Our final game of the season, a Saturday afternoon kick off at 5.30pm saw us welcome Crystal Palace to Boldmere. Our home where Dave and his staff had made us all so welcome in our first season at Boldmere it was only right that our last game was a home game. We was invited down onto the pitch to sing each players individual songs as the teams was read out which was a nice touch as well as Tim Elsmore giving us a great shout out which means alot and I know our Supporters group are so thankful and appreciative as can be. As maybe expected with the final game of the season, there would be changes and chances for players to play and get those final minutes of the season.
We could be forgiven for not getting off to the fastest start with not alot on the game and alot of changes to the starting line up. We had secured 6th postion and couldn’t go any higher or lower. It was a very slow start with passes not linking up it took over 15 minutes to get the first proper chance on goal. Elisha N’Dow picked out Jade Richards who flicked the ball onto to Amy West who hit her shot but unfortunately was too close to the keeper as she stopped the effort. Really wasn’t alot going on during the game as Crystal Palace used tactics I won’t go into or comment on as want to keep things about my team but I will say once again Sian Rogers proved the true professional she is and why we are lucky to have her representing our club. We kept trying to play football in the sun but it wasn’t just coming together as we spent alot of the first half in the Palace end of the pitch. When all of a sudden against the play with no being tested all game we switched off on the 37th minute as Ashlee Hincks found herself open in front of our goal and somehow missed the goal, Something Darren Bent would of been proud of and Harry Redknapp’s Nan would of scored. Phoebe Warner was working so hard in the middle to win the ball back while taking the knocks for the team. Our best moments were coming from the wing but we didn’t use it enough to spread it wide as the game was compressed. On the 41st minute we had the Dazzler, Alice Hassall spot the keeper off the line as she tried to tip it over the keeper but she couldn’t quite get the ball on target as it drifted wide. A first half came to an end that really wasn’t to much of a bad thing with not alot to talk about as Crystal Palace offered little as we spent most of the time in their end of the pitch, not to say we offered much more in taking chances but we had most of the play and the chances of note fell to us.
Hopefully the second half would be an improvement on the first half as this truly felt like an end of the season game. On the 56th minute after Amy West took an incredible bad challenge that saw her have to be taken off with a suspected broken arm (Which really hope she hasn’t had happen and that she is ok) Jodie Hutton replaced Amy West as we jinxed with our formation again trying to make something happen. On the 60th minute Hayley Crackle come on for Hollie Gibson. Within two minutes of returning Hayley Crackle lofted a cross into the box that Ali Hall battled for as it fell to her and she struck it well, as it looked goal bound for the keeper to keep the score at 0-0 somehow. Again Phoebe Warner was working hard in the middle of the pitch again taking many hits from the away opposition but we couldn’t seem to create anything as everything just seemed a bit jumbled to how we normal play and set up. Aoife Hurley came on to replace Alice Hassall with our final substitution of the season. Jodie Hutton made a big impact running and hustling on the wing as on the 85th minute she picked out Ali Hall. Again I say it alot but Ali deserved the goal as she got to it and connected with the header expertly and just as we was about to celebrate the Palace keeper again saved them as she tipped it onto the bar as it fell back to Kerri Welsh who hit the ball and just as it looked to hit the net one of the Palace players cleared it off the line saving them once again. Once again Jodie Hutton ran at the Palace defence and they couldn’t handle her as she jinxed her way into a position to hit it leaving 4 defenders in her wake. Once again as Jodie Hutton hit the ball the shot was on target and again the Palace keeper saved the point for them in the dying moments. The full time whistle went after a Villa onslaught but it just couldn’t find the net as the Palace keeper kept them in the game and saved them the point for definite. As the full time whistle went they were over the moon with the point.
After the final whistle it was time for the Supporters Player Of The Year to be announced and for us to be able to give out our Supporters Club Awards. After doing our awards for the past couple of years it was so nice to be able to do them on the pitch as part of the presentation which we have to thank Amber Wildgust and Tim Elsmore for helping us set this up. Jodie Hutton won the Supporters Player Of The Year. Our awards was handed to every single player by squad number until we missed out two as we had our awards to give to our Supporters Club Choices for Young Player Of The Year, which really wasn’t a choice as we all said straight away Asmita Ale, a player that truly has the world at her feet on the pitch at such a young age is so talented and is already such a professional on and off the pitch as well as being an incredible representative for Aston Villa Ladies. Our final award was for the Supporters Club Player Of The Year and we had some great conversations throughout the year about this and many players were deserving of winning but we all agreed that our Player Of The Year was Elisha N’Dow. I wrote in my reports that I really could copy and paste every single week about how consistent and just how much she gave us on the pitch throughout the season. Their was some great words and speeches given after game about our season. I was so happy to see Linda, Tim and Martyn get special mentions as they truly are great representatives of our club and deserve a shout out for the work and effort they put in. Our season was a testing one and one that you have to be so proud of our team and club for everything they have done all season. To end the awards we, the sponsors were presented with our sponsors shirt and was given a thank you and had a photo taken before retiring to the bar to celebrate the season. My favourite season as a fan of Aston Villa Ladies and it is only the begining.
