On November 6th, Cardiff University Ladies’ Football (CULF) made the journey to Bath Spa for their cup match. Despite Reading Week leading to a limited squad size, the girls played exceptionally well. From the warm-up, it was evident that the team was ready to win. Captain and goalkeeper for the match, Sophie Hauptmann, made some great saves during the striking practice before kick-off. The team was in safe hands.
As the match kicked off, CULF looked strong. In the first five minutes, there was very good build-up play from the team, in particular Number 9, Erin Slade; Number 10, Sam Coffey; and Number 11, Sai Fisher. All three had an instant impact on the pitch, with some incredibly well-timed runs.Their defence was very strong; every corner Spa had was immediately dealt with. In the eighth minute, Cardiff had a corner taken well by Sai Fisher while Spa’s headed it over the bar. Another corner came for Cardiff, and this time it went narrowly wide— very unlucky not to take the lead. Erin Slade, looked very confident on the ball, but in the thirteenth minute she got taken down in the box holding her head. It was unclear how serious the injury was; the Spa team gave her space and huddled up as the CULF team ran to her aid with a bottle of water.
Cardiff’s Number 10 had a lot of pace and outran the Spa player. She marked her, but a dangerous tackle saw her taken down. The free kick was taken well by CULF, but Spa’s goalkeeper, Izzy, made a clinical save at full stretch. In the twenty-first minute, Number 7, Catherine Andrews, scored the opening goal. The goal gave the team a lot of confidence despite a hand-ball and a free kick for Spa. The CULF counter-attack and defence were perfect. In the thirty-fifth minute it looked like we were going to score another as Number 9 went for goal, but it hit the side netting. Olivia Shaw tracked back a lot throughout the first half and it worked out in her favour: after Spa had an incomplete pass, she scored the second goal for CULF in the thirty-ninth minute. Player Number 5 had played an incredible first half, with “she just did a three-point turn” being yelled on the touchline by Spa supporters. In the forty-fourth minute, Erin went for goal again, but Spa’s goalkeeper safely saved it. On the stroke of half-time, Number 8, Olivia Shaw, scored a screamer, making the score 0–3 at the break.
After a firm team talk at the break, Cardiff looked confident as they returned back to the pitch. In the forty-ninth minute, Number 10 went for goal, but once again Spa’s goalkeeper managed to block the ball. Spa needed a goal desperately and they were fast on the counter-attack. They went for goal, but our Number 1 and captain, Sophie, made a good stop. I could see in her eyes she wanted that clean sheet. Ashleigh, the Number 17, substitution made a great impact as the fresh legs were needed for Cardiff.
Spa were making aggressive tackles. Cardiff were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position after Ashleigh was taken down. Number 10 took it well but Spa’s goalkeeper saved it. CULF were not done though, as in the seventy-first minute who else could it be as Number 8 gets a well-deserved hat-trick. In the seventy-seven minute CULF got a penalty. Number 10 stood up to take it, but Spa’s keeper saved it confidently. Just before the whistle is blown Ashleigh CULF’s Number 17 gets pulled down aggressively by Spa defence and a free kick is given as the last kick of the game. A massive result for the Cardiff team: Spa 0 – Cardiff 4.
Post Match CULF keeper and captain Sophie Hauptmann said: “So pleased with the entire team for putting in top notch performances throughout the match even though we had limited numbers. To walk away with a 4-0 win in a cup match given these circumstances is something I am very proud of the girls for accomplishing.”