Peteborough United 3-0 Leafield Athletic

Goals – 

19/3/23 – 2pm – Abbey Lawn

Midlands division One

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The final away day was upon us with back to back away days in the FAWNL Midlands Division One. It was meant to be 3 games in a week but with Long Eaton being rearranged we moved onto our second game in the week after Thursday’s away game to Solihull Moors. Before getting into the game let’s have a little bit before the game, with Darren Wilkie at the wheel and Sam Baker as the navigator it was going to be a fun ride. We ended up in Coventry, that’s a bit unfair we was meant to go there for a pick up. But after a lovely couple of hours on the bus we arrived at Abbey Lawn to park the bus and go into the ground. Wait… no we had to go find parking to which the gentleman at the gate told us we could park in the city centre and walk down, Yes seriously have a nice stroll before and after the game into the city for fun. But anyways onto the game, the sun was a shining the gulls were a swooping. The warm up’s were underway with Sarah “SJ” Jackson, I’m sorry ms Jackson with Mr Wilkie and the bossman getting the players ready for the game. While the best ball retriever I’ve ever seen Demi Booth was working hard finding the balls in the next field.

It was game time, the players lined up I believe Sam or Laura asked Beth to walk them out but she refused but don’t quote me on that, I was going to offer but didn’t have the right footwear. The players just about let Sam into the huddle, it one thing that always makes me chuckle the way she gets into the huddle.

Leafield kicked off the game at Bourne FC’s ground when Chloe Shirley got the game underway. Tara Kirk looked early on to drive into the box but Connie Allen tracked her to provide the first corner of the game, this was 1 minute into the game and we had already lost a ball where Demi had been finding them before the game. 

The first real chance of the game comes when Thea Clearkin plays a ball in and The Posh defender misses it, who’s there but Jessica Lowe running onto it and as the keeper comes out she lifts it over but it doesn’t have enough on it as Lucie Mugridge clears the ball it falls to Daisy Mai Clements. Daisy takes a touch and hits an effort that curls towards the goal but strikes the post and the Posh clear it. In the midst of the early play Daisy sending the number 16 for a packet on Minstrels on the turn was a highlight. 

The game was finely balanced with both teams looking to get the opening goal but both goalkeepers were truly untested in most of the opening half of the half. Tara Kirk was always dangerous and saw one of her shots driven past the post keeping Colette Bell interested. Then a big moment in the game as Kathryn Pagan pulls the ball back to Jess Lowe who goes down in the area and to me is a penalty as you can see in the photo the defender stepping on Jess Lowe’s foot but… you guessed it nothing to do for the referee. 

Then Colette Bell did what Colette Bell does best, pulls off a worldie save when the ball fell to the edge of the area, a fantastic effort was hit with the outside of the boot and looked goalwards, Colette leapt across like the Monk in Mean Machine and tipped it over the bar. It was Colette Bell once again called into action as she came off her line to save from Keir Perkins down low who looked to stab the ball goalwards with Laura Broadbent clearing it out of play. Not alot happened in the remaining minutes of the first half as the whistle went with the teams at a deadlock in a close half with both teams having chances.

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The second half got underway with the game finely balanced with all to play for. But the worst start possible as the ball found it’s way to Tara Kirk who turned and hit it into the top corner giving Peterborough the lead 1-0. Could Leafield bounce back and pull themselves back into the game. Sam Baker lifted the ball into the box and as Daisy Mai Clements ran in the goalkeeper came off her line to collect and this was the story many times second half which would of had the goalkeeper for Posh being POTM contender with Tara Kirk.

But the score went to 2-0 within a few minutes as Jess Driscoll as she hit a effort low into the corner of the goal making it a really hard feat for Leafield now to get anything in the game. A point of the game was playing the ball and not the player is surely a fair play point but it is the way alot of the game went. Leafield looked a little shell shocked and nothing was breaking for them no matter what they tried the second balls were falling straight to Peterborough’s feet and such.

You can never ever fault Leafield for giving effort throughout the game and trying to chase a lost cause. The ball just wouldn’t break for the players but they kept trying to get themselves back into it. Leafield looked to hit Peterborough on the attack with Daisy Mai Clements holding up the ball and feeding in Sam Baker but Peterborough managed to get back and see the attack away. Leafield tried to fight back and give it everything with the ball going over the top but some great game management by The Posh goalkeeper killed the time in the game.

Leafield pushed more and more it lead to the 3rd goal for Peterborough but much better to go for it and lose 3-0 than shut up shop and lose 2-0. The ball bounced around and it was Tara Kirk plays the ball out and as the player shoots the save by Colette Bell lands straight to Tara Kirk who taps it in. When it not your day, it not your day nothing fell right and no luck on you side, one of those days. Kathryn Pagan broke in behind late on but couldn’t find the touch or finish to get it goalwards but again nothing but love for this team as they kept pushing till the end of the game even though the result was out of sight at 3-0 in dying minutes. The full time whistle went and the final away day had finished.

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Soo I was going to mention Brian Blessed if was bipolar, Laura and the mouse, the money train stopping at delusional street but we keep things positively positive. Leafield isn’t a team but a family, football is a results business but also something alot more with this bunch of characters. The bus journey back was as fun as the journey there, stopping at the services the team were all so excited to see Tommy Fury in the services (Not sure Darren was as excited) but I wasn’t fussed as I saw Jessica Lowe in W H Smiths buying a coffee. It was a long day for sure but something so rewarding about spending your day with such fantastic people, If a smile was currency around these people it would make you a rich man. I mean just talking to KP for a while would make you that. But truly an amazing way to finish the final away day of the season, yes the result didn’t go our way but sometimes when you don’t win you still truly walk away with something more that makes you winners.

I do love a good waffle about Leafield to anyone that will listen and that will never change. With 3 games remaining in the season soon as I was home I couldn’t wait for the next one on Sunday at home to Long Eaton.

We Are Little Ole Leafield with the big heart. Also have a look above at what I wrote for the Peterborough programme, thank you to Paolo for the chance to talk about them once again. And also for his hospitality when arriving at the ground.