This was possibly the team’s scrappiest performance of the season so far – pehaps a little bit of complacency, a bit of no game for 3 weeks and a bit of coming up against a well organised team.

Wyrley were shorn of 4 players and went into the game with only 1 substitute.

The first 20 minutes produced the best football, fine one touch passing, flowing from one side of the pitch to the other, but no end product. A number of long range efforts; lots of strong running into the box and good goal keeping from Cookley’s Harriet Howles kept the score goalless. The first goal was a fine far post headed effort from Cath Davis from an Emily Quimby corner.

Half time 1-0.

Hayley Turner doubled the lead seconds after the break, latching on to a Beth Crook pass, beating a couple of players with quick feet and smashing into the far corner.
Cookley had a couple of 1 on 1s with Nia Jay, with one resulting in a fine save with her feet. Sophie Shorrock made it 3 by threading the ball inside the post and despite a number of runs into the box and a series of crosses, Wyrley could not increase the score. Cookley had a player booked for bringing Hayley down for the umpteenth time.

Cookley got a deserved consolation near the end when a free kick was flicked on and the ball found the back of the net via Megan Lowell’s knee.

Quick player summary: –

Nia Jay – probably the busiest she’s been this season and saved well when she needed to
Saff Hicken – again composed on the ball
Amy Marshall – some great ball winning tackles
Cath Davis – super header for the goal
Leah Fanning – as usual had a number of barn storming overlapping runs
Laura Cumberledge – caused problems with her pace all game
Emily Quimby – had a number of long range efforts that almost found the net
Laura Lyndsay – despite a heel injury she linked up well with Emily and had a number of long range shots too
Beth Crook – her usual calm and collected self, using a simple pass very effectively
Hayley Turner – her pace and dribbling ability was a constant thorn in the side of Cookley
Sophie Shorrock – quick feet and pace and took her goal well
Jemma Clews – a number of her crosses could have led to more

Still, another 3 points on the board and with Walsall losing to Leamington 4 – 0, a set of results we would have accepted at 10.30.

Well done girls!