On Saturday 11 October, Bootham Ladies once again travelled over the Pennines to take on one of their toughest challenges of the season against top side Bolton Ladies. After a difficult away fixture at Birmingham WLV the previous week, Bootham went into the game determined to be organised, disciplined, and hard to beat.

With Jess Barnes and Allegra Sellschop-Evans absent, goalkeeper Katie Samson and Suzy Collins returned to the squad.

Squad: Nikki Brown, Jess Baker, Charlotte Broad, Suzy Collins, Katie Samson (GK), Heather Smith, Ellie Whittaker (C), Ruby Shaw, and Natasha Eustance.

1st Half

The game began evenly, with few chances for either side in the opening minutes. After just five minutes, Bolton took the lead, but Eustance soon had a good opportunity to bring Bootham level, only to be denied by the goalkeeper. The visitors defended well, staying organised and keeping Bolton at arm’s length for much of the half.

However, the match turned after a Bolton timeout, as the home side suddenly found their stride and scored five goals without reply. Bootham struggled to regain their composure as Bolton pressed relentlessly. As half-time approached, the hosts added two more to take complete control of the game.

Half Time – Bolton 8 – 0 Bootham

2nd Half

Bootham came out for the second half with renewed energy and purpose, immediately putting Bolton under pressure. Their efforts paid off within five minutes when a brilliant team move, involving several crisp passes across the court, ended with Brown sliding in at the back post to score Bootham’s first goal. The visitors’ confidence grew, and almost straight from the restart, Brown struck again, this time finishing neatly after excellent work from Broad.

With two quick goals, Bootham were suddenly full of belief and pushed forward in search of more. Their attacking play looked sharp and inventive, forcing the Bolton defence to work hard to stay organised. However, as Bootham committed more players forward, they left themselves vulnerable at the back. Bolton were quick to exploit the space, breaking away with pace and precision to restore their advantage and add to their tally.

Full Time – Bolton 13 – 2 Bootham

A satisfied Coach Chris spoke to us after the game and said, ‘I think in the first half we gave them far too much respect. We stood off them and let them play, and they really punished us for it. At half-time, we spoke about getting into their faces and being much more physical. I challenged the players to trust each other and move the ball quickly. I was proud of the way they responded and of the quality futsal goals we scored.

‘Bolton have some very good players, and this is the level we need to reach if we’re going to challenge in Tier 1. That said, there were moments in the game when we managed to impose our style of play and caused them problems, and for that I’m proud of the team. It’s not often I tell my players I’m disappointed, but in the first half, it really wasn’t the standard I know they can produce. They responded brilliantly, and the scoreline could have looked very different if we’d started like that.

‘That brings this mini-league to an end, and unfortunately, we’ve missed the chance to qualify for Tier 1 in the second half of the season. With all the injuries and absentees we’ve faced, I think it’s a fair reflection of where the team currently is. I’m excited to bring some of the younger players into the squad as we move forward. The players are determined to give everything and seriously challenge for that Tier 2 title.‘

Bootham Goals:

Player of the Match — chosen by Coach Chris and Captain Ellie — was Katie Samson. She made a number of fantastic saves and did her utmost to keep the score respectable. Katie wasn’t to blame for any of the goals conceded and gave a determined, composed performance throughout.

A few images from the game: