On Saturday 11 April, Bootham Ladies hosted Bloomsbury B in the penultimate round of the National Futsal League Tier 2 campaign. With just two games remaining and three teams vying for top spot, Bootham knew that nothing less than a win would do. With Manchester and Maidenhead set to play later, there was an opportunity to pile pressure on their title rivals, but only if they could take care of business themselves.

Bloomsbury, however, arrived as a dangerous opponent. Their squad, full of young and quick players, were eager to cause an upset and had the energy to trouble any side. Bootham were once again without several key players, as Nikki Brown, Elizabeth Craven and Jess Barnes were all absent. There was a welcome return for captain Ellie Whittaker, and Kim Samson, while teenage Hannah Block made just her second appearance of the season. In goal, Steph Hughes stepped in for the suspended Katie Samson.

The Bootham squad was: Steph Hughes (GK), Ellie Whittaker (C), Jess Baker, Erin Elliott, Heather Smith, Suzy Collins, Natasha Eustance, Kim Samson, Charlotte Broad and Hannah Block.

First Half

Bootham came out firing, knowing only a win would do, and they made their intentions clear from the very first whistle. Broad set the tone early with two clinical finishes, putting the hosts firmly in control and rocking Bloomsbury back on their heels.

But Bloomsbury were not backing down. Hughes produced a string of brilliant saves to keep Bootham ahead, while Broad came agonisingly close to a first-half hat-trick when she struck a delicate chip against the crossbar. The pressure was relentless at both ends.

Then came the twist. Bloomsbury struck twice in quick succession to level the game and suddenly everything was back in the balance. Bootham responded instantly and refused to panic. Whittaker went close, Eustance threatened, and just before the break Elliott produced a moment of pure instinct, smashing a quick-thinking strike from a kick-in that took a deflection and flew into the far corner. Bootham went into half-time in front again.

Half Time – Bootham 3 – 2 Bloomsbury B

Second Half

Bloomsbury pressed high and threw everything forward, but Bootham stood strong. Broad, Elliott, Samson, and Baker threw themselves into every challenge, refusing to let the lead slip. Then came a moment of magic from Broad. She drove through three defenders with incredible power and composure before calmly slotting home to complete a stunning hat-trick.

Even then, Bloomsbury refused to give in. Two more goals brought them level once again and it was pure chaos. But Bootham still had more. Eustance danced past two defenders and set up Smith, who turned sharply and fired an unstoppable strike into the far corner with total confidence. Pure class at the perfect moment. Eustance then added another shortly after to give Bootham breathing room.

Bloomsbury struck again late on, but Bootham held their nerve through a frantic finish to seal a huge hard-fought victory. What a game. What drama. What a performance from Bootham!

Full Time – Bootham 6 – 5 Bloomsbury B

Link to the latest NFS Tier 2 league table

Coach Chris spoke to us after the game, “Wow, that was a real battle. We had to dig deep to come away with the win. At 4–4, it could have gone either way, both sides were creating chances and it felt like the next goal would be crucial. Thankfully, we found those key moments and then showed real character to see the game out.

Huge credit to Bloomsbury. They’re a young side, but they played with quality and confidence, and on another day they could easily have taken the result.

Having not trained or played for three weeks, there was some rustiness, especially out of possession. We struggled at times to track runners and manage rotations, and their game plan caused us problems. Once we adjusted by protecting the middle and doubling up on the pivot, we looked far more secure. We created plenty going forward, and with the number of scrambles in both boxes, there could have been even more goals on another day.

It’s been a long and demanding season, and we had players out there carrying knocks and not fully fit. That makes the result even more pleasing. The attitude, desire and commitment from the entire squad were outstanding. It may not have been our best technical performance, but in terms of character, it was right up there.

We’ve got one game left, and if results go our way over the next couple of weeks, we could be playing for the title in that final fixture. For now, it’s out of our hands, so we’ll enjoy the break, work hard, and look back on what has already been a very successful season.”

Match Highlights

Huge thank you to Bloomsbury for sharing the video files.

Player of the Match — selected by Coach Chris — was Steph Hughes – With Katie unavailable due to suspension, Steph stepped in for us, and what a performance she delivered. I know she was nervous and didn’t want to let the team down, but she was outstanding from start to finish. She made some crucial saves at key moments and handled her distribution brilliantly, never once putting us under pressure. Her attitude, composure and willingness to step up when needed were first class. I’m really impressed with her performance, top job, Steph.

A few images from todays match: