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Under 13 Match Report Sunday November 28th 2004 Queens Park Rangers 3 - Luton Town Belles 3 Luton Belles suffered a double set-back before the game losing both in-form keeper Sian Hall and combatative right-back Alice O'Shea due to injury and illness respectively. Chloe Barnes stepped in between the sticks and Jade Mansfield came into defence. QPR were soon on top as the Belles looked hesitant at the back and unable to get hold of the ball in midfield. The match was minutes old when a ball through the heart of the defence caught Luton standing and the unmarked striker gave Chloe no chance with a cool finish from inside the box. 0-1. However, Luton did respond when Jasmine Hall played a ball across to Yasmin Hickling, who slid a ball into Lauren's path, she took it in her stride and around the keeper, but a great last-ditch tackle prevented the equaliser. Then Jade McEntaggart breaking forward played a lovely ball inside the full-back into Jasmine who sent in a deep cross that just evaded Yasmin at the back post. Yas manged to keep the ball in play and passed back to Robyn Wilfort who swept in a cross that was blocked deep inside the box with Lauren challenging for the ball. Rangers then raised their game and forced a succession of corners. Luton watched as a corner swung in and struck a post. Then a slightly deeper corner was whipped in and almost went straight in but for Kirsty McIntosh to heroically clear off the line. Lauren then took on some defenders down the left and fed Yasmin, who turned and shot but the ball was wide. Lauren continued to trouble Rangers back-line and won a corner. Kelly Moss worked it short with Livi Robinson, advamced towards the box and chipped the ball into Lauren at the near post but her header was over the bar. Finally, Yasmin received a ball just inside Rangers half and hooked it first-time over the defence, where Lauren raced in just in front of the keeper and lobbed the ball over her and inches inside the far post for the equaliser. 1-1. QPR again began to get the better of things for a while without creating any clear-cut chances. The final action of the half saw a superb diagonal pass from Yasmin through to Jasmine, who cut inside and fed Lauren in the box. Her shot was blocked and she struck the rebound first-time but just wide.
Half-time
Robyn Britten came into the right-back slot and Danielle Carty was introduced left-midfield. Both sides battled for dominance after the break and Lauren Bilston did some sterling work to cover some threatening through balls from the home side. Luton gradually began to take control as they closed down the oppsotion more quickly and started to get into their rhythm going forward. Livi Robinson was seeing more of the ball and started to pull the strings form midfield. It was no surprise when Livi went on a forceful run in the middle of the park before releasing Lauren down the right. With Lauren's path blocked, she back-heeled to Jasmine, who swept in a cross first-time, where Yasmin won a tussle with the last defender and then toe-poked the ball low past the helpless keeper from six yards out to put the Belles ahead. 2-1. Despite the Belles greatly improving their game in the second half they were given a warning when Chloe had to make a smart save to deny Rangers a goal. But then a controversial refereeing decision allowed Rangers a route back into the game. Robyn Britten tackled a defender in the box and as the ball ran loose, Chloe gathered on the line to prevent a corner. The referee gave a free-kick yards from goal and with Luton still trying to arrange their wall the kick was taken and defelcted into the corner for the equaliser. 2-2. The Belles appeared to be in shock, as within minutes, QPR, buoyed by their goal, had swept in a diagonal shot from outside the area and into the bottom corner. 2-3. The Belles, roared on by their Captain, Kelly Moss now swept forward with even greater urgency and determination. Lauren again battled gamely down the right and the loose ball broke to Livi over 20 yards out, who immediately toe-poked the ball firmly through a possee of players and into the net for a deserved leveller. 3-3. The Belles threw caution to the wind as they went in a search of a winner. Jasmine went on a long mazy run from just outside her own penalty box up towards half-way before releasing Yasmin down the left. Yasmin surged past the full-back and put in a deep cross which the goalkeeper just manged to cling onto with Lauren a whisker away. Then another fine run from Jasmine who chipped a ball through to Lauren who squared the ball to the far post, where Danielle Carty came racing in with the goal gaping, but a defender just manager to divert the shot wide for a corner. Despite all Luton's efforts they could not get that killer goal as QPR held on bravely for a point.
A valiant effort by the Belles despite a nervous start and deserved more from their excellent second-half team performance against an improving Rangers side.
Players of the Match: The whole team |