Farsley Celtic 2-3 Burley Trojans ladies Sunday, April 16

IN 2004 the first ever Burley Trojans junior girls team played their first ever competitive league game at Farsley Celtic as under 10s, losing 3-2.

Fast-forward 20 years and they arrived at Farsley Celtic to face the soon-to-be crowned league champions. Farsley unbeaten all season in 14 league games and also through to the final of the cup having knocked out premier league opposition on route.

Burley 2nd in the table were huge underdogs in this game especially when not at full strength, and a Farsley win was a mere formality.

The game started with Farsley pressing and Burley having to defend with captain Hannah Spivey and Lily Gazeley solid at the heart of the defence.

Farsley went ahead after 11 mins with a well worked goal and it looked like they would go on to score more however the resilience of this Burley team is not to be underestimated and despite intense pressure Burley created a number of chances themselves and were unlucky to to draw level when Charlotte Keane’s effort was just wide.

Melissa Elam was tenacious and forced a free kick to Burley some 25 yards outside the box. Dead ball specialist Becky Clark stood over the ball and fired the ball goalwards, the keeper got a hand to it but the powerful shot saw it nestle into the corner and scores were level after 30 mins.

Burley were playing well and Nic Frankland and Bethan Smith were taking charge in the midfield. Kean had another chance from a good cross by winger Naomi Myhill, it was Farsley who went into half time in front when a mistake by the defence opened up a scoring chance to make it 2-1 in favour of the home side.

The second half saw Farsley start the quickest but Burley are a good side with a lot of skill and determination and a real desire to win and were soon testing Farsley as Myhill was played though only to shoot wide.

Olivia Cheetham in Burleys goal made two good saves but was largely untroubled throughout the 2nd half As the half wore on Burley began to take control, and a great through ball by Nat Shaw saw Myhill outpace the defenders to slot into the corner to make it 2-2.

From there it was Burley pressure and mistakes were being made by Farsley as they were rattled. Elam was brought down 30 yards from goal and had to be replaced by Clark who lined up the free kick Clark hit it sweetly and it curled fully into the top corner for a sublime finish, cue wild celebrations on the touchline from Burley 3-2 up with 18 mins to go.

The expected barrage from Farsley never materialised as Spivey, Frankland and Gazeley grew in stature and repelled anything that came there way. The clock ticked down and Burley very nearly made it 4.

The final whistle saw wild scenes of celebration as Burley had inflicted a first defeat of the season on Farsley, a well deserved win and well fought.

20 years ago a nine-year-old Rebecca Gill (now Clark ) scored the first ever goal for Burley Trojans in that 3-2 loss. Now a mother, how fitting she scored the winning goal in front of her six-month-old son. The only one still playing from that under-10 team.