But times are changing. Wimbledon have lost their successful manager Fawwad Uddin, and some of their ruthless winning habit: since that Teddington win they have been held twice by Fleet and once by Maidenhead. Meanwhile, Teddington have overcome early worries to start delivering performances, if not always results, that promise much better things.
It helps that the squad is filling out. For the first time this season, manager Dave Waldron had a full squad available, meaning a five-strong bench of substitute options – and a clear intention to make rolling changes to refresh the on-field XI. These girls, mostly 13 years old, were to be playing expansive football on a pitch recently vacated by fully-grown men; careful game management would be essential to maximise squad resources and prevent player burnout.
Luckily, most of the girls are positionally flexible, as proved by Millie Theobald returning to the starting XI in central defence (flanked by Saskia Brewster and Anna Kauffmann, with Ruby Rudkin in goal). That allowed Ella Waldron to move forward into defensive midfield alongside Amy Hallett; having that extra security would allow the midfield four of Phoebe Head, Ella Dodd, Emily Coulson and Emily Bashford to alternate their support for lone striker Ale Fairn. On the bench, a galaxy of options: Ella Bothamley, Sadie Day, Millie MacEacharn, Carla Novakovic and Ella Parkinson-Mearns. All would be used extensively.
Sadly, despite the afternoon kick-off, the girls had a somnamublant warmup and despite some early flickers of promise, went behind after just seven minutes. Wimbledon battled to win a right-wing corner, and when it came over they wanted it more, were prepared to get stuck in and head it, and forced the goal at the near post.
Teddington had gone behind, but they didn’t go under. In fact, they got on top, despite playing into the wind, and it was no surprise when they equalised on the quarter-hour. Cleverly recycling a throw high on the right wing, Phoebe found Emily C, who smartly squared along the 18-yard line to Doddsy. Glancing up to assess the situation, Doddsy calmly placed it in the bottom-left corner for her first league goal of the season.
The visitors were good value for a share of the spoils, and at halfway through the first period it was time to start rotating players to keep things fresh. First into the fray were Sadie and Macca, replacing the dynamic wingers Phoebe and Bash, shortly followed by Boz for Ale up top, Carla for Emily C in central midfield and Parky for Anna at the back.
But by the time those last two came on, Teddington were behind again, through another avoidable situation. Giving away a free-kick, central but 25 yards out, is undesirable but sometimes unavoidable and certainly not indefensible. The Teddington girls were exhorted to be ready for any rebounds, but although Ruby did well to block the inevitable initial shot, Wimbledon were first to the loose ball and regained the lead.
Even so, the half-time team-talk was largely positive. Barring those two avoidable slips, Teddington had kept Wimbledon fairly quiet, arguably had the upper hand and could look forward to a second half with the wind at their backs.
They almost regained parity 10 minutes into the second period, when Boz ran on to a clever through-ball and confidently lifted it left-footed over the goalkeeper but sadly just over the bar. And although Wimbledon had a couple of breaks – swiftly dealt with by the increasingly confident Rubes – when speedy wingers Pheebs and Bash rejoined the fray, re-energised by their mid-match break, the Dons were comprehensively on the back foot.
From a corner, the ball dropped directly into the six-yard box directly in front of the unmarked Doddsy, but the powerful midfielder’s header was more of a polite good-afternoon nod. Two minutes later she was back in the action, picking the ball up in her own defensive D and driving through midfield before laying an excellent diagonal for Phoebe. Now openly terrorising the Wimbledon left-back – formerly impressive for Abbey Rangers and arguably the best in the league, alongside Sas – Teddington’s top scorer burst clear and crossed for Bash, but in scenes reminiscent of Gazza’s Euro 96 semi-final slide the new girl couldn’t quite connect.
That was the story of the rest of the half: Teddington had the ball but Wimbledon held on, even when Boz and then Doddsy joined Ale up top – with Amy, who had been carefully covering positions all afternoon, filling in at centre-back uncomplainingly and intelligently, adding yet another string to her startlingly impressive bow.
And that’s the lesson to take. On paper, Teddington’s last three results – a goalless home draw with Maidenhead and the 2-1 reverses to last season’s top two teams – might not seem cause for celebration. But in all those games Teddington’s application, workrate, team ethic and intelligence shone through. It will take these girls far, and though they are now out of both cups, that will only increase their resolve to finish as high up the league as possible.
TEDDINGTON ATHELTIC Ruby Rudkin, Anna Kauffman, Millie Theobald, Saskia Brewster, Amy Hallett, Ella Waldron, Phoebe Head, Emily Coulson, Ella Dodd (1), Emily Bashford, Ale Fairn; subs Ella Bothamley, Sadie Day, Millie Mac, Carla Novakovic and Ella Parkinson-Mearns.
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