AFC Oldham Women’s 4 – 2 Bury Reserves

Goals
Freya ⚽16mins ⚽48mins
Nicole ⚽54 mins
Abi ⚽69mins

Assists
Barlow x2
Minnie

GMWFL POTM – Freya

Players POTM – Amie

Becci’s POTM – Amie

Pete’s POTM – Nield

Emma’s POTM – Freya

What a game! From start to finish easily the better team on the pitch. To go 1-0 down and then a ball from Barlow to Freya to instantly get an equaliser with Freya showing some amazing skill and composure just showed great character and resilience as a team, heads didn’t go down we just got straight back up and got a goal back. Which shook the Bury and they were expecting to dominate the game. To then go down again and be losing 2-1 at HT, we weren’t down and out, within 3 minutes of the 2nd half another ball from Barlow to Freya getting yet another equaliser. Bury didn’t know what had hit them. We continued to dominate the game, a ball from Minnie into Nicole to take us into the lead just 6 minutes after equalising. Just before the 70 minute mark, Nicole played a ball into the box, with Freya taking the shot that was hand balled by the bury defender with the referee awarding us a penalty, Abi confidently took the ball, placed it on the spot to slot the ball home to take us to 4-2 against the league winners! Over the final 20 mins we showed more dominance with Bury trying to force a goal with nothing coming off for them. Our back four were amazing, and deserve just as much credit as the attacking players for this win. Throughout the game Sinéad and Maz were a solid centre back pairing with their strikers struggling to get past them, Nield pocketed one of their best players, beating her in the air nearly every time, some fantastic passing and showing great composure throughout, little Amie thrown in the deep end in the biggest game of the season playing in a new position but absolutely smashed it! Grew into the position as the game went on, using her pace to keep their winger quiet, also making some amazing tackles and recovery runs. Emma once again this season coming up with some fantastic saves showing her qualities as an amazing keeper. Our midfield dominated throughout also, taking control and winning both the 1st and 2nd balls. Barlow, Loz and Minnie working amazing together, with Lizzie also effortlessly fitting into that trio once she replaced Minnie, also Vic coming on to show her experience to keep us solid in a defensive midfield position to help us see out the game and get the win.

Freya, Holly and Abi never let up Freya and pace down the wings constantly running at Bury’s full backs not giving them the time and space to play the ball.
Freya and Amie between them formed a brilliant partnership down the right wing with Bury not knowing how to deal with them.
The 1st 45 minutes Amy created lots of pressure on the Bury defence not letting up and allowing them to play their favoured ball over the top, with Nicole coming on at half time to do the same making runs constantly at their defence.

Before the game I asked each and every one of the players to believe in themselves as much as I believed in them, and that was shown out there on the pitch, everyone believed in their abilities and that they could go on to win the cup.

There are a couple of players that weren’t there yesterday to get their hands on that trophy but deserve the credit, Paris and Kaz, both key players in helping us get to the final, and the winning celebrations definitely missed Paris and her drum!

In the words I provided for the match day programme I said “Some of the seasons highlights have to be coming back from behind across multiple games, to win against some very good oppositions”. Which is exactly what we did in the final. We are the Queens of comebacks! If anything we’re never down and out, we continue fighting until the very end and for that well done not everyone has the resilience to that!

Overall this was a fantastic all round team performance. A performance that as a manager made me proud of each and every single player on that pitch. As a team we show such great togetherness, creating a welcoming atmosphere and a place that players want to come to or return to. This team are something special 🧡

Written by Becci