In a discussion with Sarah at training this week, I put it it her after watching some of the shooting drills the girls were doing that everyone of them was capable of scoring a goal if a chance came their way. What prophetic words that turned out to be.

The Belles went into the opening game of the season with two new additions to the squad, Olivia (Livi)Robinson and Robyn Wilfort. It was Livi who had the first chance of the match, but her shot was well saved by the Harpenden keeper. The Harpenden keeper was soon in action again when Jade McEntaggart set up a chance for Lauren Bruton. Harpenden then came into the game, but Kelly Moss and Stephanie White defended well when called upon.

The Belles went 1-0 in front after fifteen minutes. A corner by Kelly Moss was cleared to the edge of the penalty area, where the ball was met by Jasmine Hall who struck the ball first time into the top left hand corner of the net. Three minutes later it was 2-0. Livi Robinson started and finished the move.She played the ball out wide to Jasmine Hall, she then crossed the ball, which was flicked on by Lauren Bruton, and Livi who continued her run finished things off with a close range shot. Robyn Wilfort then almost marked her debut with a goal, but her shot was tipped around the post by the Harpenden keeper. The resulting corner by Kelly Moss appeared to go "straight" into the net to make the half time score 3-0.

Robyn was not be denied her debut goal. Two minutes into the second half she converted Stephanie White`s cross from the right to make the score 4-0. Straight from the kick off Harpenden went on to the attack. A long throw was not dealt with by The Belles defence, and the ball broke to a Harpenden player. A goal seemed certain as she struck a low shot, but Sian Hall pulled of a brilliant save diving to her right. It was soon 5-0. Stephanie White scoring with a low shot through a crowded penalty area. With three minutes left a long range effort by Jade McEntaggart found the top corner to make the score 6-0. In the final minute Lauren Bruton added a seventh.

Seven goals and seven different goalscorers. As we said, everybody in this team is capable of scoring a goal but nobody could have predicted this.

Player Of The Game

Jade McEntaggart. Tireless work and a cracking goal

For the second week running The Belles hit seven. They got off to the best possible start with a goal inside the first two minutes. Livi Robinson started the move with a ball out wide to Jasmine Hall. Her cross found Lauren Bruton who got to the ball before the keeper, and she flicked the ball into the net. The Londoners then defended stoutly and managed to shut down The Belles without posing any real threat going forward. It took until just before half time for The Belles to score again. Again it was Lauren Bruton who scored. She turned her marker before running on and placing the ball into the bottom corner.

The second half turned into the Yasmin Hicking and Robyn Wilfort show. She has had her critics of late, but she answered them in spectacular style. Five minutes into the second half a fine passing move ended with Robyn Wilfort committing the keeper before rolling the ball across the goal for Yasmin Hickling the blast the ball into the empty net to make the score 3-0. Within three minutes Robyn and Yasmin combined again. This time it was a pass down the middle by Robyn for Yasmin to run on to. She hit her shot into the top corner to make the score 4-0 Straight from the restart the Spurs defence got themselves into trouble and Yasmin darted in, stole the ball before placing a low shot into the bottom corner for number five, and completing a hat-trick inside five minutes. There was more to come. Soon it was 6-0 with Yasmin scoring yet again. The best was left to last. The seventh and final goal was the result of some good passing and movement which ended with Robyn yet again finding Yasmin with another cross, which Yasmin finished off

Player Of The Game

Yasmin Hickling. Five goals, a perfect way to answer her critics

After two comfortable victories this game was anything but comfortable, but it showed that this team is never beaten. Finding themselves 2-0 down to a couple of rather bizarre own goals The Belles fought back to win 4-2. Both of the own goals came following long throw ins from the left. The first one was headed into her own net by Kelly Moss and the second one appeared to go in off keeper Sian Hall. Who would be a goalkeeper, as minutes earlier Sian had pulled off a magnificent save to deny Stevenage a second goal as they piled on the pressure. Just as it looked as though The Belles would go into the interval 2-0 down they won a corner. Just as what happened against Harpenden, Kelly Moss`s corner appeared to go straight into the net. They may have been second best in the first half, but The Belles looked fired up in the early minutes of the second half, both Lauren Bruton and Robyn Wilfort were both denied by good saves by the Stevenage keeper. Ten minutes into the second half The Belles equalized. The lively Robyn Wilfort cut in from the left and her goalbound shot was deflected past the keeper by a defender. It was all Luton now, and the keeper pulled off yet another good save, this time to deny Livi Robinson. With just under four minutes left The Belles got their just rewards when Livi Robinson scored with a shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area. That goal looked to have sealed the points, but The Belles were not finished yet. In the final minute a long high ball into the penalty area from Stephanie White was dropped by the keeper, and Yasmin Hickling blasted the rebound into the roof of the net from six yards. One could only feel sorry for the keeper, who had done much to keep her side in the match during the second half onslaught by The Belles

Player Of The Game

Livi Robinson. Influential midfield display

Saturday September 28th 2002

Luton Town Belles 1 - Enfield 0

Saturday October 12th 2002

Luton Town Belles 7 - Q.P.R. 0

The rain failed to dampen either the spirit or the flair of the Belles as
they played some of the finest football seen at Stockwood Park and
comparison with their 1997/8 couterparts is inevitable. (See the end of this report)

QPR were obviously a useful side but Luton refused to let them settle on the
ball at all and the passing and general movement of the whole team
throughout was a real example of how football should be played. It took just
two minutes to gain the lead when a Stephanie White throw was knocked on by
Livi Robinson into the path of Jasmine Hall who showed great determination
in squeezing the ball under the keeper. The QPR keeper continued to deny the
Belles with a string of blocks and saves but she could do nothing when
Lauren Bruton and Robyn Wilfort combined well down the left and Robyn`s
cross was finished off by Lauren to make it 2-0 at half time.

The second half brought a team reorganisation but to great effect as Yasmin
Hickling and Robyn Wilfort twice combined well in as many minutes. On both
occasions Robyn drifted in unmarked at the far post to score from close
range. Jade McEntaggart also proved her versatility with her powerful
running down both flanks. Georgia Day returned from injury to partner Kelly
Moss at the back and such was their dominance that Sian Hall had just one
save to make in the match which she saved well with her legs to maintain
Town`s four goal cushion. Lauren Bruton looked very lively up front
returning from last weeks spell between the sticks and completed her hat
trick with two more trademark goals. The scoring was completed by Livi
Robinson who struck a powerful shot into the net from outside the area.

People often like to make comparisons with the present versus the past. It is of coarse difficult. But one thing is for sure, if we could turn back the clock and bring the team of 1997/98 back to the age they were then and put them up against this current under 11 squad it would be one heck of a good game. Who would win? Well I think.............................................dunno

Player Of The Game

Robyn Wilfort