Old Silhillians 5 - 0 Berkswell & Balsall Common

Old Silhillians 5 (2) - (0) 0 Berkswell & Balsall Common

Goalscorers: Maria O'Malley, Lorna Brooks-Scott, Imogen Pemble, Grace Evans, Amy Garside

Sils went into this side off the back of a strong run of recent goalscoring form, keen to improve their goal difference, in case this will play a vital part to the promotion battle, with only a few games to go.

The game was almost one way traffic, though with Berkswell breaking occasionally in the first half, meaning Jasmin Jenkinson had to be at her best to keep a clean sheet. Maria O'Malley was a constant threat, with the free running younger players around her being supported by the experience and strong positioning of Tricia Roe and Grace Evans, and the play making of Laura Porter.

As it was, the home side only scored two goals that were allowed in the first half, though had many others not allowed! O'Malley had a stroke disallowed for not having started within playing distance of the ball, Laura Porter had a fierce strike from the top of the D challenged (and ultimately overturned) by the visiting team with the ball seemingly not being struck inside the circle, and Donna McGettigan also having a goal disallowed for it being struck dangerously through a crowd of players. The goals came from Maria O'Malley and Lorna Brooks-Scott, both turning home from close range after good initial build up down the right.

Even though the home side were hoping to have scored more goals, everything was going pretty smoothly until seconds before half time when O'Malley took a ball to the cheek and had to leave the game. This visibly shook everyone on both teams, but thankfully O'Malley was well looked after and then able to watch the second half. Sadly, this did also mean that she then witnessed Laura Porter taking a ball to the head as well. Again, Porter was ok, if not somewhat shaken up, and with a very sore head! However, with Sils having lost two of their most influential players, they could have buckled - but ultimately, the visiting team appeared more affected by having accidentally injured the two Sils players, and the Copt Heath side was able to step up and really take the game to the opposition. Driven forward by McGettigan and Roe, and with Lucy Windeatt and Tricia Newman providing encouragement from the back (and a brief stint up front for Newman!), the youngsters in the Sils side really started showing what they could do.

Imogen Pemble, stepped into the centre of midfield, and started driving the team forward - scoring her first senior goal with a fine shot to the far post after an impressive run at the heart of the visitor's defence. Shortly after Pemble and Lily Jarvis combined to get the ball to Grace Evans who scored from close range, and the scoring was completed when another Sils youngster, Amy Garside, also got on the end of an attacking Penalty Corner move to add to her growing tally for the season.

A great win, with 23 goals scored, and only one conceded, in the last 5 games for the L2. Next week sees what could well be a much tougher challenge as the side travel to Hampton looking to keep their promotion push going.