Following the win against Nottingham last week, it left us all on a massive high. We all turned up to training with an enormous drive that had been vacant for the majority of the season. You could feel the determination and the actual belief that we could go into this game verses Loughborough and not only win, but keep our rightful place in this league.

With a motivating team chat from both Rossco and Captain Sarah Bell, we all stepped onto the pitch only allowing us to come off with a win, a safe place in the league and to watch our varsity rivals be relegated rather than ourselves.

The first 15 minutes, they came with aggression and pace. It was an eye opener that this wasn’t going to be an easy game. However, we gave back what we were given. And we drove at them hard, Emma Thornbury charging down their defensive line with pace, it became a 2 v 1 with the goalie, a slip to Helen Goacher who led their goalie one way, a pass back to Emma and our first goal was placed bottom left. Leeds Met 1, Loughborough 0.

From this goal, we dominated the game, with outstanding defending coming from Joanna Taylor and Jen Wilson, whom also drove up the left side beautifully, taking on and defeating many players, with the outcome of short corners at the end.

Unfortunately a short corner was given against us, and even though Joanna Taylor made the most impeccable pick on the left post, it was followed through quickly for the equalizer. Leeds Met 1, Loughborough 1.

We didn’t let this break our concentration and we continued to attack, putting Loughborough under a lot of pressure. With Abbie Barrett and Sarah Bell playing centrally they were able to feed strong balls to our forwards, giving us the chances we needed to create another goal.

With 15 minutes to go, we’ve created another attack from Jo Ellis playing ball top right of the D, an awesome pick from Sarah Thorpe, who controls the ball mid-air beautifully, who then lays it off to Emma Thornbury, who throws herself at the ball scoring top left leaving herself lying on the floor that has only been described as ‘an upside down sheep’. Leeds Met 2, Loughborough 1.
Recognizing there was only 12 minutes to go, Jo Ellis kept the ball under control, to ensure that no more goals could be scored. Finally, the last whistle goes, and all the girls run into one massive celebration, realizing that once again we get to hold our place rightfully in Premier League.

Man of the Match – Jen Wilson
Dick of the Day – Sophie Atkinson