The Trafalgar Women’s team had a big week with 2 conclusive wins. On Wednesday night the girls played our first Cup game for the season against Olympians on the hallowed turf at the LaTrobe City Stadium – always a treat!
What was much more of a treat though was the style and fluidity that we played with. Starting with 10 players and quickly being reduced to 9 after an injury, made no difference to us as we played one of those rare games of total cohesion where everyone was in the right place and running into the right space. Inspiration came from Jacklyn Borsato a veteran of one game, who started at left back and repeatedly read the play better than her opponents and launched us into attack. Tumi Yusuf took that inspiration and scored 3 goals following on from 5 on the previous Sunday! However to highlight two players is slightly unfair as the whole 9 player team played equally as well in an almost flawless display which unusually left me struggling for comments. I still managed a few criticisms. The final score of 7-1 was a good reflection.
On Sunday we travelled to Tyers; in my time involved in Gippsland soccer this has never been a happy hunting ground although last year we went close to the eventual premiers there. This year is different. Tyers have had a major exodus of players and we are playing at another level so our confidence was higher than usual. The game started strangely very quietly – literally! I could hear the calls of the many birds in this isolated location more than any players, but we quietly worked our way into ascendancy with only the bare 11 players available. However this 11 players were more than a match for Tyers. For the fourth game in a row we controlled the play squandering many chances but scoring enough to put the game beyond doubt. Our passing to feet would be the envy of any team. I had pity on Claudia our goalkeeper at half time after barely having touched the ball, and gave Jackie a chance at this underrated position. She almost made it through the second half without a touch!
We won 3-0. The pleasing aspect of the game was the increasing creation of forward opportunities, something that has largely eluded us in the last few seasons although last year we improved out of sight and results were cheated only by player availability. The backline has been superb to date and will withstand any test. We have scored 18 goals in 4 games and are just getting our best forward line together after injury delayed the season start for a number of players. Bigger tests are to come but we are meeting them so far!
Report by Senior Women’s Coach Tony Wyatt
