English Schools' Football Association

By Robert Craven at Essex County Football Association

Essex Schools' Under 14 Girls side recovered after conceding an early goal to claim the English Schools FA Under 14 Inter County Trophy with a 2-1 win over Lancashire Schools at Norwich City FC, leaving Manager Emma Burden to declare: “The girls were outstanding today!”

The portents were not good for Essex when Gabrielle Taylor put Lancashire in front just 5 minutes into the tie, but Evie Clarke quickly responded and Zoe Dorrington’s free kick six minutes before half time proved decisive in the final reckoning. The result means that the County have added a further national title to the Under 18s Boys’ version scooped by Graham Hall’s side at Nottingham Forest FC a fortnight previously.

“What a game to finish the season on,” said Burden. “It was a great advert for girls' football. Both teams were a credit to their schools and their counties. Many of the Essex girls have come through various County FA programmes since they were seven year olds and it was a delight to see them play on such an elite stage.”

In an early kick-off at Carrow Road, Essex goalkeeper Imogen Riches was worked hard during the opening stages when she was drawn into a full-stretch save to push Mayumi Gillam’s strike around the left-hand post. However, from the resultant Thea Mallett corner, Riches was beaten as Taylor skilfully steered a ten-yard shot into the top corner.

Miagh Downey’s attempts to reply immediately were thwarted by Katie Samuels’ superb covering challenge in the 6th minute before Clarke’s shot careered over from a swirling Dorrington set piece. The forward soon atoned for that error in the 13th minute as she netted the equaliser, connecting with Downey’s slide-rule pass to calmly slot beyond Meghan Pope.

Clarke could have scored for a second time three minutes later when Dorrington put her clear in a similar position, but this time the shot was closer to Pope, who made a comfortable save. Shortly afterwards, the England Under 15s Schools player was released again - this time by Oyindamola Okunowo’s lofted pass - only for Pope to make another smart stop.

Lancashire chances were confined to counter attacks at this point, although Riches did have to cling onto a low Taylor effort on 19 minutes. The interval was just eight minutes away when Olivia Rose Askam’s trickery took her beyond three defenders in order to set up Megan Hester, but she chipped harmlessly across the face of goal.

Much of the play was centred in the Lancashire half and, when a free kick was awarded 30 yards from goal in the 29th minute, it proved to be the moment that England Under 15s international Dorrington earmarked to contribute the winner. She swung the ball into a dangerous area again and it bounced awkwardly in the six-yard box before slanting beyond a bemused Pope.

Essex enjoyed two further opportunities to extend their advantage ahead of the half-time whistle as Pope leapt at the feet of Clarke to abruptly stop her run in the penalty area and then a further Dorrington set piece thundered back off the crossbar, but even Madison Scheffer’s follow-up was deflected wide.

The second period saw Lancashire fly out of the blocks in an attempt to restore parity. Alisha Kate Houghton was afforded two chances to level inside the initial five minutes as she first narrowly failed to get a touch to Thea Mallett’s teasing cross before benefiting from uncharacteristic confusion between centre-halves Scheffer and Emily Baker to steal possession and stab narrowly wide.

Houghton later invited Riches to smother the ball at her toecaps ahead of Mallett slashing wide from the ensuing goal-kick, and the Essex custodian was involved again on 50 minutes when Taylor outmuscled Baker to win possession but shot straight at Riches, with Lancs continuing to up the ante.

However, Mallett’s fiercely-struck free kick from fully 35 yards, which landed on the roof of the net in the 53rd minute, signalled a swing in momentum back towards Essex, who were aided by an excellent double-intervention by Baker to thwart Taylor and Gillam on the edge of the penalty area. A raking ball forwards saw Clarke one-on-one in familiar circumstances with Pope, who again gathered comfortably.

Shortly after the hour, Clarke combined telepathically with Dorrington to help the midfielder send a skimming shot past the left-hand upright which would have sealed the victory. As it was, Essex were indebted to another fine challenge from Baker, who stepped out to take the ball away from Georgia Lambe, and to Sasha Rowe for blasting into the side-netting from a last-minute Mallett corner in order to win the competition.

Boss Burden was full of gratitude for everyone involved with the set-up: “I’d like to give a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the programme this year, the including Essex County FA, the English Schools' FA, all the parents, the officials and the physiotherapists who have helped us out. I’m already looking forward to next season!”

Team Line-ups

Essex County Schools' FA: Imogen Riches, Kelsey Smith, Kelsey Kiely, Oyindamola Okunowo, Madison Scheffer, Emily Baker, Beth Blacklock, Zoe Dorrington, Evie Clarke, Miagh Downey, Katie Pounder, Courtney George, Lucy Jones, Edie Preece.

Lancashire County Schools' FA: Meghan Pope, Amber Kenyon, Thea Mallett, Natalie Bell, Jess Riley, Megan Hester, Neve Hulton, Alisha Kate Houghton, Georgia Lambe, Sasha Rowe, Olivia Rose Askam, Katie Maher, Mayumi Gillam, Laurel North, Gabrielle Taylor.

Match Officials: Andrew Hardy (Hethersett), Sarah Grundy (Market Deeping) and Jasmine Priddis (Peterborough), Tim Sadler (Norwich).

Attendance: 66.

Match DVD and photos can be purchased via RWT Photography.

ESFA Under 14 Inter County Trophy for Girls Results.