Open Age Team Page......

After the intense build up to this RUGFC Women's inaugural match in the FA Women's Cup this nine goal thriller provided a fitting conclusion. In conditions that were more like a summer day than October Silverdale taking advantage of the slope and the evident pressure felt by the home team pressed forward and for 10 minutes the pressure being applied looked like the Reds would not be able to resist.

However Redditch started to play themselves into the game and as the game became more balanced began to create opportunities of their own, it was at this point that Silverdale counter attacked and found Redditch sleeping momentarily and opened the scoring.

Redditch allowed their heads to drop for a few moments and the same Silverdale players found herself in plenty of space to beat the Reds keeper again. At this point it looked like Silverdale now in the driving seat would perhaps add to their score. However Redditch showed a great deal of character and maintaining a confident approach were rewarded with a free kick after Lingham with her pace got away from the defence only to pulled to the ground.

The referee booked the offending player who could be viewed to have been lucky to not be sent off, if the offence had happened slightly closer to the Silverdale this would certainly have been the case.

The resulting free kick was superbly buried in to the top corner of the next from Laura Perkins giving the 'dale keeper no chance. Shortly after Lingham again broke through only to be adjudged offside with the assistant referee not seeing a player right in front of him running out of defence. So half time was reached with the visitors holding the slender advantage.

The second half saw Redditch take the game to Silverdale and a super run from the ring wing from Lingham saw her powerful shot beat the goalkeeper and draw the teams level.

Redditch by this time were having the best of the game but Silverdale regained their composure and started knocking the ball about however it was another defensive lapse that saw Natalie Whittington half tackle the Silverdale forward and with an advancing keeper Kirsty Grigg the attackers quick feet saw he get off a shot that was place wide of Grigg and found the back of the net. In retrospect the best decision would have been for Grigg to have held her ground in the 6 yard box.

However the Reds pushed forward again applying pressure only to be with another good counter attack and a speculative shot was block by Whittingham but the deflection left Grigg with no chance.

It looked again as if Silverdale had sealed the game. Redditch weren't about to lie down and in a period of intense pressure which saw Silverdale get all players behind the ball their defence was eventually breached when a cross from the right wing found Lingham in the 6 yard box to prod the ball home. With Redditch making attacking substitutions and Silverdale feeling the strain Sarah Badger gave the Silverdale right back no time on the ball and hurried clearance went straight to Lingham who calmly took it away from the keeper and pass it past an on rushing defender to round the tie at 4-4.

With the 90 minutes all most up Silverdale won a corner unnecessarily give away by Redditch. The well taken corner found a Silverdale player whose unchallenged header found its way passed a number of players and the back net. This proved to be the winner in an exiting enjoyable game as from the restart the referee blew the final whistle.

Gutting for the whole of the Redditch squad, management and spectators but by the same token Silverdale will feel that they deserved the win. The game was played in great spirit by both teams and the spectators certainly got value for money and contributed to a fantastic match.

Well done everyone involved in the day and the the Committee of RUGFC and Redditch United FC who made the event possible.