It was cold. Like really cold, with that rain that gets you wet falling constantly
Full credit goes to the crowd and especially the 50 or so travelling Tigress fans who were a presence throughout the game. They could be heard and heard again even before Hope Knight levelled the score mid-way through the second half – a 12th player indeed
City looked like a side that hadn’t won in a while, that was carrying some bruises from recent weeks and were desperate to start well. And when that happens, the inevitable mistake strikes. In the swirling wind a top a Bradford hill, a long ball in to the box was missed by Wattam in the goal leaving Halifax’s Meg Shaw a free net to stroke home in to after just 4 minutes
As a spectator, the referee killed any opportunity for an exciting game in the first half. Struggling to get a grip on heavy challenges, and then over compensating by blowing for nothing each and every way. It contributed – that throughout the first half neither side then created much that tested the keepers. Halifax threatened well from a couple of set pieces, City had a few good attacks that broke down as the ball entered the box. The best of these, a flowing move where Knight found the underlapping Haywood who squared to Ackroyd – her effort skewing (a word?) wide of the goal
HT 0-1
Second half started as the first had ended. Neither side really able to open the other up, reliant on set pieces to get a sniff. City did however have more of it, Registering 5 attacking set plays in the opening 10 minutes of the half. Knight had the only reasonable effort in open play. Recieving a pass in the channel, she flashed a shot into the side netting of the Home Keepers goal. The screw started to turn
Maiya Akrill (or to use her full name, Sixteen-year old Maya Akrill) came on and was an instant threat. Youthful energy, unburdened by nerves or fear. She became a menace to the Halifax back line, applying pressure whenever she could. Instantly winning a freekick
Kirstie Hunt delivered a delicious ball, one that lit up Ellie Tanser’s eyes. Her header rebounded off the far post, as Jess Tugby-Andrew followed it up she was felled – a penalty that Knight calmly dispatched to level things
Wishing 3 minutes, City were ahead. A corner from the left, flicked towards goal by the skipper before Sophie Haywood swung home from inside the 6 yard box
Knight could have made it three. A lighting City break from a Halifax corner, one end to the other in 9 seconds, as the forward raced through she failed to find the space beside Crosbie who stayed big
The resultant corner was swung in. Another BIG Tanser header, cleared off the the line before Hamill prodded it in at the back post
Akrill then added the cherry. The only goal in the game to come from open play, and it was a slicing move through the centre of a Halifax side pushing to get back in. Akrill-Haywood link up and a calm finish, low to the keepers left.
Job done. I’m getting in the hat to try warm up
FT 4-1