English Schools' Football Association

Balby Carr v Thurstable

Both teams started well, moving the ball quickly on a sunny day at The Keepmoat Stadium, home of Doncaster Rovers FC.

In the first clear cut opportunity of the game, Rosie Young of Balby Carr lobbed the ball in over the keeper only to have the bounce take it onto the bar. Ellie Chandler came storming in at the back post to pass the ball across the line and put Balby Carr 1-0 up within the first ten minutes of the game.

Rosie Young again found herself through on goal a minute later and rounded the Thurstable goalkeeper, Paige Wakefield, only to be crowded out by the covering Thurstable defenders.

Balby Carr kept up their pressure with a string of corners but the Thurstable defence held strong and stood up to the challenge. Paige Wakefield aided the defence by mopping up a number of through balls that the Balby forwards Young and Mills were causing problems with.

Thurstable pushed on and Ruby Baxter fired a free kick toward goal to worry the keeper, but the ball continued to rise & finished a yard over the bar. Their next attack saw Katherine Huggins break forward and slip the ball across the six yard box to Joyce Mlambo who would have scored if it wasn’t for Lauren Santoro – the Balby Carr ‘keeper - who dove bravely at the strikers feet to save well.

On the half hour mark, Thurstable thought they had their equaliser after Ria Melvin smashed a long shot from out wide which looped over Santoro toward the back post, onto the underside of the bar, bouncing down onto the line and then away from the goal.

The frantic pace of the game continued with the ball changing hands continuously throughout the first half, especially in midfield where both teams vied for control of the ball.

Action from The Keepmoat Stadium

Thurstable were driven forward by Emily Clements as she carried the ball straight at the heart of the Balby defence on a number of occasions, with an offside decision and some brave defending the only things stopping Thursable from levelling the scores.

Balby threw bodies forward trying to grab a second goal and the combined attacking play of Young and Mills continued to cause problems all the way up to half time. Ruby Baxter had to step in and win tackles of a few occasions to keep Thurstable solid.

1-0 to Balby Carr at half time. Balby perhaps playing the better Attacking football, but Thurstable applied themselves with great determination and had fought to create a foothold in the game after a shaky start.

Both teams came out fighting in the second half, but it was Thursatble who would swing the pendulum in their favour, only a few minutes after the restart the first chance of many fell to Chelsea House who couldn't find the target after shooting early as the substitute ‘keeper for Balby Carr, Grace Thomas was out of position.

Five minutes later Ruby Baxter of Thurstable rose highest to hit the Stantion with a powerful header after a free kick was whipped in from wide by team mate Cassie Thompson. Thurstable continued to rally and saw a penalty appeal turned down and another great opportunity thwarted by the offside flag a moment of two later. The introduction of lightening quick centre forward Gemma Codling brought potency to the Thurstable attack, using her speed and determination to constantly worry the Balby back line.

Balby Carr substitute Brooke Smith then announced her arrival by hitting a powerful free kick from 25 yards out onto the bar to worry Thurstable. But the girls from Essex were not deterred and Codling didn't have to wait long for another chance to present itself to her, as she tried to lob the keeper from a long way out. She couldn't quite get the trajectory right and the ball sailed past the post.

Huggins and Thompson combined for Thurstable in yet another attacking move to release Emily Clements to cross into the Balby Carr box, but Thomas, again, came up trumps and saved smartly at her near post.

With the game entering the final ten minutes of regulation play Thurstable continued to commit players forward and almost got their reward for all their attacking play after Thompson, House and Clements all combined to create a chance which couldn't be reeled in by Codling as Thomas saved strongly again.

For all the Thurstable pressure they couldn't buy a goal and the knockout blow came when Balby Carr forward Leah Hardy tracked a long clearance all the way across the pitch and played her strike partner Ashleigh Mills in on goal as Thurstables scrambled to recover, the 1v1 was saved by striker-cum-goalkeeper Joyce Mlambo, only for it to fall at the feet of Chloe Dixon three yards out who could poke the ball back across goal and effectively finish off the final at 2-0.

With the game restarted from kick off, the referee blew for full time and the two teams, who had performed valiantly, knew the result had been confirmed.

Balby Carr Celebrate

Many congratulations to all the girls involved In the game and the great support shown today from parents and friends of the players.

Team Lineups:

Balby Carr: Santoro, Johnson, Sharpe, Brookes, Foxton, Goddard, Young, Smyth, Hardy, Mills, Chandler, Smith, Thomas, Brown, Dixon, White.

Thurstable: Wakefield, Kelleher, Carson, Huggins, Dennis, Baxter, Smith, Clements, Mlambo, House, Melvin, Codling, Thompson, Guiver