Saturday 18th May - Caversham
For the final game of the season we were up against old rivals and
League Cup winners Caversham. Although we were missing Kirsty and Amy, Caversham were even
more under strength only managing to field 10 players. Despite this they showed why they have
caused us so many problems in the past with some strong defensive work and dangerous attacks on
the break through their very fast strikers. However, our girls were clearly determined to avenge the
Cup semi-final defeat and put in a massive effort. There were some lovely passing moves, helped by
the excellent state of the pitch and we dominated play. Despite having most of the possession we
were struggling to find a way through until Leanne hit a great strike from an acute angle which
cleared the goalie and went in off the post. We went into half time 1-0 up but knew the second half
would not be easy. Again Caversham gave us a few worries with their attacking speed but our
defence held strong. The second goal was a great individual effort from Hannah, bursting through
strongly and unleashing an unstoppable drive high into the net. The victory was confirmed shortly
before the end when Charlotte tapped home after the goalie had made a great save. It was great to
finish with a 3-0 win and to put in an outstanding performance against very tough opposition. Player
of the game went to both Charlotte and Hannah for some excellent attacking play and their goals.
Saturday 11th May
After the disappointment of the draw in the first match, and heavy legs, the second
part of the double header with Thatcham saw a lethargic Twyford performance in the first half. The
strong Thatcham attack had many chances and whilst the defence were able to deal with most of
these, their formidable number 9 got away on one occasion, and was able to give Thatcham a half
time lead. The break was used by Brian and Paul to give the team the 'hairdryer treatment' and the
second half saw a reinvigorated Twyford team really take the game to the opposition. Within a
minute, Leanne had a strong run down the left wing cutting inside to shoot, which the keeper was
only able to block into the path of Holly who equalised from short range. A number of other chances
followed, but Twyford were not able to convert. Hannah, who had been carrying an injury from the
first half, finally had to leave the pitch, and with no substitutes, Twyford were forced to play with 10.
Thatcham made the extra player count. Andie pushed a strong shot onto the crossbar, and made
other good saves, but following a robust challenge, which took Kirsty out, Thatcham used the space
to retake the lead. Also a third goal followed in the final minute to give a lopsided score which didn't
reflect the closeness of the match or the effort put in by the whole team. Player of the second match
went to Andie, for some great saves.
It was the first of our four quarters against a very strong Thatcham team. We
were short on players, with only 11, and some people had to play out of position, Caitlin being one of
them, who had an excellent game in central midfield with Holly and really controlling the game and
winning every ball. Our other player out of position was Andie who also played brilliantly, with great
saves. We had some great chances with a few brilliant shots from Hannah coming agonisingly
close. Some great defending work from our defenders and goalie made sure that we kept a clean
sheet. The back four were brilliant with great play from everyone, Lauren with great passes to
Leanne for her then to do brilliant runs. Sophie and Kirsty were superb and made some crucial
tackles in the box. CJ made some brilliant balls over the top to Charlotte, who linked up brilliantly
with Holly, for her great play in midfield. Chloe was excellent down the wing as always making the
tackles when needed. So 0-0 and a point a piece, which neither side really wanted. Player of the
game was Caitlin for a great performance in a new position.
Saturday 4th May
Games against Woodley are always very tight with two very evenly matched
teams but who play in very different styles - Comets preferring to play a passing game whilst
Woodley prefer a fast counter attacking game. The girls were coping well on a poor pitch and there
was very little in it until Woodley powered their way through to score and lead at half time. In the
second half Woodley continued their robust game with some questionable aggression which was not
picked up by the ref. Despite this Comets continued to play some great passing football with
everyone putting in massive effort. This was rewarded when Hannah won the ball and placed a great
shot over the keeper high into the net. Woodley were really rattled and were relying on their
aggression and helpful line assistant. An apparent foul in midfield was missed by the ref and Woodley
again powered through for a second. Twyford thought we had equalised again when Leanne shot
only for the ball to be cleared either off or possibly behind the line. The bad language from Woodley
was unfortunately not dealt with by the ref but it just spurred our girls on to play some excellent
football and work really hard for the rest of the team. It was 2-1 loss but the team can rightly feel
very proud of a great performance. Player of the Game when to Lauren for some excellent defensive
work before she took a nasty knock to her ankle.
Wednesday 1st May
It was a beautiful sunny evening at Stanlake and despite the girls having put in a
hard day's work at school (or so they say!), they still put in 100% against a robust Warfield
team. From the start it was a game that was played mostly in midfield. Comets were putting
together some good passing moves but Warfield were very resilient and it was proving difficult to get
the ball through to make a clear attack on goal. However, Twyford were clearly the dominant team
and this was rewarded when Chloe played a quick short corner and then put in a great cross which
the keeper fumbled into the goal. The second half followed the pattern of the first. Even when
Warfield made an attack our defence was strong and there wasn't a single shot at our goal. The best
move of the game was from a quick free kick taken deep in the Twyford half which was quickly
moved up to Hannah who wasted no time in unleashing a great shot which scraped the wrong side of
the post. However, the constant pressure paid off when another free kick, this time taken by Holly
was only half cleared so Holly could knock it back in and an unfortunate Warfield defender headed it
over her keeper. The 2-0 scoreline didn't reflect Twyford's dominance but once again the team
showed great spirit and effort. Player of the Game was Andi for a great, battling midfield
performance.
Saturday 20th April
After several bad weather postponements we finally managed to
play the Cup semi-final against Caversham and the match certainly lived up to the expectation of
being very close. We managed to weather the storm during our normal slow start, the defence
holding up very well. As the first half went on we got into the game and the teams showed how
evenly matched they were. Towards the end of the first half Comets had the better of the play so it
was against the run of play when Caversham managed to score. A good move down the left resulted
in a shot which was saved and then cleared off the line only for a Caversham boot to find the
net. After the break we went close with several chances, but Caversham remained dangerous on the
break calling for some great defensive work. The girls were putting in massive effort to win the ball,
typified by Amy's leap to go for a header. Unfortunately she landed badly on her back and the
ambulance had to be called. Thankfully it looks as though there was no serious damage but our very
best wishes go to Amy for a speedy recovery. Once the game restarted Hannah had a great long
range shot which we were convinced was in only for it to just miss the top corner. So it finished 1-0
to Caversham, but the team can feel enormously proud of a brilliant team effort, everyone showing
great commitment and willingness to work hard. The team as a whole was awarded the Player of the
Game.
Saturday 9th Mar - Theale
Twyford Comets walked out thinking that it was going to be an easy game to win due
to the fact that Theale could only field nine players. Amy was first on the score sheet with an
impressive shot that floated over the keeper. Next came Holly with a powerful shot that was right on
target, putting the scoreline to 2-0. Theale didn't give up and ended up scoring two goals to bring the
scoreline level. Twyford came back with a goal almost from the kickoff as a result of Leanne's very
nimble footwork, dribbling it past the impressive Theale defence and around their keeper to finish
with a very cool little tap in. The crowd thought it was four when Molly capitalised on a good pass in
to the box and knocked it into the goal. However this goal was disallowed due to a controversial
offside, just like the Reading vs Aston Villa game! The score finished 3-2 to Twyford. Special mention
to Andie, who proved a more than capable set of safe hands between the woodwork. The two Theale
goals were impressive and Andie did a fantastic job to keep the scoreline at just two! Player of the
game went to Leanne for both her impressive goal and resilience, despite having a tough player
marking her.
Not the best game from a tactical or skillful point of view, none the less it was a great
warm up to next weeks semi-final!
Saturday 9th Feb - Theale
Comets went into this game unbeaten in Cup or League since September and from
the start of the game it was clear this run would continue. Theale showed very strong defensive
qualities with a well drilled back four, catching us offside on several occasions. So despite most of
the play being in the Theale half of the pitch, midway through the first half it was still
goalless. However Comets dominance soon bore fruit when Leanne picked her spot to beat the
impressive goalkeeper. The fluency of Comets passing was too much for the combative Theale team
and Chloe doubled the lead with a thumping shot past the goalie. The third goal came from a great
cross which was met with perfect timing by Charlotte to score from close range. After the break
Comets continued to dominate though the robust Theale defence prevented us adding to the
scoreline. The 3-0 winning scoreline did not do justice to the Comets dominance as Ellie didn't have a
save to make. Player of the Game was Holly for her great leadership and influential play.
Sat 12th Jan - Caversham
It was touch and go whether this game would start given the state of the pitch but
thanks to Brian's efforts adding chief groundsman to his already extensive list of dutes, all agreed the
game could be played. It was just as well as the game proved to be one of the best all season. The
teams were evenly matched with Caversham being solid at the back and dangerous on the
break. Comets meanwhile continued with their recent confidence and commitment, again passing the
ball well and creating chances. Against the run of play Caversham went ahead but it did not take
long for Hannah to equalise with a great finish. The game was again even in the second half until
Caversham went ahead with a goal almost identical to their first. Yet again though our girls showed
they are at their very best when behind and produced some sustained pressure, being rewarded with
an equaliser through another good finish from Hannah. Not content though with a draw, Comets
continued to push and managed to snatch a winner when Caitlin latched onto a great cross to score
her first goal for Comets. It was a great game and Player of the Game went to Leanne for some
outstanding passing and excellent commitment.
Sat 5th Jan - Bedfont
With the league not due to restart till next week, this was a chance to get our game
together with a friendly against Bedfont. The last time we played it finished 5-5 so we were
expecting a tough game and the first 10 minutes confirmed this as we struggled to contain a strong
start from the opposition. Bedfont went ahead, but their goal seemed to steady us and the girls
started to get the passing going well. We finished the first half the stronger team and continued this
into the second half, getting just reward early on when Holly finished well from a delightful chip from
Amy. We had several more chances and were not looking threatened as the defence were covering
each other well. Hattie added a second with a well struck long shot and a great shot from a tight
angle from Hannah completed an excellent 3-1 victory. It was an extremely impressive performance
from the whole team but Player of the Game went to Chloe Rogers for some excellent passing and
movement.
Sat 8th Dec - Wargrave
This game was definitely worthy of the 'game of two halves' cliche. It was good to
see Wargrave managed to field a full team and in the first half they showed they had improved
greatly since we last played them, often beating us to the ball and playing with great
commitment. The 0-0 scoreline at half time was the cue for Paul to deliver a Fergie style 'hairdryer'
and the team responded in magnificent form. The play was faster and more determined and
everyone looking as though they wanted the win. The new attitude was soon rewarded with Holly
putting us in front with a knock in before Hannah slotted one in at the near post. The scoring of the
'H's continued when Hattie hit a fierce shot high into the net and Hannah took a second, knocking in
from Amy's shot. Amy then got two very good goals of her own. There were a few other chances
that were close but a 6-0 scoreline was a fair reflection on an excellent second half. Player of the
Game was Amy not just for her goals, but her excellent work rate including an outstanding tackle at a
crucial time.
Sat 24th Nov - Thatcham
It was touch and go whether this game happened at all given the heavy rain and
then lack of a full Thatcham team. But the pitch miraculously seemed to avoid the big puddles
littering the rest of Stanlake and the 3 missing Thatcham team players turned up 5 mins after the
kickoff, so it was game on! Our girls started as they meant to go on and were dominating play, with
several great chances being created but nothing going in until Hannah put us 1-0 up tapping in a
saved shot. Although Thatcham spent a lot of time defending, when they did attack they looked
dangerous but our back four did a great job meaning Ellie had very little to do. Despite this
Thatcham managed to level the score before we deservedly regained the lead. Amy scored an
outstanding goal, calmly beating a defender before a strong shot which beat the otherwise impressive
goalkeeper. After the break we continued to dominate and came close several times, but with only a
single goal lead it was nail-biting at times until the ref blew the final whistle. Another great team
effort and well-deserved win against a tough team. Player of the Game was captain Holly John who
put in yet another great midfield performance, leading from the front. Special mention to Mollie for
checking after the game whether one of the puddles was deep enough to swim in, and finding it was!
Sat 17th Nov - Woodley
We last met Woodley in a pre-season friendly which was a nail-biting game ending in
a 2-2 draw so we were expecting another tense game and that is just what we got! Early on Woodley
were dominating, playing with a lot of players forward but the defence was proving solid. The first
goal was rather soft, the ball bobbling around in the penalty area before a Woodley shot deflected in.
This seemed to galvanize Comets and the match was much more even for the rest of the first half,
despite Woodley making several very robust challenges for the ball. Brian and Rory's half time talk
(or was it the oranges!) gave the girls a new lease of life and the second half performance was one of
the best of the season. Hattie really asserted herself in a defensive midfield role, consistently
breaking down attacks, whilst the strikers were repeatedly outpacing the defence. The equaliser
came after some great work was completed by Mollie with a pinpoint shot into the
corner. Unfortunately Woodley quickly struck back with a great strike high into the net, before a fully
justified equaliser came from Amy who slotted in from an acute angle. We were dominating the
game at the end but a 2-2 draw was a fair result. Player of the Game was Hattie Coupe for an
outstanding midfield performance.
Sat 10th Nov - Warfield
It felt like ages since we last had a league game and we very nearly didn't have this
one as the pitch we were due to play on was waterlogged when we arrived. We had to wait for
another pitch to be available but thankfully the late start did not upset the team and they made a
very strong start to the game, dominating possession and going in front from a great move down the
right wing, with a pass from CJ, great cross from Hannah and clinical finish from Amy. CJ produced
another great pass to allow Holly to add a second and the third came from the same Hannah cross,
Amy finish combination as the first. Amy definitely had her shooting boots on and produced a
fantastic finish high into the corner to crown a brilliant passing move down the left wing. Hannah
picked up two excellent poachers goals before half time to cap an outstanding first half. After the
break Warfield seemed to wake up a bit and the Comets passing and finishing was not quite as crisp
as before the break. Nevertheless Hattie added her name to the scoresheet with a delicate chip over
the goalie to complete an excellent 7-0 win. Player of the Game was Chloe John for some brilliant
passing.
Sat 13th Oct - Wargrave
After last weeks friendly it was back to league action this week against a Wargrave
team who were only able to get 10 players to the match. Despite the normal slow start, Comets
quickly started to dominate play and were soon ahead through a good break from Hannah. The
Wargrave goalie was performing heroics for her team but good pressure and some very nice passing
meant the goals kept coming for Comets with Holly, Hattie, Chloe R, Leanne and Charlotte all hitting
the net in the first half. Wargrave got one back from a corner early in the second half. However, the
Comets pressure was unrelenting and more goals were added from Amy, Leanne, an own goal and
another 3 from Holly making her top scorer on the day. It finished 12-1 and our tally could have
been higher but for some excellent stops from their keeper, so Brian very generously awarded a
medal to the Wargrave goalie for her performance - showing once again that for Comets it is about
Respect. Our player of the game was Leanne for some outstanding passes and creating a constant
threat around goal.
Sat 6th Oct - Laurel Park
As our league game against Thatcham was postponed we played host to Division 1
side Laurel Park for 3 x 30 minute matches. With a few regulars missing this was a chance to try
players in some unfamiliar positions, but despite the changes the team did not look at all unsettled
and played some really good football against tough opposition. The first game was a real success
finishing 0-0, with great resilience from the girls and a hook back off the line from Ellie to keep the
opposition at bay. A goal on the break for Laurel Park was the only difference in the second game
and again the third game was tight but finished 2-0 to Laurel Park. The second LP goal was an
excellent cross and header to the corner. So despite two narrow defeats and a draw it was an
outstanding performance for the team and if they can carry that form into next week's league game
we can expect a great result. Player of the Game was Ellie for some truly outstanding saves, the pick
of the bunch being a one-handed tip over from a very good Laurel Park shot.
Sat 29th Sept - Caversham Red Swans
This was the fist proper 11 a-side game of the season and it took a little while for
the girls to get going, though neither side gave much away in the first half and at half time it was 00. Comets stepped it up a gear in the second half, making sure they got to the ball early and
dominated the game. It was against the run of play that Caversham went ahead through a break
which caught the defence. However, the team showed great spirit to come back when Amy scored
after Hannah's initial shot was saved. Despite Twyford continuing to be the stronger team,
Caversham took advantage of another break to go ahead again before adding a third. It was a great
effort from the team and the result did not reflect the strength of the performance. Player of the
Game was Chloe John who had an outstanding game, coming to our rescue on many occasions and
putting in some great passes. Finally, apologies to Hannah for not mentioning her 2 second half goals
in last weeks game - the match report has now been amended below!
Sat 22nd Sept - Wantage
A great day for the team recording their biggest win in history! For the second
week running the opposition were only able to field 8 players so again we played 9 a-side. Comets
started the way they meant to go on with a goal from the first attack of the game. The situation went
from bad to worse for Wantage as one of their players injured her foot and had to go off. Mollie
kindly went in goal for Wantage and despite some very good stops could not stop a rampant Comets
attack from netting 10 goals in the first half with 4 each for Amy and Leanne plus two for
Hannah. Twyford were using the space and time on the ball to put in some excellent passing moves
and the second half continued like the first with plenty of goals. Amy took over from Mollie between
the sticks for Wantage and also did a great job for the opposition. Despite this Twyford scored
another 8 in the second half, with Ellie (2), Hattie (2) and Molly (1) scoring their first goals for
Comets, another two for Hannah and captain Holly also getting on the scoresheet. So it was 18-0 in
the end but all credit to the Wantage team who kept trying right up to the final whistle. Player of the
game went to Amy for scoring 4 goals and saving a lot more for Wantage!
Sat 15th Sept - Theale
The league season got off to a great start with a 6-1 win over Theale. Their was
confusion at the start as Theale could only get 8 players so the girls chose to play 9 a-side with lots of
substitutions which kept Brian and Paul very busy! Comets were dominant from the start with some
great passing taking advantage of the extra player. The dominance was rewarded early on with an
excellent goal on her competitive Comets debut for Charlie. This was followed shortly after by a
really well worked goal with Amy sprinting down the wing to cross in for Hannah to finish. After the
halftime break Comets were once again well on top and Leanne latched on to an excellent through
ball from Hannah to shoot powerfully over the keeper. The goals kept coming, Hannah producing a
great finish after a pass from Mollie to CJ who passed beautifully into space for Hannah to run
onto. It was another great through ball, this time from Leanne, that allowed Amy to get her first of
the season, and Hannah completed her hattrick, thanks to a lovely pass from Holly. Theale did get
one goal which looped over Ellie but generally they had no answer to the excellent defensive
work. Odd moment of the game went to Holly when she picked the ball up and did a throw although
the ball had not gone out! Player of the Game was Chloe Rogers for some superb midfield play
with great passing and excellent corner kicks.
Sat 8th Sept - Woodley Friendly
A close and entertaining game against a Woodley team that managed to
shake off the summer break a bit more quickly than our girls. We were under pressure from the start
and were finding it particularly hard to cope with the through ball from midfield into the gap behind our
back four. This tactic was working well for Woodley and enabled them to go into the half time break 2-0
ahead. A revised defensive strategy paid dividends in the second half and we managed to put together
some strong attacking play which got its rewards with two excellent finishes from Hannah. The game
finished 2-2 and the girls deserve great credit for making a good comeback and finishing the stronger
team. Special mention to our latest signings Caitlin, Charlotte and Hattie who received their kit and
made their match debuts today.