Fresh off the plane and with 11 inter insular debutants, the first 10minutes saw the Guernsey girls settling their nerves and finding their feet. Play stretched the length of the pitch, with chances for both teams. Gracie Guille dominated play in the middle, linking up with Amity Horton and Marcie Elliott nicely to provide Guernsey with some early chances. The Guernsey defensive line, of Poppy Curtis, Izzy Grayland, Sophia Bailey and Flora Callewaert, denied Jersey all efforts, with Bailey and Curtis charging out at short corners and making several key interceptions. Jersey were the first to be rewarded when an initial save made by Guernsey keeper, Amelia Fooks, rebounded towards a Jersey attacker before being hit into the bottom corner of the goal. Sparking debate, as it appeared the ball may have been played from outside the D, the goal stood, and Guernsey found themselves 1-0 down. A short time later Jersey’s second goal came, with a nice piece of individual skill beating a couple of the Guernsey defence before being calmly slotted past Fooks on the nearpost.

At halftime, Jersey led 2-0. With a newfound confidence and goal hungry after the break, much of the first 10minutes were spent in Guernsey’s attacking half. Eva Mollet’s trademark right wing run became dominant and provided shooting opportunities for Freya Ingrouille and Lily McNay. Chances that were swiftly shut down by the Jersey keeper. Three Guernsey short-corners followed, with routines seeing Elliott and Guille striking the ball towards goal.
Guernsey’s attacking pressure was rewarded when Mollet and McNay charged down a Jersey player and gained possession of the ball. With McNay sending the ball across the D- to a fast-approaching Horton- who scored Guernsey’s first goal. Immediately afterwards, Jersey caught the Guernsey team on the break. With a free hit just outside of the D awarded and a defensive scramble; Jersey managed to squeeze another goal in, restoring their 2-goal lead at 3-1.

Determined to get one back, Guernsey’s attacking players made several good chances for themselves. With Evie Banks, making perfectly positioned runs into the D upfront, and Guille, Grayland, Horton, Elliot and Ingrouille linking up nicely across the middle. With sustained Guernsey pressure, Elliott carried the ball up the pitch- before calmly slotting it to Guille on the right-hand side. Guille passed the ball across the D for a deflection from Banks- which the keeper denied. McNay followed up the rebound, to make it 3-2.

The last 10minutes of the game were end to end. With Lily Ward, Jeannie Little, Grayland and Bailey making key tackles at the back and the Guernsey midfielders and attackers passing nicely up the pitch. Curtis and Bailey continued to chase down Jersey short corners, denying them any further goals. Despite several strong attacks in the closing stages, Guernsey couldn’t find the equalizer, with the game ending 3-2 in Jersey’s favour. Gracie Guille was awarded player of the match for her strength and composure in the middle of the pitch throughout the game.

Match Report by Teya Sheppard, U14G Lead Coach