Saturday saw Bootham ladies make their lowest away trip of the year, when they faced Dorset Women in Bristol. After an emphatic win in the previous meetings, confidence high after a thrilling win away to Bloomsbury. If results went their way Bootham could finish the day on top of the league table!

Once again Coach Chris rotated his squad, missing was Natasha Eustance, Charlotte Broad and Jodie Allan, but back into the squad came inspirational Nikki Brown and back in the squad after a long absence came Kim Samson.

Bootham were represented by: Jess Baker, Ellie Whittaker (C), Erin Elliott, Nikki Brown, Suzy Collins, Heather Smith, Jess Barnes, Kim Samson and Katie Samson (GK).

1st Half

Bootham started sluggishly after nearly four hours in the car on the journey south. Their passing and movement were below their usual standards, and chances were hard to come by early on. Although they controlled the tempo of the game, they were unable to find a way past the Dorset goalkeeper. Elliott came closest when she smashed a shot against the crossbar, before Smith fired wide from close range.

The goals finally arrived when Elliott struck twice in the space of 30 seconds. She completed her first-half hat-trick after Barnes drove forward from her own half and squared the ball for a simple finish. Whittaker added the visitors’ fourth, calmly rolling the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs. Late chances fell to Elliott, Smith and Whittaker, but Bootham went into the break comfortably in the lead.

Half Time – Dorset 0 – 4 Bootham

2nd Half

Bootham made the perfect start to the second half when Smith dispossessed a Dorset defender and finished confidently from close range. Baker then struck the foot of the post with a powerful long-range effort before Dorset pulled a goal back. Smith soon restored Bootham’s momentum, grabbing her second with another impressive solo effort, although Dorset responded again with their second of the game.

By this point, Bootham had found their rhythm and the goals began to flow. Smith completed her second-half hat-trick, before Brown added an eighth. Elliott then claimed her fourth of the afternoon and was denied a fifth by an excellent save. Baker’s persistence was finally rewarded when she smashed a long-range strike into the top corner. Elliott eventually secured her fifth following good work from Baker, who then added her own second after a slick one-touch move. Smith rounded off her performance with her fourth goal of the day, while Dorset grabbed a late consolation to bring an entertaining contest to a close.

Full Time – Dorset 3 – 13 Bootham

Link to the latest NFS Tier 2 league table

After the game, Coach Chris reflected on his team’s performance: “That was a superb performance, especially considering the distance we travelled to play the game. The first five minutes were a bit sluggish, but once Erin opened the scoring, we never really stopped. We created so many chances in the first half that I thought it might be one of those days, but in the second half the scoreline truly reflected how much we dominated the game.”

Speaking about teenage sensation Erin, he added: “This is becoming a regular feature in our match reports. She looks like she’s been part of this squad for years, not just a few months, and today she simply couldn’t miss. We have to work hard to keep her grounded and help her continue improving, but she is a real talent and fully deserves the praise she’s receiving. She’s very level-headed, doesn’t seek attention, works incredibly hard, and lets her performances do the talking on the court.”

When asked about captain Ellie, Chris said: “That was a proper captain’s performance today. She dominated the pivot position and almost every goal came through or from her. She understands the game better than anyone on the court, and when she’s playing like that, she’s unplayable.”

He concluded by praising the squad’s commitment: “The fact we took nine players on what was a 500-mile round trip shows what an incredible team we have. The commitment to the club is beyond reproach. It’s nice to go top of the league, even if only temporarily. It keeps the pressure on the teams around us and means they now have to make these long journeys too — that’s all we can do at this stage of the season. Another very long trip awaits next week, so we’ll rest, enjoy the success, and go again.”

Match Highlights:

Player One of the Match — chosen by Coach Chris — was Erin Elliott – She scored five goals, picked up a yellow card, and covered every inch of the court both in and out of possession. Another standout performance from the young star, who was undoubtedly a star for the future.

Player Two of the Match — also selected by Coach Chris — was Ellie Whittaker – A dominant performance from the captain, who caused constant problems for the opposition and created countless chances for the squad, while also finishing with a well-taken goal. She remains such an important part of both the club and this team — a top performance from a top player.

A few images from the start of the game: