On Saturday 1 March, Bootham Ladies hosted Warrington in their last game in this season’s National Futsal Cup league stages. Knowing that a win would give them runners up spot in the league and a potential big tie in the knockout round against one of the top tier 1 sides, confidence was high for a good result.

Back into the squad came Suzy Collins and there was a debut for academy graduate Freya Devine. Goalkeeping duties, and a first start went to talented teenager Megan Gration. In the club’s 50th competitive game, Suzy Collins was given the captain’s armband in recognition of scoring the club’s first ever goal.

The starting 5 were Suzy Collins (C), Nikki Brown, Ruby Shaw, Megan Gration (GK) and Kim Samson. On the bench were Jess Baker, Jess Barnes, Heather Smith, Ava Worthy, Freya Devine, Natasha Eustance and Rowan Treagus.

1st Half

Bootham got off to a perfect start when Shaw slammed home Brown’s early corner. In a tightly contested first half, both teams created chances, with Gration—making her first start—pulling off a fine early save.

Following a series of substitutions, a slick team move saw Treagus smash home from Barnes’ short pass. Treagus then doubled her tally after good work from Baker before completing a remarkable hat-trick inside ten minutes.

Straight from the restart, Eustance netted her first and quickly added a second. Treagus grabbed her fourth after another well-worked move, before Smith stunned the opposition by scoring from inside her own half.

Warrington then struck from long range, followed by debutant Devine heading in at the back post for her first Bootham goal. Worthy got on the scoresheet with her first of the afternoon and soon doubled her tally. Warrington added another before Samson hammered home a powerful strike from just outside the D.

Warrington scored their third just before the break, but by halftime, Bootham were in complete control.

Half Time – Bootham 12 – 3 Warrington

2nd Half

Bootham started the second half just as they had the first, with Shaw striking from long range. Smith then added her second after a smart pass from Devine, before Baker finally got on the scoresheet following a sublime ball from Barnes.

Warrington struck twice in quick succession before Worthy completed her hat-trick. Warrington added another, but the final six minutes were simply extraordinary, with Bootham netting an incredible 11 goals.

Eustance kicked off the late goal rush with a finish from out wide, followed by Treagus adding another after a brilliant solo run. She then secured her sixth of the match after excellent work from Samson. Brown got her deserved first of the afternoon after a determined team effort, while Eustance capitalised on a smart interception to claim her fifth.

The goal of the game came in the dying moments, as Bootham swept from one end of the court to the other in a slick passing move, ending with Treagus finishing at the back post. Brown then grabbed her second before Eustance netted her sixth, moments after scoring her fifth.

With seconds remaining, Shaw struck twice to cap off a remarkable performance, leaving Bootham in dreamland. What a way to celebrate your 50th competitive game!

Full Time – Bootham 27 – 6 Warrington

Update of the cup table:

A delighted Coach Chris shared his thoughts after the match:

“I’m not quite sure what to say about that game—but it’s been coming. Over the last few months, we’ve played some brilliant futsal, dominating large parts of matches, but struggled to find the back of the net. Today, we certainly changed that statistic!”

“What impressed me most was our relentless intensity. From the first whistle to the last, we never took our foot off the gas. We moved the ball well, played with pace, and took our chances. Many of our goals were classic futsal goals—something the players should be really proud of.”

“I’m especially pleased for Freya, scoring on her debut—and with a header! She joined the club eight years ago on our very first day, and she has had to be incredibly patient for her opportunity.”

“It’s great to have a day like this, but we now turn our focus to Leicester next Saturday, a very strong team. We need to prove that today wasn’t just a one-off. Consistency is key—if we play with the same pace and aggression, the result should take care of itself.”

“Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who came out to support us on our 50th match—it was by far our biggest crowd of the season. Your support means everything to the players, and I’m so glad they were able to put on a real show for you.”

Match sponsors Jet Medical Flights named Ruby Shaw as Player of the Match after a stellar performance. She was back to her brilliant best, making a significant impact across all areas of the court. Recently challenged to be more direct in her forward play—taking more risks by breaking defensive lines with her passing and dribbling—she rose to the occasion and delivered an outstanding display.

A few images from today: