Farnborough FC Women v North FC
Mid Season Friendly
With the local women’s football leagues shut down for the festive period, gave me a chance to catch up with Farnborough FC for their friendly with North FC, a travelling team on a tour from Ohio in the USA. North FC is a club who train and develop young players, and to give each player a chance to develop their skills and football knowledge before heading off to high school or collegiate football. You can find out more about their project by clicking here.
The game had been arranged for an early kick off on Sunday at Bottom Meadow, the home of Bracknell Town. Speaking to the North bench it seems the boys & men’s teams usually get the tours but this time the ladies asked, why don’t we get to go on a tour? So here they were! It was a fairly dismal day, damp and with the threat of fog descending further. Not exactly the best weather for the travelling side but they all seemed in good spirits and enjoying the occasion before the game.
Farnborough, sitting second in the Hampshire Division One table but still with a 100% record, had accepted the invite for the game and manager Craig Shields was looking to try some new things and give some game time to developmental players and trialists. It’s always a pleasure to catch up with Craig and the Farnborough team.
Farnborough started the game with a full bench but the visitors only had the eleven players so this would be a tough task ahead of them! The game kicked off with the ball flowing from end to end, Farnborough starting with several of their first team and looking to use the pace of Esme Parsons and Ellie Stalley down the flanks.
North came the closest early on, giving the home side notice when Emma Miller struck a shot from distance which beat Morgan Palmer in the home goal only for it to crash off the crossbar. At the other end, Parsons chased after a lost cause on the right and pulled a great ball across the six yard box but too far ahead of Ellie Stalley coming in at the far post.
Farnborough came close moments later when Georgia Harris had a sight of goal from outside the box but saw her effort drift just wide of the far post. At the other end Miller’s pace was causing problems from the defensive pairing of Georgia Stalley and captain Leighann May. A long ball over the top was seized upon by Miller who ran clear with just Palmer to beat but the keeper stood tall and managed to stretch to block the shot with her left foot as Miller tried to slide it past her into the corner.
Some good work down the left by Erin Wetherill set Ellie Stalley clear. She cut back inside the full back and floated the ball over the goalkeeper into the top corner from the edge of the area. 1-0
The visitors bounced virtually straight back. A strong run down the left by Miller, she checked back and pulled the ball into the area where Nicole Duvall slid in alongside May and getting just enough contact on the ball to take it past Palmer. 1-1
Farnborough regained the lead when Harris again lined up for a shot from the edge of the box which she hit well and the ball skidded off the surface just in front of the keeper which deceived her and the ball hit her leg and rolled slowly into the net. 2-1
North battled back and from a corner Chloe Fadenholz found herself in space in the box and headed goalwards only for Georgia Stalley to get a good block in and the ball was cleared.
Just before the break the travelling side hit the goal of the game. A nice move down the right involving Fadenholz and Margeaux Duvall found Miller in space but still with plenty to do. From the right corner of the box she fired a great strike which sailed over Palmer and into the roof of the net. 2-2
H-T: Farnborough 2 North FC 2
During the break the hosts made a whole raft of substitutions which seemed to affect the flow as they struggled to get the ball forward with the visitors Ryan Kunkle doing well in midfield to break up any promising moves. North for their part were passing the ball around nicely with Fadenholz and Margeaux Duvall always looking to pick out the runs of Miller.
A pass through the defence set Miller and Palmer on a collision course, Palmer just reached the ball first but kicked it straight onto Miller. The ball looped up in the air and the two battled for rebound, with a suspicion of a handball, Miller won the battle, controlled and rolled the ball into the empty net. 2-3
The visitors were by now tiring and Farnborough pressed to try to level but Marcia Harrison was reading the game well and covering the North back line impressively. The hosts did have a couple of chances but both went straight into the keepers arms.
Towards the end another through ball found the foot of Miller and she made no mistake, firing past Palmer to confirm the win for the visitors. 2-4
F-T: Farnborough 2 North FC 4
It was a really enjoyable game and it was great talking to their coach (and father of four of the North side) Daegen Duvall about the whole project. Being an occasional (cough, cough) drinker of beer it was interesting to find out about their shirt sponsor and friend of Daegen’s, Andy Revy at the Immigrant Son Brewery, in Lakewood Ohio. If you’re ever in the vicinity it might be worth your while checking them out!
The game was played in a great spirit and I’m sure it was a useful exercise for both teams with some excellent goals on show. Well done to both sides for giving us an entertaining match on a dull, damp and misty Sunday morning!
Farnborough will be back in league action away to Rushmoor Community on the 5th January for what promises to be an interesting affair!
Wishing all the players, coaches, families and fans of North FC a safe journey back to Ohio and wish them all the very best for the future. Hopefully our paths might cross again in the future (although not in Peru!)
All that’s left now is for me to wish everybody a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
*Thanks to Daegen & Barry for the above photos.