Three fallow weeks after their last-ever home game at Bushy Park, Teddington Athletic's U13 Girls began the four-game travelling itinerary that will complete and define their season. Trips to champions Wimbledon, distant Hampshire and a cup final remain were preceded by a return to Croydon, where the girls were so controversially held to a draw in October.
Actually, the destination was sunny Beckenham, looking particularly picturesque on a day promising early summer. That meant driving through Croydon, and its various retro-futuristic travel nodes – its 1960s road overpass and 1990s tram network.
Trams are both the future and the past, a once-shunned mode reinvigorated when cars had choked the cities, and there was something of the throwback in Teddington's line-up. With Sas ill and Parky rested, the team reverted to the 2-3-3 formation that destroyed last season's Division 2 opponents.
Jelly joined Millie T in front of goalkeeper Ruby, with a midfield trio of Doddsy, Emily and Sophie backing up the striking trident of Phoebe, Ale and Millie Mac, and a threatening bench of Carla, Amy and Sinead.
Having held Teddington at home and threatened to claw back a three-goal deficit at Bushy Park, Croydon are no slouches and had the first clear chance within 90 seconds. Sprinting onto a long ball over Jelly's head, the striker pushed it toward the corner of the unusually wide net, but Ruby got down to stop it.
Warning heeded, Teddington took the lead on six minutes, patiently penetrating down Croydon's right via two Jelly throws and a corner. Phoebe took it, Jelly’s late run distracted the defence, it came to Emily at the far post who calmly took her time, picked a spot and rolled home under the keeper.
Actually, the destination was sunny Beckenham, looking particularly picturesque on a day promising early summer. That meant driving through Croydon, and its various retro-futuristic travel nodes – its 1960s road overpass and 1990s tram network.
Trams are both the future and the past, a once-shunned mode reinvigorated when cars had choked the cities, and there was something of the throwback in Teddington's line-up. With Sas ill and Parky rested, the team reverted to the 2-3-3 formation that destroyed last season's Division 2 opponents.
Jelly joined Millie T in front of goalkeeper Ruby, with a midfield trio of Doddsy, Emily and Sophie backing up the striking trident of Phoebe, Ale and Millie Mac, and a threatening bench of Carla, Amy and Sinead.
Having held Teddington at home and threatened to claw back a three-goal deficit at Bushy Park, Croydon are no slouches and had the first clear chance within 90 seconds. Sprinting onto a long ball over Jelly's head, the striker pushed it toward the corner of the unusually wide net, but Ruby got down to stop it.
Warning heeded, Teddington took the lead on six minutes, patiently penetrating down Croydon's right via two Jelly throws and a corner. Phoebe took it, Jelly’s late run distracted the defence, it came to Emily at the far post who calmly took her time, picked a spot and rolled home under the keeper.
Suitably calmed, the visitors sought to impose their superiority on a small, uneven pitch congested further by Croydon playing a high line as they took advantage of the wind at their backs to clear it long. Managing to steal a yard in the midfield muddle, Emily diagonalled to Doddsy but the run through to the corner of the area was halted by the outrushing goalkeeper.
The game wasn't dull but somewhat lacked goalmouth action: a shade more at Teddington’s end, perhaps, but usually well dealt with. Teddington attempted to stretch the game, with Phoebe coming into her own: her first real run frightened the defence but the ball sat up awkwardly in the cabbage-patch corner and was fired over, then a cross wafted just past the far post. Notably, on the other side, the ever-improving Millie Mac had her best game to date, taking on defenders and showing her growing self-belief.
The two wingers almost combined to double the lead just before the half-hour. Phoebe's full-back was starting to get that familiar haunted look and the Teddington flyer's cross was intelligently touched onwards by the ever-selfless Ale towards Macca – and although the left-winger couldn't quite connect, the supporting Doddsy placed a composed shot just past the far post.
Croydon weren't out of it yet. Ruby had another couple of saves to make, and just before the half-time whistle the home side had the ball in the net but were thwarted by a questionable decision. Two strikers had burst through, one of them certainly offside but the other apparently timing her run to perfection before firing past Ruby – but the stand-in ref had already noted the flag and blown.
It was a fortunate escape and although half-time brought an infusion of fresh blood – Amy for Ale, Carla for Sophie and the late-arriving Sinead for Macca – the first 10 minutes after the break were more Croydon than Teddington. Another debatable decision brought a free-kick to the home side just outside the area; deflected off Jelly, it caused quite the scramble on the line before being cleared.
What Teddington needed was a second goal; what they got was a second and a third within three minutes of each other, provided by two of those half-time subs. On 46 minutes Jelly judiciously played a through-ball for Sinead and Amy to run on to; Sinead got there first and calmly slipped it under the goalkeeper from the corner of the box.
Three minutes later, the visitors got their third, and Amy got her just reward for an impressively threatening front-running performance. It came about because Phoebe had the awareness and skill to control a goal kick, take it to the byeline and pull it back past the goalkeeper – and because Amy, increasingly impressive anywhere in midfield and attack, had made an intelligent unmarked run into the box to complete a two-yard tap-in to an open goal.
Croydon weren't out of it yet. Ruby had another couple of saves to make, and just before the half-time whistle the home side had the ball in the net but were thwarted by a questionable decision. Two strikers had burst through, one of them certainly offside but the other apparently timing her run to perfection before firing past Ruby – but the stand-in ref had already noted the flag and blown.
It was a fortunate escape and although half-time brought an infusion of fresh blood – Amy for Ale, Carla for Sophie and the late-arriving Sinead for Macca – the first 10 minutes after the break were more Croydon than Teddington. Another debatable decision brought a free-kick to the home side just outside the area; deflected off Jelly, it caused quite the scramble on the line before being cleared.
What Teddington needed was a second goal; what they got was a second and a third within three minutes of each other, provided by two of those half-time subs. On 46 minutes Jelly judiciously played a through-ball for Sinead and Amy to run on to; Sinead got there first and calmly slipped it under the goalkeeper from the corner of the box.
Three minutes later, the visitors got their third, and Amy got her just reward for an impressively threatening front-running performance. It came about because Phoebe had the awareness and skill to control a goal kick, take it to the byeline and pull it back past the goalkeeper – and because Amy, increasingly impressive anywhere in midfield and attack, had made an intelligent unmarked run into the box to complete a two-yard tap-in to an open goal.
By now, there were some fascinating battles going on. The game was never nasty but was certainly hard-fought – Ale had spent a lot of the first half with her nose in the turf and two minutes into the second period Jelly's thigh received an unrequested stud tattoo – and while all the visiting girls were standing up strong, street-savvy Sinead certainly wasn't giving any quarter to her opposite number. The Croydon right-back had already grabbed a handful of the winger's admittedly capacious shorts, and when the two were engaged in a sprint to the ball Sinead strongly shoulder-charged the impressive but much smaller defender, who then limped out of the game.
With her went much of Croydon's fight, and on 54 minutes it was 4-0. From a Teddington goal kick, Phoebe sprinted down the right, and with Amy in the middle and Sinead at the far post the defender at the near post was happy to scramble it behind. The corner reached Sinead on the edge of the six-yard box, who controlled, turned and fired an on-target shot which deflected past the helpless goalkeeper.
With her went much of Croydon's fight, and on 54 minutes it was 4-0. From a Teddington goal kick, Phoebe sprinted down the right, and with Amy in the middle and Sinead at the far post the defender at the near post was happy to scramble it behind. The corner reached Sinead on the edge of the six-yard box, who controlled, turned and fired an on-target shot which deflected past the helpless goalkeeper.
With seven minutes to go Teddington "went nap", as nobody seems to say these days about scoring five. Having set up three of the previous four goals, Phoebe cut out the middlegirl: again anticipating a goalkeeper clearance, she controlled, advanced, fired into the space at the near post and was promptly given a rest as the visitors reshuffled their pack.
Although Macca was kept off as a caution to protect a slight injury niggle, Ale reappeared for Phoebe with Amy switching wide right; meanwhile Doddsy, having run herself ragged, was replaced by Sophie, who resumed her diligent role in defensive midfield, slotting into the back line when Jelly moved out to take a throw or join an attack.
Such team-work brought its rewards in the last minute with the sixth goal. Having defended a deep throw well, Teddington sprung down the left; Sinead beat the offside trap with Ale just behind her, and although the goalkeeper denied the winger her hat-trick, the ball rebounded for a very grateful Ale to tidy into the net. She allowed herself a shy smile at her first goal in almost five months, during which she has started only five games as she battles persistent ankle and leg injuries.
Although Macca was kept off as a caution to protect a slight injury niggle, Ale reappeared for Phoebe with Amy switching wide right; meanwhile Doddsy, having run herself ragged, was replaced by Sophie, who resumed her diligent role in defensive midfield, slotting into the back line when Jelly moved out to take a throw or join an attack.
Such team-work brought its rewards in the last minute with the sixth goal. Having defended a deep throw well, Teddington sprung down the left; Sinead beat the offside trap with Ale just behind her, and although the goalkeeper denied the winger her hat-trick, the ball rebounded for a very grateful Ale to tidy into the net. She allowed herself a shy smile at her first goal in almost five months, during which she has started only five games as she battles persistent ankle and leg injuries.
Ale's warmly-celebrated goal made it five different scorers, with others (notably Doddsy and Millie Mac) unlucky not to have joined the list. The biggest league win of the season takes Teddington past 50 league goals for the term, and although wins for Wimbledon and Palace mean the top two are now uncatchable, Teddington can still finish third if they win their last two league games: the closer at Fleet and next week’s intriguing battle at Wimbledon.
TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC: Ruby Rudkin, Millie Theobald, Ella V, Sophie Wallman, Ella Dodd, Emily Coulson (1), Phoebe Head (1), Ale Fairn (1), Millie MacEacharn. Subs: Carla Novakovic, Sinead Morris (2), Amy Hallett (1).
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