Sun 4 Oct: Maidenhead Blue Sox 2-3 Teddington Athletic

Another season, another new opponent for the increasingly inaccurately-named Surrey League. Teddington (technically Middlesex) have already got dates in Kent (Crystal Palace) and Hampshire (Fleet); now, their itinerary takes in a trip to Berkshire.

Not that anyone’s complaining if it raises the quality of opponent and venue. Having won last season’s Berkshire County Girls League top flight without dropping a point, Maidenhead Blue Sox needed a new challenge; the Surrey League teams have certainly provided it, and Maidenhead have given almost as good as they’ve got in games against the division’s best sides.

Having lost their opener 3-2 at Cup winners Crystal Palace Reds, they went down 2-1 at home to champions AFC Wimbledon before losing a Cup thriller at Abbey Rangers by the odd goal in seven. Next up: last season’s other top-four finishers, Teddington.

Their results prove Maidenhead deserve a place in the division, and their venue was the best Teddington have yet visited. The National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey was the senior England team’s default base until the creation of St George’s Park, and remains a thriving hub of sporting excellence.

Yet even here, there wasn’t a pitch (available) that fulfilled the FA’s suggested dimensions for U14 11-a-side – 90x55yds rather than 110x70, with goals 7x21ft rather than 8x24. Still, having checked via the goalkeepers’ drop-kicks that the blue-lined mini-pitch was too small, the managers mutually and rightly decided it would be better to play on the full-size pitch – the same scale as Wembley itself.

It was going to be a big task for a stretched squad. With Carla Novakovic away, Sadie Day busy and Ella Parkinson-Mearns still injured, it was a blow to discover that Ella Bothamley was struggling with a cold – but Boz had willingly trekked to take part and would give whatever she had.

Saskia Brewster was still feeling the effects of her own cold but replaced Carla and rejoined Millie Theobald alongside Ella Waldron in a defence protecting Ruby Rudkin. Emily Coulson came back into the engine room alongside Ella Dodd, and in front of Amy Hallett – playing in a new defensive-midfield role.

The front four were unchanged from the previous Sunday's 6-2 win at South Park, with Ale Farin ahead of last week's scorers – Millie MacEacharn, Pheobe Head and Boz, the latter preparing for a mid-match rest, what with a strong bench of Sinead Morris and Anna Kauffmann raring to join in.

Going into a slightly low autumnal sun in the first half, Teddington started on the back foot but soon started to dictate – despite curiously losing Doddsy to an ankle injury, the excellent quality of the pitch only serving as an ironic reminder of the capriciousness of such injuries. Macca dropped into the middle, with Sinead on as sub and straight at the opposition.

Teddington were also threatening on the other flank, where five-goal Pheebs was finding her feet. First she dug back into midfield to lay in a delicious ball which Boz pulled just wide, then Ale's high shot toward the corner was tipped wide.

The visitors were getting more of the ball largely through the work of the impressive Amy in breaking up the home attacks. Initially a striker, then a winger, later a central midfielder and now looking very promising in defensive midfield, Amy is able to adjust to different positions because she reads the game excellently, uses space intelligently, accepts suggestions willingly and applies herself diligently. It's a winning combination.

Recycling the ball well, Teddington were making forward strides. Threatening down the left, Sinead won a throw and sent Emily skipping down the touchline; her cross evaded Ale but reached Boz, only for the big centre-back to get across and tidy up.

Then Jelly came forward to receive a throw from Emily, laying it into box where Boz again lurked, although her wafted shot was fielded by the goalkeeper. A minute later up the other end, Ruby came out to field a lateral threat into her area, tackling and clearing with all the assurance of the outfielder she once was.

Despite the odd threat at the back, Teddington were closing in. Trapping a dropping ball on the forward edge of centre circle, Emily laid a beautiful controlled pass into the inside-right channel for Phoebe to chase, but again the goalkeeper could get to it and push it wide.

It was only a reprieve. On 24 minutes Sinead's harrying of the home defence paid off when a defender, backtracking under pressure and desperate to get to the ball ahead of the winger, could only divert a cross past her own goalkeeper.

Although happily bolstering a depleted defence, Jelly showed the completeness of her game in a few flowing seconds of excellent football. Emerging with the ball from a solid but fair block tackle which left her opponent floored, she strode forward and picked out a great diagonal for her friend Pheebs to chase – turning defence to attack in classic fashion.

As the first period wore to a close with weary players awaiting half-time, Boz trudged off to be replaced by Anna – but Maidenhead were ending the half the stronger team. Working it well down the left, they produced a shot which Sas was happy to block wide.

Then Teddington had to withstand three successive dangerous corners contested by that impressive and imposing centre-back, and although she did indeed receive the ball from one of them, the visiting defence stood up to block the way to goal.

To Maidenhead's despair, in the dying seconds Teddington doubled their lead with a goal of genuine quality. Rather than playing off Ale as Boz had, Anna was quickly settling into midfield – as they lined up for the second half, it was good to see the unchanged XI work out for themselves who was playing where in the slightly altered system – and the Danish girl played a crucial part in the second goal.

Dispossessing the opposition with a well-timed midfield tackle, she then had the ability and vision to play a beautifully-weighted diagonal daisy-cutter behind the left-back. Phoebe tore onto it, her cross cleared the goalkeeper and Ale rose well at the back post to volley in.


The second half started quietly, but 15 minutes into it Maidenhead served notice with a direct free-kick from five yards outside the area which Ruby did well to get both hands to. By now Macca was clearly suffering with a blister, so Boz volunteered to come back on as a midfielder – although it took five minutes to make the switch as the ball refused to go dead.

Indeed, on 54 minutes Maidenhead halved the deficit while Teddington struggled with substitutions. Having run herself into breathing difficulties, Anna quite correctly left the field – but with the ball again staying obstinately in play, Doddsy couldn't replace her and the home side cut through the decimated outfielders to score.

Despite the home side's vociferous support, Teddington were still creating chances. Phoebe almost picked out Ale, Emily connected with a cross but could only divert it wide, and when Pheebs rolled a corner back to Jelly, the captain's shot from distance hit the bar.

Next, Ale and Doddsy fed Phoebe whose chip over the goalkeeper arced toward the far corner but agonisingly cleared the bar. With Boz stiffening the midfield, Ale was cleverly orchestrating attacks from a deeper No.10 role – an interesting development for one of the few Teddington players who has only ever played one position.

That the visitors weren't taking their chances was distressing rather than disastrous – until Maidenhead equalised on the hour, their striker getting to a left-wing cross fractionally before Ruby, who was left floored by the accidental collision.

As she was tended to, the game hung in the balance: with 10 minutes left, Teddington could quite easily lose a game they had led by two goals. But during the impromptu team meeting as both sides took a well-deserved drinks break from their exertions on an adult-sized pitch, the visitors were given a simple message: carry on doing what you’re doing with the ball, and work harder for each other to get it back when Maidenhead have it.

It worked. Teddington noticeably stiffened their resolve, and five minutes later got their just deserts. Reaching Doddsy's super ball, Phoebe crossed from the right, and although Boz couldn't quite connect, Sinead – popping up between the posts, as each winger had been reminded to do when the attack comes down the other side – was on hand to finish confidently for her first of the season, her 40th for the club, and the winner in the best game this team has yet been involved in.

Maidenhead once again lost out by the odd goal to a very good team. Their very affable gaffer Pat need not worry: they will win many games this season, and not just against the division’s lesser teams. Another strong team, they are a very welcome arrival in an increasingly competitive Surrey League top flight.

TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC Ruby Rudkin, Millie Theobald, Ella Waldron, Saskia Brewster, Amy Hallett, Ella Dodd, Emily Coulson, Phoebe Head, Ella Bothamley, Millie MacEacharn, Ale Fairn (1). Subs: Anna Kauffmann, Sinead Morris (1). +1og.