Thursday 29th October
Game five v Bad Aussee
An away game again this evening and in the fantastic stadium at Bad Aussee set in the mountains on the way to Halstatt.
A very warm welcome was given us and again it was so good to see several players that we had played against the previous year. The teams gathered in the changing rooms after the game as Sue shared testimony.
It was a very special evening and several players were both moved and touched by what Sue shared and mentioned this in the conversations afterwards. It is so encouraging to see the one to one conversations that take place afterwards and the booklets being received and looked through.
We even got to sing happy birthday to one of the girls, Theresa, from Bad Aussee.
Match report:
1-1 (0-0 HT Luca)
Both teams played very well from the start this evening. A high tempo warm up helped and we saw some of the best possession football we have seen all tour. Both goalkeepers were in fine form with important saves being made, to keep the score surprisingly goalless at half time. Zoe in particular stopped a certain goal with amazing reflexes as she, at full stretch, stuck out her leg to block the ball, which was headed for the bottom left corner of her goal!
The second half began in the same vein with fluent passing giving SportsReach several chances, with some going narrowly wide and others finding the Bad Aussee keeper in inspired form! With our defence playing well, Ruth always offering an outlet on the left and providing width and energy on that side in support of Luca, Sue again down the right and Vicky and Lara in turn strong in the middle, Bad Aussee managed to break away and fire a shot goal wards. As Zoe stretched to block the ball it took an unkind and wicked bounce with more spin than a Moeen Ali ball and zipped up over her hand and into the net. ☹
This setback spurred the team on and with Jen and Tanja again pulling the strings in midfield, Sarah being the focal point of attack to receive and pass the ball and Annie making great runs (she did however nearly score against us as she helped the opposition out for a short time as a girl had to leave the field injured and they had no spare players)!
Charlotte and Lizzie provided well needed rest spells too as they came on and filled in excellently as strong fullbacks on either side! You can’t get past the Hyde sisters!! ☺
Luca was desperate to get a goal before she took her turn as goalkeeper and her persistence was rewarded as at the end of a swift passing move her shot finally found its way past the keeper and into the net. 1-1
Luca went in goal and Lara her twin replaced her up front and again following great build up play as the ball was moved across the defence through the midfield by Jen and a run and cross from Tanja saw the ball flash across the front of goal and great movement from Lara saw her narrowly fail to connect with the ball which would have resulted in a certain goal but it wasn’t to be and the game finished 1-1.
Bad Aussee, we found out after, are having a good season thus far and are unbeaten and second in the league only to Rottenmann.
In the end it was such a fantastic and very sporting game, great to play in and a real joy to watch.
Very well played both teams.
