Nestled in the foothills of the chalk Chilterns that loom to London’s north-west, Bisham Abbey offers such excellent facilities that the England national teams used to train here before St George’s Park; Maidenhead now enjoy the usage of a superbly-surfaced football field designed to mimic Wembley’s dimensions. They deserve it, Pat Mullings having coached his team to play a good brand of passing football, not unlike their visitors on this cold and frosty morning.
With only Saskia Brewster and Emily Bashford unavailable, for first time this season Teddington had the untrammelled luxury of two substitutes. Ruby Rudkin returned in goal, behind a back three martialled by Millie Theobald. To the stalwart’s right was the returning Sarah Dillamore, battling a cold with honey-laced hot water; to the left was Amy Hallett. Eyebrows may have been raised that the junior defender was put on the left despite being right-footed, but typically Amy took it in her astonishingly mature stride.
With Jen Neves and Frances Clark as wing-backs, Carla Novakovic and Liz Kriebel held the midfield. The front three were tweaked to get Emily Coulson playing as a No.10 (despite wearing No.99) behind a strike duo of Ellas Dodd and Bothamley. Annabel Taiwo and Giulia Clini (suffering a heavy cold) started on the bench, which was actually a bench with a roof and everything.
Teddington started impressively, particularly down the right: Jen linked with Liz and Boz, who had licence to drift toward the wing in search of space and opportunity, while Doddsy and Em made their acquaintance in the middle and passing triangles abounded.
The rejig was designed to get Emily involved in more dangerous central positions and it nearly worked a treat in the fourth minute. Fulfilling her wingback remit by patrolling the entire left flank, Fran hassled a defender out of possession on the touchline, knocked it down the wing and sizzled into the distance. Although her good cross to the edge of the six-yard box was slightly too strong for Emily to turn home, Em’s semi-deflection was drilled wide of the back post by Boz.
A minute later Maidenhead had an indirect free-kick in the Teddington box – what Millie claimed as a tackle looked much more like a back-pass and the coaches were bellowing at Ruby not to pick it up – but luckily the position was well wide of the goal and the tap-and-shot didn’t threaten. With the sun in her eyes, the goalkeeper was more worried about a subsequent 20-yarder which she pushed behind to safety.
The game settled into a pleasing rhythm of pass-and-move between two teams playing similar systems, the ball rustling across the dewy grass. Teddington’s wingbacks were the more adventurous, occasionally too much so, but such positioning is a matter of taste and tweaks and the players will learn with experience. Meanwhile Emily was enjoying herself in the centre of things, digging back to help her midfield but also getting possession: at one point she ran 50 unchallenged yards up the pitch before being stopped at the edge of the box by the ever-impressive Zuri Mullings.
The elegant Maidenhead sweeper was, however, knocked out of her stride by a newcomer. With Teddington’s back three functioning well but Jen tiring a little, Annabel was brought on at right wingback – a new position for a girl who’s just getting used to the idea of being a centre-back. (Positional flexibility and trust in players’ abilities: welcome to Teddington Athletic, Annabel.) The newcomer was understandably unsure about positioning but she showed little indecision when rattling tenaciously into tackles, one of which left Zuri dispossessed, sprawling and somewhat fortunate to get a free-kick.
On 32 minutes, Teddington took a lead they probably deserved on balance. Capitalising on Maidenhead’s slightly sloppy second-phase defending, Liz did well to switch the ball onto her right foot and from there float it into the top-left corner. “I can score that kind of goal,” she said, having proved it by bagging her 16th strike on her 40th TAFC appearance, back on the pitch where she made her debut – and scored.
Sadly, the lead lasted around 90 seconds. Maidenhead whirled forward, the visiting midfield didn’t protect the defence, and the home attackers showed more desire to meet the ball – being on their toes rather than their heels.
No changes were made at half-time because none were needed, and within two minutes Doddsy broke through on goal after a quick-thinking throw-in on the left; sadly her early shot didn’t trouble the goalkeeper, to the usual expletive from a disappointed striker who once again showed good awareness and superb team-play. Two minutes further and it was Maidenhead’s turn to burst through as the Teddington backline vainly appealed for offside; Ruby hared off her line to force the striker into slicing an early shot wide.
Just before the hour Jen replaced Annabel, who can be proud of an impressive and promising 25-minute appearance in an unusual position: the new girl’s confidence is increasing, and with it her value to a growing squad. The ability to make substitutions refreshes the team, and it was no coincidence that within a minute Teddington were attacking down the right. Doddsy’s lovely round-the-corner flick found Boz, whose cross was headed clear but only to Doddsy, who had the intelligence and confidence to try a first-time left-footer. Teddington were playing well in a good, exciting game between two teams playing nice football.
Not that there isn’t room for improvement. When Zuri strode out of defence, Emily did very well to dispossess her and slide through a ball for Boz... but then stood and watched instead of pressing on, so when the ball was half-cleared she wasn’t on hand to collect. Instead, Maidenhead counter-attacked and played their own cutting through-ball, with Ruby again sprinting off her line to half-block the shot and Fran nipping back to tidy it out for a corner.
More substitutions ensued. With 20 minutes to go Giulia replaced Liz, but nine minutes later the American was back on again: Fran had run herself ragged in the demanding wingback role, so Liz bolstered the midfield while The Indefatigable Carla Novakovic switched left. Before the new XI had time to settle Maidenhead played another through-ball and the Teddington back-line appealed for offside against the player stood in splendid isolation; sadly, she didn’t touch it, the legal runner ran through and placed it past Ruby.
Aware that they have scored late goals on this patch before – a Sinead Morris winner in October 2015, a 40-yard Ella Waldron equaliser in January 2016. And with three minutes to go, the Hollywood orchestra was swelling to a climax as Boz embarked on a thrilling 50-yard run down the right before cutting into the box, but she ran out of steam and was dispossessed by Zuri.
Although there wasn’t a Hollywood ending, in a way it was a fitting one. Teddington have the belief, ability and players to do well but are just lacking slightly in end product. With the squad at its strongest this season – Bash should be back next week to add yet more options and flexibility – and a dangerous front three showing signs of working well together, the girls can go into some crucial pre-Christmas games in good cheer.
TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC Ruby Rudkin, Sarah Dillamore, Millie Theobald, Amy Hallett, Jen Neves, Carla Novakovic, Liz Kriebel (1g), Fran Clark, Emily Coulson, Ella Bothamley, Ella Dodd. Subs: Giulia Clini, Annabel Taiwo.
