United Win Cleethorpes Town FC Tournament

On another wet June day, Mill Lane United travelled to Cleethorpes for the fourth leg of their summer tour.

With Fenella Scutt absent, the squad comprised of goal keeper Jessica Wright, defenders Olivia Nassau and Skie Wyatt with midfielders Natalie Bell, Grace Fletcher, Cordelia Cavill and Amy Dodds. Strikers Millie Sharp and Hannah Gray completed the line up.

The combination of strong winds and over crowded small pitches made it nearly impossible for the Mill Lane United girls to play their trademark slick passing football. This became apparent in their first game against Cleethorpes Town, when the girls had to compromise some part of their passing game for a higher tempo pressure performance built on solid no nonsense defending.

With the seconds ticking down to half time, a superb pass from Hannah Gray found Grace Fletcher unmarked in the area, and she showed complete composure drawing the keeper of her line before side footing into the corner of the net. The second half saw Mill Lane United defend resolutely with Skie Wyatt and Olivia Nassau both heading the ball superbly in the difficult conditions, full time saw the girls walk of deserved 1.0 victors.

The second game saw the girls play the runners up of the SHLL (North & West) league, Broughton Ravers, and in a powerful performance, two Millie Sharp goals saw the girls win easily 2.0. The third game against Hemsworth Miners Welfare saw the girls play a much more physically imposing set of players and although matching their opposition with effort and tenacity the girls just couldn’t find the necessary breakthrough, and the game ended 0.0.

The final two group games were against Greenbank and Solar, respective runners up and winners of the SHLL (South & East) league. Both games resulted in 1.0 victories for Mill Lane United with Millie scoring against Greenbank and Grace against Solar. At the end of the group stage Mill Lane United topped the league and faced the runners up Broughton Ravers in the final.

The final saw Jessica Wright start in goal, protected by Captain Olivia Nassau and Skie Wyatt. Cordelia Cavill, Natalie Bell & Grace Fletcher comprised the midfield with Millie Sharp in attack. The first half saw Mill Lane United dominate possession, restricting their opponents to last ditch defending and long balls forward, which never bothered Jessica in goal, as Skie and Olivia dealt with them comfortably. Finally, the pressure began to tell and from a long throw from Natalie, Skie attacked a defender’s flick on and forced the ball over the line. Half time arrived shortly after with Mill Lane United looking comfortable at 1.0.

The second half saw the girls from the East Riding defend with composure and class, allowing Jessica a virtually untroubled half. At the other end, Amy Dodds and Hannah Gray were introduced in an attempt to find a second goal and from a well worked move involving both players Natalie put a crisp shot just past the post.

That chance was followed by further half chances for Millie and Grace, however, neither could find the back of the net and with the seconds ticking down the girls showed their experience in cup finals by effectively killing the game of by controlling the ball in the opposition half. When full time duly arrived with Mill Lane United winning 1.0.

Overall, the girls played six games without conceding a single goal in trying conditions to win their seventh trophy of a remarkable season.