U12 Girls make League Cup Final!

Cup Finalists - PTGFC U12 Girls

PTGFC U12 Girls 0 aet 0 Bourne End U12 Girls

PTGFC win 2-1 on Penalties

John Terry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Baggio, David Trezeguet, Chris Waddle, Stuart Pearce, even David Batty….were you watching, Aimee Buchorski and Megan Stokes powered in two well struck penalties, which combined with heroics from keeper Emma Runevad saw Penn & Tylers Green u12 Girls win a tense Bucks Girls Football League Cup Semi-Final against Bourne End 2-1 after sudden death penalties. The girls’ reward is a trip to Stadium MK (home of the MK Dons!) for the final against Chesham United on 1st May.

The two teams played out a closely fought league fixture the previous weekend that Penn won with a last minute winner from Lisa Gascoyne and the semi final was equally closely fought and nervous. The first half was extremely competitive with few clear cut chances at either end as both teams struggled to find the space to break each other down on a smallish pitch at Chalfont. Penn started a little tentatively but Mills Hayes and Niamh Potts held firm in defence restricting Bourne End to few clear cut chances. Penn started the second half far more brightly with midfielders Lara Morton and Rhiannon Lawson snapping into tackles and denying the opposition any time on the ball. The Penn attack of Caitlyn Haselgrove and Megan started to see more of the ball and the re-introduction of Kate Lees and Lisa added further impetus to Penn’s attack. The Bourne End keeper made a great save to push a shot from Lisa over the bar and Caitlyn then hit the post from an acute angle. Bourne End still threatened on occasion and Emma, Aimee, Mills and Niamh needed to remain alert at the back but Penn were again unlucky when a very brave save from the Bourne End goalkeeper rebounded off Caitlyn and fell agonizingly just wide of the post. As the game edged towards extra time the encouragement from spectators of both teams became increasingly anxious. The deadlock could not be broken and at the whistle for full time all the girls had given their all.

The ten minutes of extra time passed in a flash with Bourne End coming close when an effort almost crept in between Emma and the near post but Penn continued to press with a couple of shots going narrowly wide.

The penalty shoot out was almost unbearable as Aimee’s penalty put Penn in a position to win only for the Bourne End keeper to make yet another good save. Bourne End then held their nerve to score their third penalty and send the shoot out into sudden death. Defeat beckoned for Penn after another good save but Emma responded to deny Bourne End victory. As tensions rose, Lara and Rhiannon were seen watching through their fingers as Megan strode forward to take Penn’s fifth kick. In a remarkable display of confidence she initially placed the ball outside the penalty area before drilling the penalty hard into the bottom left corner with a sweetly struck shot to wild cheers from her team mates. The pressure was now well and truly on Bourne End but to their credit the final penalty was well struck requiring all Emma’s strength and dexterity to keep it out. Some of the girls had attended the Ladies League Cup Final on Thursday, which was won on penalties by Barnet after a similar 0-0 score AET, and despite indications that it was a team building outing they obviously had been watching as their celebration followed Barnet’s technique!

It was a real shame that after such a hard fought, committed and spirited contest that there had to be a loser. Thank you to Nick and his team for a great game and to all our girls for a fantastic effort.

Report by Dave Lawson