Flo’s strike secures U’s girls point at league leaders Forest
FLO Hjaltun-Rayner’s 63rd-minute wonder-strike was enough to give Cambridge United Women U18s a well-deserved draw away to league leaders Nottingham Forest in a hightempo and at times breathless encounter in the Junior Premier League on Saturday.
The 30-yard piledriver from wide on the right flew into the top corner and completed a rousing secondhalf comeback that almost yielded all the points, if for missed chances and a string of saves by the opposition goalkeeper.
The draw keeps tabs on Derby County and Forest at the top of the table with only four points separating the top three sides.
Whilst coach Sean Greygoose was disappointed to lose his team’s seven-game winning streak, he was delighted with the attitude of the players and the confidence that gives them as they chase silverware in the league and two cup competitions.
“I think it was fair to say that in the first half we were great in terms of our defending with tackles and blocks,” said Greygoose. “We stopped them from creating any real clear-cut chances. We never had lots of possession but as a group we were solid when defending.
“At half-time we spoke about playing without fear and being more positive. After the break, I think it was possibly one of the best halves of football if not the best we have seen from the girls this season.
“A combination of good goalkeeping and us not taking some chances was the only reason we didn’t come away with the three points.
“I can’t fault any of the girls for going and competing with a really strong Forest side who currently sit top. It’s shown how far the girls have improved since the early part of the season and hopefully we can continue this for the rest of this season.”
Forest started the game on the front foot and in the second minute Lilly-Grace Cooke in the U’s goal had to be alert to save from a corner. The first chance for the visitors fell to Natasha Coe, who shot off target when left unmarked 20 yards from goal.
United were playing a high line to pressure Forest, with Coe forcing a corner and Katie Watler winning the ball in defence and immediately starting an attack. Holly Plummer and captain Sydney Daniels both had to put their bodies on the line to repel Forest attacks and Watler was excellent with a series of defensive headers.
It was a risky policy but made for some entertaining quick-paced football with great technique being displayed by both sides. However, on 28 minutes a long kick from the Forest keeper broke the U’s defensive line and the cross was finished by the opposition striker to break the deadlock.
The half-time talk from Greygoose and co-coach Charlotte Crisp obviously worked as within a minute of the restart Coe had a shot on goal then sent a dangerous cross across the face of goal.
Emila Reinhardt, Mille Docking and Lily Horsler were all putting pressure on the Forest defence. It was end-to-end action as Cooke had to be quick off her line to thwart a home attack. Both Coe and Reinhardt had snap-shots saved and Docking went close from a corner.
Then came Hjaltun-Rayner’s magnificent equaliser. The defensive midfielder picked up the ball wide on the right. She looked up to see the keeper fractionally off her line and then hit an unstoppable shot over the keeper and into the net.
It was all United in the closing stages with Coe and Hjaltun-Rayner causing havoc on both wings.
Reinhardt was narrowly offside, Docking had two shots saved and Coe went just wide after a surging run from the left.
As the game entered the final five minutes United won two corners and both should have resulted in the winner. Daniels shot over from six yards and Coe saw a point-blank header rebound away off the keeper, but the teams had to settle for a share of the spoils.
The young U’s face back-to-back encounters this weekend in the league and cup and Greygoose is looking forward to the challenge.
He said: “We know playing Hayes & Yeading at home on Saturday will be tough. They beat us earlier in the season and are sitting just behind us in the table, so it’s another important game.
“We follow this up on Sunday with the Cambs Invitational Cup quarterfinal against Manea Sirens.
“If we are able to produce a performance and win against another senior women’s team, it will mean a semi-final for our girls in the first year of the U18s side and would be amazing.
“Both games will be really tough and both will give the girls different experiences and challenges which is what we want for them.”