JERSEY FA Women concluded the Southern Counties Competition with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Army FA at Springfield, but coach Chad Morris was “extremely proud” of his group after the game.
The five-team league, featuring women’s teams from Jersey, the Army, Essex, Middlesex and Kent, has been hotly contested this season, with all teams chalking up at least one win.
The Army side, whose squad has changed throughout the competition, fielded a strong line-up in preparation for the impending Inter Service Competition.
The visitors looked strong from the off and immediately put the home side on the back foot, leading to a slightly unusual goal from striker Demi Edwards, to give Army a slender half-time lead following confusion at the back for the Caesareans.
However, both Morris and captain Libby Barnett were very impressed with how their side battled in the second half.
Barnett, who plays her club football at Jersey Wanderers, said: “It was a really tough game.
“We knew they were going to be physical and well organised and that’s exactly how they played.
“I thought we defended really well but, by defending their positions, it meant we were unable to attack to our strengths.
“Even though we went in 1-0 down heading into the break, we knew we were still very much in the game and I’m really impressed with the character we showed in the second half.
“We really took the game on, looking to move the ball quicker and put them under pressure and I think we were unlucky not to come away with a positive result.
“You know, two or three years ago we’d have been happy to walk off with a decent performance regardless of the result, but now we’re gutted we didn’t win that game.
“We’ve got an amazing group of players and the fact we’re demanding so much of ourselves is testament to where we are right now.
“It was our last game of the competition, in front of our home crowd at Springfield, so of course we’re disappointed, but it’s a privilege to be disappointed.”
Coach Morris added: “I’m extremely proud of the girls proving they are capable of mixing it with the best throughout this competition.
“They came flying out the blocks at us and it was a case of staying composed and compact.
“I think we defended well under pressure, especially down the right-hand side with the one-on-one situations.
“We knew our midfield three was stronger than theirs, and if we could get the ball there as often as possible and move quickly we would create chances and we did that in the second half.
“We were able to get the ball wide and our third player runs were particularly strong, allowing our midfield to break forwards as well.
“The Army were a good team and we competed really well with them.
“The fact that post-game all the girls were gutted is a great reflection of where this group is at now and it’s a really good position mentally for us to be in moving forward.
“This group has the drive to be better and we are improving with every game.”
Despite the unfortunate mix-up leading to the goal, goalkeeper Sara Luce made some stellar saves for the Islanders and earned high praise from her coach.
“I thought Sara Luce was outstanding,” Morris continued.
She’s a top goalkeeper and her ability and commitment to playing out from the back in a composed way is key to the way we want to play.
“The goal was unfortunate, but full credit to her for continuing to play the way we want to and trusting her teammates to give them the ball quickly from the back.
“She made a few superb saves as well. For such a young player she stayed remarkably composed and she’s got a really bright future in the game.
“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the competition this year, none of which could have been possible without Ingram Advocates and their support for women’s football.
“The girls can move forwards now with a massive boost in confidence and I’m excited for when we next take the field.”
Skipper Barnett concluded: “It’s always an honour to play at Springfield. We hear the crowd every time we win a header or a tackle and that really spurs us on.
“With the Muratti coming up in May, we’d love to see a big crowd there to cheer us on again.”
Jersey FA Women [4-4-2]: Sara Luce, Tiffany Sundby, Sofia Rodrigues, Libby Barnett (c), Poppy Benest, Sophie Botterill, Ella Docherty (Emily Le Page 63), Holly Muirhead, Jodie Botterill, Leah Morris, Hannah Lynam (Samantha Silva 52). Unused: Danni Da Silva, Lucy Even, Ana Malta.
