Tingley U-16 Girls 1 Ilkley Town U-16 Girls 1

Ilkley U-16 Girls travelled to Tingley to try and avenge the earlier 4-1 loss in the season, against a team that sat second in the league.

Victory would assure the Ilkley girls of runners-up spot in the league but it would be hard with only 11 players available.

From the start Ilkley were the better team and played some lovely flowing attractive football. With Vicky Scott back in the middle of the park alongside Becky Sharpe, who was immense all day, they had control of the middle of the pitch.

Vicky with her intelligent football was setting Amy Creedon away down the right to set up chances for Becky Gill and Freya Wood, whilst Bryony Lowe on the left-wing linked well with Hanna Pulford at left-back.

Ilkley made all the early running and caused all sorts of problems for the home team. Gill had two shots superbly saved by the ’keeper whilst somehow Becky Sharpe was denied by a last gasp goal line clearance. At the back Drew Hanson and Lauren Oxtoby were holding the defence together and Torrie McPhail at right-back was outstanding with her shadowing of the winger and good distribution of the ball.

A goal came when the linesman missed the off-side and a free-kick was wrongly awarded to Tingley.

Ilkley instead of clearing their lines conceded a soft goal as Chloe was beaten at her near post by a soft shot. Still the girls’ heads never went down and soon the home ’keeper was at it again as she made another superb save to deny first Gill, then Vicky Scott. A breakaway move saw Gill ushered out wide but from the acutest of angles she somehow hit the top corner for a goal of true quality to leave everyone stunned.

More chances came for Ilkley as they dominated but they came up against an inspired ’keeper who continued to thwart the away team.

The same pattern developed in the second-half as Dinsdale remained a spectator and Ilkley tried to come to grips with the blustering wind. Gill had a great chance but was inches wide, whilst good link up play from Sharpe and Woods saw Creedon’s shot trickle past the post. The girls worked so hard, Sharpe in midfield was like a tiger and Torrie made the right back slot her own with a fantastic display.

Yet for all the pressure and chances the ’keeper continued to stop Ilkley with the best performance the coach has ever witnessed. Save after save be it on the ground or in the air, she was magnificent and Tingley with only one worthwhile shot had somehow salvaged a draw.

In a game when they could have scored and should have scored five or six goals the Ilkley girls were bitterly disappointed to come away with only a draw, but it shows how far they have come from earlier in this season.