On Saturday 22 February Bootham Ladies hosted current league leaders Manchester Womens Futsal Club. After a resounding win last week against Warrington, a win away at Manchester in the cup, and with a near full strength side, confidence was high that they could inflict a first league defeat of the season to their visitors.

Back into the squad came Heather Smith, Ava Worthy and Ruby Shaw after being away on England U19 duty. They were also joined in the match day squad by Rowan Treagus and Katie Samson, who returned in goal after the late withdrawal of Allegra Sellchop-Evans.

The starting 5 were Jess Barnes, Nikki Brown, Ruby Shaw, Katie Samson (GK) and Jess Baker. On the bench were Ellie Whittaker (C), Heather Smith, Ava Worthy, Natasha Eustance and Rowan Treagus.

1st Half

Bootham started brightly, with Shaw testing the Manchester keeper from distance. Their early pressure paid off when Brown’s excellent work set up Shaw for a simple tap-in at the far post. However, Manchester responded quickly with an equalizer before Bootham regained the lead—Eustance making an immediate impact by finishing a long ball from Barnes with her first touch.

Bootham had chances to extend their advantage, most notably when Barnes’ good play set up Baker, who failed to make contact with her shot. Soon after, Manchester capitalised on Bootham’s missed opportunities to level the score once more. Bootham continued to push forward, with Barnes firing a shot just wide and Whittaker seeing her long-range effort cannon off the underside of the bar. Smith then had two golden chances in quick succession but couldn’t find the net.

Manchester made Bootham pay for their missed opportunities, taking the lead before adding two more goals to head into the break with a commanding advantage.

Half Time – Bootham 2 – 5 Manchester

2nd Half

Bootham got off to the perfect start with a brilliantly worked move involving Baker, Shaw, and Eustance, ending with Treagus smashing home from close range. However, individual errors proved costly as Bootham gifted Manchester two goals.

Despite the setbacks, Bootham pressed forward, but luck wasn’t on their side—rebounds failed to fall their way, and Manchester’s defense stood firm. Treagus and Shaw both went close before Brown struck twice late on to bring Bootham back into the game. She nearly completed her hat-trick, only to see her long-range effort crash against the foot of the post.

Manchester responded with another goal before Worthy unleashed a stunning strike from distance. But the visitors had the final say, scoring in the dying moments to seal the result.

Full Time – Bootham 6 – 10 Manchester

Coach Chris summed up the match as a reflection of the season, acknowledging both the team’s quality and missed opportunities.

“That game pretty much sums up our season. We played some fantastic futsal in large parts, but at crucial moments, we didn’t take our chances. We were confident in possession, playing out from Manchester’s high press with confidence, but in the final phase, we didn’t test their keeper enough.”

Despite the result, he remained optimistic about the team’s progress:

“I can’t be angry with how we played. Our improvement this season has been huge—our ball retention, composure under pressure, and movement on the court have all developed significantly. Maybe I’ve been asking too much of the players, telling them to get as close to goal as possible before shooting. That’s something I might need to rethink.”

He also praised the opposition’s clinical finishing:

“Credit to Manchester—they’re a strong side and took their chances when it mattered. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get close enough to apply real pressure when the game was in the balance.”

Looking ahead, Coach Chris highlighted the club’s journey and the significance of their upcoming milestone:

“Next week marks our 50th competitive game as a club, and that’s something to be proud of. It really shows how far we’ve come since that first match and proves we’re moving in the right direction.”

Match sponsors, the Shaw Family, named Natasha Eustance as Player of the Match. Her impact was immediate—bringing energy, bravery in possession, and causing problems for the Manchester defense throughout the game. A top performance from a top player.

A special mention also goes to teenager Heather Smith, who delivered one of her best performances in a Bootham shirt, showing great composure and determination.

A few images from today: