Birmingham Blues WF 3, Bedworth & District WF 2
This was a match played in exemplary sporting manner by two very capable teams determined to deliver a high quality walking football contest.
Birmingham made a strong start to the game, characterised by some crisp and accurate short passing which probed at the heart of the Bedworth back line, and caused Bedworth goalkeeper to remain alert, which resulted in him making several important saves throughout the first half.
However, Birmingham’s pressure on goal eventually told, and little could be done to prevent them from taking a deserved lead through Clive Macey, who netted his second goal for the team since his return from a long injury layoff.
As the first half progressed, Bedworth began to grow more into the game and asserted a degree of pressure of their own, culminating in a terrific shot from a tight angle by Dave Marriott, which nestled in the back of the net, with the Birmingham keeper beaten by the sheer pace of the ball.
The teams turned around at half-time with the score even at 1-1.
The pattern of the game continued in the second half, with Birmingham enjoying the lions share of possession and Bedworth seeking to break quickly, always looking for a killer pass to their front line strikers. But it was Birmingham's possession and quick passing game that was rewarded again, with two well taken goals scored in quick succession. Strikes by Roy Williams and player manager Paul Feeney now gave Birmingham a two goal lead.
As the second half wore on, Bedworth proved that they could never be written off, as another powerful angled strike By Marriott struck the top of the crossbar before ricocheting away to safety, much to the relief of Birmingham’s back line.
By making good use of their squad rotation, Birmingham looked to be moving towards a comfortable victory, but the situation changed dramatically following a well-constructed break by Bedworth, which found them enough space for their midfielder Kevin Perrot to drill their second goal into the Birmingham net.
It was now GAME ON!!
Bedworth, now with their tails up pressed hard for an equaliser, and spent the majority of the last quarter of the game in the Birmingham half. But in spite of a few promising openings, Birmingham's defence held firm and although Bedworth enjoyed possession of the ball at distance, the Birmingham keeper was seldom seriously troubled during this spell.
The game ended as a deserved 3-2 win for Birmingham Blues. Bedworth provided a really strong challenge and they will take many positives from this excellent encounter.
Following the game Birmingham’s Player/Manager Paul Feeney said ‘Bedworth proved to be really tough opponents today and made us work hard, they should be proud of themselves for the effort they put in. They are a well managed team and have a number of players that can punish you if you give them half a chance. They are certainly capable of taking points from anyone in the league.’
