On Sunday, the Vixens first team took on Chester who were sitting on top of the league. We knew it was going to be a tough game! Learning from the last time we played Chester where we lost 4 - 3, we played a new formation and asked the team to play a high press lead by 4 up front, strikers Ruby Ackerley, Lily Wells supported by wingers Megan Jonas and Izzy Purcell.
We had two fantastic midfielders in Emily Aldridge and Michelle Lawrence who engaged/battled and protected the back four whilst playing supporting balls through to our attacking four.
Our back four , Liv Almond, Brooke Roberts, Sue McGrath and Lesley Eldridge pushed high, playing offside traps and pushed up to support the midfield duo.
We were clearly the stronger team for all of the first half, but unfortunately just before half-time, a Chester striker kicked the ball out of our keeper's ( Izzy Gaskarth ) hands as she collected a low ball in, and tapped the ball into the empty net. the referee awarded the goal ! Our Captain, Sue McGrath let the referee know he had made a mistake costing her a red card! 40 minutes had gone, we were one down and down to 10 players !
We regrouped at half time in the changing rooms, and made a slight tweak in formation. Emily Aldridge dropped into the back 4, and we brought on Holly Carolan in place of Izzy Purcell , to boost the midfield. Despite being a player down, the game plan remained the same. I asked each player to play that little bit harder to make up for the 11th player, and they did just that. They came out for the second half with fire in their belly ! The first goal came from Meg Jonas delivered a fantastic corner into the box and Michelle Lawrence meeting it perfectly to head into the back of the net. This came after 59 minutes. The second goal came from a corner which was overhit but then put back in. Ruby Ackerley pushed the ball through in a crowded box and Michele Lawrence got herself onto the end of the ball and thumped it into the net for her's and our's second goal . Two one up with a few minutes left to play !
The team battled on winning their 1 on 1 duels all over the park playing with intelligence and best of all playing for each other. A late couple of changes were made , Daisy Gibson going left back and Izzy Purcell coming back on for Megan Jonas .
This was the finest team performance I have seen the Club play for a long time. The team have really set the standard for the rest of the season after that performance. Congratulations to every single one of our players, they truly deserved that win.
Player of the Match goes to Michelle Lawrence, a player who came off the pitch literally covered in mud from head to toe! She put in box to box runs, was strong in her slide tackles and scored two cracking goals . Well done Michelle

Thanks to Bex for this report . You can tell how proud she was of her team for that performance , and I can vouch that they gave everything and thoroughly deserved their win, especially considering they were down to 10 players for half the match after the disputed goal just before half time. Well done Vixens
Why not get down a Sunday and enjoy watching them, just as I did today !