And breathe. Celebrations of pure relief erupted come full time at Eccleshill United FC on Wednesday evening, as Bradford City Women finally got their first win of the season.
It’s been a painful start to the campaign, with all four defeats certainly harsh on the Lady Bantams. However, they put all that behind them in this midweek fixture, beating local rivals Huddersfield Town 1-0.
It should have been more comfortable in the scoreline, but it was reasonably comfortable on the pitch anyway.
Lucy Sowerby’s strike was the difference in the game, and it was a goal that perfectly captured just how well City have been playing, even if they haven’t been getting the results.
Having broken down a Huddersfield attack, City worked down the right, bouncing passes into midfield and back out wide before Shauna Legge burst into the final third with the ball at her feet. Her volleyed cross then fell just right for Sowerby, who took a touch and fired it past the opposing ‘keeper.
The celebrations after this strike were similar to those seen at full time. City had piled on the pressure for 67 minutes and they finally had their breakthrough.
The striker herself had reason to be relieved too, having had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half.
From start to finish, it was Bradford the better side. Huddersfield had a decent spell around the half hour mark, forcing former Town stopper Charlotte Oates into a smart save and Paige Crosby into a last ditch tackle, but City dealt well with their various threats brilliantly for the rest of the game.
It was a frustrating opening 45 minutes though, as they just couldn’t break the deadlock. As Hannah Campbell’s header trickled towards the goalline inside the first 20 minutes, Sowerby just couldn’t resist making sure and, as she stabbed home, up went the flag to deny her the goal.
Faye Boshell miskicked from close range after a corner and Campbell couldn’t hit the target one-on-one, while Legge fired over the bar from the edge of the box at the end of the half.
When Town came out of the blocks in the second period, the nerves returned. Would it be another luckless night for the Bantams?
However, they got closer and closer. Abi Lee had a fabulous 30-yard free-kick tipped onto the bar, Sowerby’s spin and shot from the corner of the box was palmed over, Charlotte Stuart’s fierce drive just sailed over, and then came the goal.
It was a deserved lead that City had been building up to, and they could have built on it too as they continued to create chances into the closing stages.
A second wasn’t needed though as, after a nervy bit of stoppage time saw Town throw the kitchen sink at their opponents, the three points were to stay in Bradford.
And other than the win, the one big positive to take from this game was the belief of the side.
Despite their form coming into the game, every City player on the pitch was composed on the ball, positive in possession and confident in their ability to win every challenge.
The flicks and tricks were out, the ambitious but accurate efforts flew goalwards and, in the end, the points were City’s.
If this is how the team can play when things haven’t been going their way, then who knows what the season has in store as they look to kickstart it with this win.
Next Fixture
Vs. Blackburn Rovers, Sunday 18th September at Eccleshill United's Stadium. More details here bit.ly/BCWFCvsBburn