Wednesday 2 July 2025

After a long few days, with blisters forming and fatigue beginning to set in, the girls stepped onto the court for their semi-final clash against a second Bloomsbury side.

Having already faced Bloomsbury once on this tour, the team knew they had a real chance. But they also knew it would take yet another standout performance to overcome such a strong and well-organised opponent.

With the match taking place in yet another unfamiliar venue and temperatures soaring to 35 degrees, the challenge was as much physical as it was tactical.

Could the girls rise to the occasion and book their place in their first ever international final?

First Half

In an evenly contested opening half, Bootham held their own and matched Bloomsbury throughout. They forced their opponents onto the back foot on several occasions and came close to taking the lead when Erin’s long-range effort was well saved by the goalkeeper.

Just before the break, Bloomsbury managed to edge in front with a well-taken goal. Bootham responded strongly and nearly equalised when Eleanor went close twice in quick succession. Heather then unleashed a powerful long-range strike that was again saved impressively.

Right on the stroke of halftime, Lacey had two efforts that narrowly sailed over the bar, keeping Bootham within touching distance at the interval.

Half Time: Bootham 0 – 1 Bloomsbury Purple

Second Half

Bootham knew the next goal would be crucial, but they were caught out twice early in the half by two well-taken Bloomsbury goals. Realising they had to push forward to get back into the game, Bootham began to take more risks, which created space for the opposition to exploit.

Bloomsbury capitalised with two more goals late on, but Bootham’s spirit never faded. Heads never dropped, and the team continued to fight until the final whistle. They nearly grabbed a well-deserved consolation right at the end when Molly went close with a determined effort.

Full Time: Bootham 0 – 5 Bloomsbury Purple

The live feed from the tournament:

And the highlights from the organisers:

Post-Match Reflections

After the final whistle, a very proud Coach Chris shared his thoughts on the team’s performance:

‘After that first game against Bloomsbury, we knew we had to take the game to them. We wanted to try, if we could, to put them on the back foot. I thought in the first half we certainly did that. But, as in previous matches, we just could not find that all-important goal.

We were still very much in the game until they scored two quick goals. At that point, we had to push forward, which left us open to counter-attacks.

I am not disappointed in the team. They have performed well above anything we could have imagined. But I know they will be hurting. It is never easy to lose a semi-final.

Now it is about regrouping. We will dust ourselves down, get a good rest tonight, and come back tomorrow for the final game of the tour. Everyone in the group should be incredibly proud of what this team has achieved.’

Images from day 4 – all curtsy of Suzy Collins: