THE WILDCATS GET ONE OVER THE BLUES YET AGAIN TO PROGESS IN THE FA CUP

Adam Furness has yet again gotten one over the Blues has his Durham side fully deserved and performed better than the girls in blue Sunday at St Andrews @Knightheadpark. For Blues this was the worst performance I have seen under the Amy Merricks era, and you can see the anger and frustration  that was shown in her post match interview. Grace Ayre first senior goal for the wildcats just before half time was more than enough to progress them through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. After the game you can see the frustration on the faces of the players when I chatted to some of them especially Lily Agg. Amy brought back into the squad Lee Geum-Min into the starting.

FIRST HALF

The first opportunity of the half came for the visitors when a strong free kick whipped in by Beth Hepple went past the far post in the 10^th minute.

Then the visitors had a brilliant opportunity in the 17^th minute when Carly John won possession from slack play from the Blues defence, but her shot was well saved from Lucy Thomas.

Then in the 27^th minute Blues best chance of the game when Lily Agg’s header was cleared of the line brilliantly by Lily Crosthwaite.

Then three minutes before half time the opening goal when some good built-up play from the visitors who then found Grace Ayre whose shot took a deflection of Rebecca Mckenna and Pass Lucy Thomas to put the Wildcats 0-1 up.

HALF TIME BLUES WOMEN 0-1 DURHAM WOMEN

SECOND HALF 

There wasn’t a lot to shout about in the second half the first chance came for the visitors in the 59^th minute when Substitute was straight into the action when her shot went wide.

The Wildcats almost put the game to bed when a thunderous effort from Mollie Lambert rebounded of the crossbar in the 69^th minute.

The only Blues chance of any note in the second half came just before the end of the game when substitute Ellie Mason made some space, and her effort was straight out Tatiana Saunders.

FULL TIME BLUES WOMEN 0-1 DURHAM WOMEN

MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME

This is one of the worst performances from the players I have seen under the guidance of Amy Merricks there were over thinking the people who had composure like Neve Herron there were giving the ball away it was one of those days in Amys post reaction she mention there was another game where they did not react in the way she wanted and that was the Newcastle game but in that second half there was a reaction but like what Amy says you have to be at it from the referees first whistle. I know people complain about Durhams tactics not just in this game but at the beginning of the season but to me you play to the players strengths and like I said in that Durham lose at the end of September it’s not just one way of playing the game.  But what I like about Amy since she came to Blues after a defeat there is always a reaction especially in the league. Especially the game after the Newcastle came one of the best performances of the season against London City, we need that type of reaction against Leicester City in the league cup first of all then another massive game in the Championship against Charlton who we haven’t beaten in the league since are relegation and we need to brake that duck. The only positives from the game were Cho and Ellie Mason and, in my opinion, should have started the game with their physicality hopefully there play on Wednesday.

MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH 

I have to go for Grace Ayre scoring her first senior goal in her career a wonderful moment for her.

UP NEXT 

We back in the women’s league cup action against Leicester City at Meadow’s Lane this Wednesday at 19:00

KRO STEPHEN GILL