WELLINGTON Wildcats fought out a 1-1 draw after making the long trip to play Stratton in Division Two of the Under 15 section of the Somerset Girls Football League.

Stratton started positively playing down the slope, finding space in the middle and overloads on the right, with keeper/captain Faith being assured with positive clearances and several fine saves.

To their credit Sally, Georgie and Chloe made several telling interceptions and tackles to deny the strong pairing of Stratton attackers. On the 15-minute mark a failed clearance found the opposition and they hit a fine strike into the corner to open the scoring.

Undeterred, Wildcats grew into the game; firstly Lola on the right, then Casey on the left and Alisha and Cheyenne up top, started to work some good play and set up opportunities without finding the back of the net.

After 25 minutes, a cleared ball found Flo N 30 yards out and she hit a spectacular first time effort, beating the keeper to level the scoring. The remainder of the half was played very evenly with nobody finding a clear opportunity but the Wildcat’s workrate was superb.

The second half started with a rejig in formation, playing Maisie as CDM who worked tirelessly and read the play to thwart any Stratton counter attack, keeping them penned in down the hill. Lola, Flo G, Casey, London, Cheyenne and Flo N created several terrific chances.

Anya at right back and Lola on the right midfield worked well overlapping creating terrific opportunities. Maisie left the pitch with a head injury with ten minutes to play, which opened Stratton for counter attacks, but Casey, Alisha and the energy of London worked tirelessly to stop any real chance and allowed makeshift striker Flo G to apply pressure but she could not find another goal for Wildcats.

A 1-1 draw was a fair result with both sides dominating with the slope advantage each half. The Wildcats rotated positions and formation with courage and worked well as a unit. Player of the match was very tough, but went to Casey who had an outstanding game, playing in three positions, putting in 100% effort and did everything she could for the team.

Meanwhile, Wildcats went down 5-1 away to Ashcott in the Under 12 South Division, but the final scoreline did not reflect just how close the game was.

There were plenty of positives to take from the match, with the Wildcats showing real improvement in several areas. Wildcats created a host of chances and were unfortunate not to find the net on more occasions.

Ashcott proved clinical in front of goal, making the most of their opportunities, but the Wildcats continued to compete and create chances of their own. Their persistence was rewarded in the second half when Betsy P found the net for a well-deserved goal.

Player of the Match – Izzy C. Choosing a Player of the Match was particularly difficult, with so many of the girls putting in strong performances. Izzy earned the award for her determined defensive display, making some excellent tackles and showing great discipline in sticking to her marking responsibilities throughout the game.

This was another encouraging step forward for the Wildcats. The improvements are becoming more evident each week, and the girls can take plenty of confidence from their teamwork, effort and growing ability to create goalscoring opportunities.