Under 11 Performance Squad vs AFC Reading Liberty Belles

JPL Warriors Cup U12

Our girls faced a demanding cup fixture today, taking on AFC Reading Liberty Belles who have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their season. While the final score reflected the quality of our opposition, the team demonstrated significant growth and played some excellent football.

AFC Reading started the match with blistering pace, quickly asserting their dominance and scoring four goals in the first quarter with a series of fantastic, clinical finishes.

Despite the early deficit, the girls deserve immense credit for refusing to let their heads drop. They definitely grew into the game, showcasing some of their best football of the season so far while in possession. The team moved the ball well, exhibiting great passing and creating several promising chances.

The effort paid off as the team began to pull goals back. Ava registered our first goal, scoring directly from a corner. Elsie followed up with a great finish, and Jess added a third with another well-taken effort.

However, Reading's quality finishing remained a key factor. They continued to score important goals, including a perfectly placed, dipping free kick that was unstoppable. Ultimately, AFC Reading took a well-deserved win on the day.

This was a tough test for the squad, but a great development opportunity. The girls showed fantastic character to battle back from the early setback and execute some high-quality passages of play against a top side. The focus now shifts back to training, building on the positive football we saw in possession today.