper we would have been up 1-0.
The next 15 minutes saw the Wildcats with most of the possession, but no real scoring opportunities were created. Then, Syd intercepted a pass between two Hillside middies at the half-way line, and pushed the ball into space towards the right post and took an angle of pursuit that shielded the ball from the on-rushing sweeper. Syd drove forward at full speed keeping the sweeper blocked from making a play, and upon reaching the 18, she took one look up, saw where the keeper was and placed the ball, deftly, in the bottom left corner.
Within two minutes the Storm pushed the ball to outside left portion of our penalty area, and with their left wing and our right back chasing the ball there was incidental contact (when the ball was already out of play) which resulted in the referee awarding a very dubious penalty kick. Hillside's #8 calmly drove the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal, leaving Bre no chance to even get a hand on it, and tying the game at 1's.
Undaunted, the Wildcats fought back and pressured Hillside's goal again. Five minutes after the controversial PK, Jules received a ball from the right, faked advancing at goal to get the defender to lean the wrong way, then feeding Hannah with a crisp left foot pass. Hannah took one touch, then placed a perfect shot, against the flow of the keeper and the defense into the bottom right corner to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.
The second half was much the same as the first, in that the Wildcats had the majority of the possession and were creating chances, but we couldn't find the back of the net. Jules shot just wide on the 5 minute mark, Paige had a shot 5 minutes from time that resulted in a flurry and a corner that wasn't cleared and Bri blasted a shot against the crossbar.
Reb filled in admirably for Lin between the posts, but because of the hard work of the defense, she wasn't forced into any high pressure saves. The few balls that came to her were long clears by the Storm that Reb collected well before their strikers, and she returned them into play well with some decent punts.
Chelsea has really shone this year in her new role as sweeper, and Sunday wa no different.. I think only two balls got by her, but within a matter of seconds, she had recovered and cleared. With Lin away and Bre in goal in the first half, Andy and Rachel were solid on the outside of the D all first half and Bre did well rotating in there in the second half, as well as getting some upfield time on the right side of the mid-field. Liz, Mattie, Bri, worked hard in the central defense and midfield and complimented the work of the other middies (Syd, Paige, Siobhan and Amy) to win and keep possession and create opportunities.
This win keeps the Wildcats alone in first place, with Flemington 2 points back, FC Copa 4 back (played 1 more game than us), and Livingston 5 back (but having only played 3 games, they could be in second place only 1 point back with a couple of wins.
GO WILDCATS !!!
