Sporting Khalsa 1-3 Leafield Athletic

Kathryn Pagan, Leonie Joyce, Tilly Chase. 

4/12/22 – 2pm – GUARDIAN WAREHOUSING ARENA

Midland Division One

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Last week top of the league, this week second in the league. One thing you can never say is that Leafield fear who they are playing. After pushing Stourbridge to their limits it was time to take on Sporting Khalsa. On a very cold and I mean cold that even a Penguin would be putting on a hat and gloves it would be a 4 goal thriller. Even though we was without Laura Broadbent who got injured against Stourbirdge, Laura will be missed on the pitch but you can feel and hear her presence on the sidelines and with such a tight team you know having her there still will push the team on. And once again after being made to feel welcome and apart of the matchday it was time for kick off.

Leafield came out the box on the front foot and had a chance with Kathryn Pagan early on but somehow Khalsa managed to keep the ball out of the back of the net with the keeper first getting a foot on the shot and the defender deflecting back to her. Both teams were looking to find the first goal. Leonie Joyce as alway was excellent and hit a wonderful strike that struck the bar as well as Sporting Khalsa hitting the Leafield woodwork too. There were some truly fantastic battles on the pitch not to mention Neive Fallon vs Steph Weston. 

Sporting Khalsa seemed to have alot of long shots that were going to have to be worldies to even trouble Colette Bell in the Leafield goal. But the one thing that was concerning was the amount of corners Khalsa were building up and it was on the 27th minute it became an issue. A corner into the box that Megan Cann put away giving Khalsa the lead after 27 minutes.

It took Leafield a little while to get back into it but none other than Kathryn Pagan that pulled Leafield level on the 41st minute, the move started with Leonie Joyce moving the ball to Chloe Shirley who picked out Kathryn Pagan who finished with a deft touch lobbing the keeper who had no chance as we went into the half time break with the score at 1-1. With the teams being level a fair balance of the first half as a whole.

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The second half see Sporting Khalsa have the early chance but couldn’t do anything with it or even trouble Colette Bell in the Leafield goal but Leafield weathered the early storm and broke on the counter with Chloe Shirley picking out Jess Lowe whose quick thinking played in Leonie Joyce who beat the offside trap, Leo still had alot to do and the keeper tried to come out to her but she dinked it into the corner over the keeper to make it 1-2 to Leafield on the 68th minute. 

The game was very even and I felt Leafield grew into the game more and frustrated Khalsa to point it got a little tetchy on the pitch. Both teams were looking for that important 4th goal both defences were solid and Khalsa was always a threat from set pieces but Leafield made sure to learn from the opening goal.

Choices in games from the bench can have a massive impact on the game and Sade Alaka came off the bench on the 80th minutes (I just want to say everyone who played really put a shift in but more on that later). Sade looked strong and held the ball really well with a turn of pace which led to the 4th goal as she brought the ball down and the defender went through the back of her to win the penalty. 

The referee was busy with an injured player while Khalsa did everything to put off Tilly Chase, including kicking the ball away, trying to get in her ear but Annabel Davies put a stop to that as she got in front. Tilly just smiled and laughed while she waited to take the penalty. Tilly just don’t miss.. as she rifled it into the bottom left corner sending keeper the wrong way to make it 1-3 on the 83rd minute. It was just a matter of seeing it out now and making sure they didn’t concede again as the full tie whistle went with a 1-3 victory.

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The Squirrels final verse and mindset. A trip away to second in the league and a team that obviously flying this season to go down 1-0 to them and come back and score 3 goals and walk away with 3 points shows what this team all about. I feel Khalsa had a game plan and Leafield adapted early on to make them shoot from long range, there was times Leafield was under real pressure defensively but everyone really did their job. Colette wasn’t too busy which always shows a great defensive performance and you can build out from the back into the middle where everyone works so hard to win the ball, bring it down and look to turn into attack. With the midfield able to pick a pass and in a second you have Jess, Daisy, KP, Leo and Chloe all running at you the counter play is incredible at times. 

But as well as the 11 that start you are only as good as the weakest in your squad and you have to look and look again because there are no weak links. As whenever the bench is needed for anything in the game at anytime they are ready to come on and affect and hold a game. Training and warming up even those that don’t play, still play a huge part in gameday. I’ve mentioned the staff and workers involved with Leafield so many times but they truly are incredible and fantastic people that talk a good game but also back it up as people.

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With 2022 coming to an end it means we have the two final weekends coming up with a trip away to Leek Town on Sunday 11th with a 3pm kick off and then a final game in the County Cup at home to West Brom on the 18th with a 2pm kick off.

Let’s end the year on a high and go out smiling ready to bring in a fantastic 2023. It was Sam Baker’s birthday and she led from the front throughout the game and showed just why she is key and so important to Leafield.