All for Nothing

Hepworth faced Huddersfield Amateur's sooner than they expected in a rearranged league match at Old Earth. Having possibly been off the boil when the home fixture was played a few weeks ago and suffering a 5 nil home defeat Hepworth were looking to get off the mark and claim a big scalp and their first points of the season. it was Hepworth who started the strongest and kept the seasoned first division team at bay for long periods with hardly any threat to their own goal as they controlled the game with ease for long periods. It was no surprise that Hepworth should score the first goal on 22 minutes after a well delivered corner was bundled over the line by Nikki Swift to make it 0-1
Hepworth created many more chances and had several great corners which Huddersfield Amateurs were lucky tom survive but like earlier matches Hepworth were just not clinical enough in front of the goal despite their domination of possession and chances they could only muster the one goal. Some great performances were put in by Merita Prebresova, Larissa Lawson, Steph Teale but the team could just not convert the chances and efforts and did not test the stand in home keeper enough. At the back Alex Sweeney, Abigail Iggleden and Izzy Wakefield and Maya Schofield worked well to shut out any real threats, to take the team into the break a goal, to the good.
Hepworth expected Huddersfield Ams to come out fighting and that they did but Hepworth defended well and tried tom pass the ball about. Huddersfield started to create a few half chances but found Hepworth had a great determined resilience for long periods. However, the home side equalised after a quick break from a Hepworth corner and their pacey striker broke clear as a defender missed the ball. With Hepworth's keeper hesitating to come off her line Huddersfield Amateurs slotted home to make it 1-1. They were however the better team still and saw Teale and Kirton both go close and potentially could have put the game out of reach. The work rate and effort were second to none and as the game looked like it would play out all equal a block tackle some 25 yards out which would usually be of no concern saw the ball fly goal wards and into the top corner in what was a real fluke and gave the home side the lead they did not deserve. Hepworth pushed on looking to get something they deserved from the game and in a real sucker punch saw a player clearly offside race through to punish them making it 3-1 tom the home side. Not what the team deserved or wanted but they couldn't be faulted for their efforts, and they go again next week in search of their first points. The gallery sponsored Player of the Match was Abigail Iggleden who had a commanding performance.