Bootham Ladies were once again on the road, facing a long journey away to City of Peterborough. Chasing a third consecutive victory, the ladies knew they were in for a stern test against a strong, youthful side, one brimming with talent and confidence after smashing 22 goals in their previous home outing.

Following a dramatic last-gasp win against Southampton Aztec, Bootham Ladies arrived full of belief, determined to make history by securing three straight away wins, something the team had never achieved before.

With the ongoing struggle to put a consistent squad on court, Bootham once again rang the changes. With Nikki Brown, Ruby Shaw and Charlotte Broad all missing, Katie and Kim Samson, and Elisabeth Craven all returned to the squad, with Jodie Allen being handed her first appearance.

Squad: Suzy Collins, Kim Samson, Katie Samson (GK) Steph Hughes (GK), Heather Smith, Jodie Allen, Ellie Whittaker (C), Jess Baker, Elisabeth Craven, Erin Elliott and Natasha Eustance.

1st Half

Bootham suffered a nightmare opening, stunned by two Peterborough goals inside the first five minutes. With the game threatening to run away from them, Coach Chris took an early time-out, demanding composure and belief from his shaken side. The response was instant and emphatic. Smith ignited Bootham’s revival, striking twice in rapid succession to drag her team level and silence the early doubts.

Momentum had swung. Bootham began to play with confidence and fluency, moving the ball sharply around the court and probing for openings. The breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Teenager Elliott, showing nerves of steel, unleashed a thunderous long-range effort that rocketed into the top corner, her first senior goal and a moment to savour.

But this contest refused to settle. Peterborough clawed their way back to level terms in a frantic, end-to-end battle. Just when it seemed the half would close evenly, Bootham struck again. From a set piece, Baker stepped up and smashed the ball home from outside the D, giving Bootham a slender but precious 4–3 lead at the interval.

Half Time – City of Peterborough 3 – 4 Bootham

2nd Half

Coach Chris’ message at half-time was clear: stay calm, control the tempo, and trust the process. Bootham created chances through Smith, Elliott and Whittaker, but frustration crept in as opportunities went begging. Peterborough took full advantage, first equalising, then surging ahead on a lightning-fast break. Another blow followed soon after, leaving Bootham two goals adrift with just four minutes remaining. What followed was nothing short of extraordinary.

Eustance dragged Bootham back into contention with a moment of pure brilliance, muscling her way through and smashing the ball home from close range. The crowd barely had time to breathe before Smith took command of the contest. Racing onto a perfectly timed through ball from Samson, she finished clinically inside the post to level the scores.

Then came the decisive moment. Straight from the restart, Eustance stole possession with relentless determination and slid the ball across goal. Smith was there, calm amid the chaos, tapping home from point-blank range to complete the comeback and put Bootham ahead with just 90 seconds left.

The final moments were breathless. Hughes produced a vital save under immense pressure before the drama reached its peak, the Peterborough goalkeeper was shown red for handling outside the D, ending any last hopes of a response. From despair to delirium, Bootham had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a thrilling, unforgettable contest.

Full Time – City of Peterborough 6 – 7 Bootham

Link to the latest NFS Tier 2 league table

Coach Chris spoke to us after the game, he said, ‘I’m incredibly proud of this group after another outstanding comeback performance. The resilience, heart, and belief the players showed throughout the game was simply remarkable.

We couldn’t have started much worse, going 2–0 down early, so I took a very early timeout. To the players’ credit, they responded brilliantly. We began to move the ball far better, found our rhythm, and started to create chances, which allowed us to fight our way back into the game and take a 4–3 lead into halftime.

In the second half, we found ourselves behind again at 6–4 with just four minutes remaining, but this group never knows when they’re beaten. The belief on the bench and on the court never wavered, and the players dug deep to produce another incredible turnaround and come away with the win.

This result is an important one in keeping the pressure on Manchester at the top of the league. We know they are the favourites, so our focus remains on controlling what we can, continuing to win games and being ready to take advantage of any opportunities that arise.

He finished by saying, ‘Winning three games on the road shows the character of this group, especially considering how much the squad has changed over this time. The players now deserve a rest. We’ll take the break, recharge, and come back in January hungry and ready to push hard for the top spot in the league.’

Match Highlights:

Player of the Match — chosen by Coach Chris, was Heather Smith – At the start of the day, there were questions about where the goals were going to come from, but Heather stepped up in style, smashing home four fantastic goals. Her impact didn’t stop there either, she worked her socks off all over the court, putting in some outstanding defensive blocks and relentless effort from start to finish. A top performance from a seriously good player

Images from today’s festive game: