With Christmas around the corner, the last game of 2015 saw Arnold Town Ladies play an away game against Rise Park in the familiar surroundings of Eagle Valley. Having lost the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season, it was important to show how far this team really had come as only three players were new to the starting line up on that day.
With the usual Arnold wind blowing a gale, Arnold Town had it in their favour in the first half. Crunching challenges were allowed to go by the referee as neither side held back in the first 30 minutes. Rise Park edged the corner count but neither side really created a clear cut chance. Emily Nelis, Molly Parker and Chloe Jordan had the best opportunities for Arnold but lost out to a heavy touch or an unlucky bounce. It took sheer persistence to create the break through as Molly Parker chased a lost cause into the Rise half which saw the defender panic and clear for a corner. From the set piece, Claire Potter connected well running across the front post to put the visitors into the lead at the break.
With the wind now against them, the light fading and a tropical storm brewing, Arnold knew that they only had to keep a clean sheet in order to collect the 3 points. The second half certainly was a much more backs-to-the-wall performance but boy, did they stand up to everything that was thrown at them. Considering the age difference in the two teams Arnold players didn’t give an inch and played with a maturity rarely seen over the last few years. The defence welcomed back Chay Davey to steady the ship, and Charley Norman passed a late fitness test to play the whole 90 minutes at left back. Claire Potter won every header and tackle and in my opinion, the best right back in the league in Tina Potter prevented Rise Park getting any chances at goal other than long range shots which were comfortably saved by the reliable Emily Hallam.
The midfield will have come away with bumps and bruises but that was due to them putting their bodies on the line for the team. Captain Jenny Lorimer was asked to play a more defensive role even though her show boating the week before would have got fans paying to watch, and she demonstrated the attitude that is moving through the whole club at the moment, as she held the team together as a real leader does. Chloe Stocks moved from the back four into a more defensive midfield role and showed the class that makes every Arnold manager want her in their side, and Elli Leathen proved that she has the mental strength to go along side her obvious talent.
With the daylight almost non-existent Rise were unable to break the side down and Arnold went into the Christmas break with another win, and hopefully a message to all the other teams in the East Midland Premier League, that this club is no longer an easy team to play against.
Team: E.Hallam, T.Potter, C.Davey, C.Potter, C.Norman, J.Lorimer (c), C.Stocks, C.Jordan, E.Leathen, M.Parker, E.Nelis
