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Date: 8th October 2006

Kick Off: 2.00pm

An exemplary performance from Captain Catherine McCartan inspired what can only be described as one of Lancaster best performance in this weeks match against Manchester. McCartan showed tremendous skill and ability against MMU and hence was rightly voted player of the match by the rest of the squad. Overall the performance of Lancaster was tremendous, and to date Lancaster had not worked as well as a team as they did this week.

Their cohesive play was rewarded shortly into the first half, in the 17th minute McCartan made a brilliant run, and scored to enable Lancaster to go ahead; this was followed by mostly attacking play from Lancaster, who dominated the majority of the first half. The few times that Manchester looked slightly threatening were easily brushed away by the work of the Lancaster defense. Strong and clinical; their tackles were a big reason why Lancaster were winning.

The strong defense was consistently being organized by the central defenders Faye Garrett and Laura Cook, who played brilliantly and continuously throughout the match. Unfortunately a tackle on the left back Georgia Phillipson resulted in her being taken off at half time with a sprained and extremely swollen ankle. However up until the injury Phillipson had been her usual study and uncompromising self, every tackle she made won the play back for Lancaster. Kathryn Montgomery, who had been playing in centre midfield, dropped back into the left back position in the second half and played brilliantly, it was another excellence performance from a Lancaster first team regular.

In the 34th minute, Lancaster scored a second goal with the help of the talented Emily Hyslop. Another brilliant set of passes and a shot by Hyslop resulted in Lancaster being two nil up. Consistent pressure was being applied to the Manchester defense who was struggling to cope with numerous attacking runs being made. Lancaster were playing the kind of football they had been trying to revive in recent weeks and as the half time whistle blew, heads were high and spirit was soaring.

The second half saw much of the same attacking form from the first forty five. In the 51st minute Sue Wynes scored a goal to make the score line 0-3. Wynes had been threatening for most of the first half and had a lot of close chances; the goal scored by her was rightly deserved and only made her hungry for more. Lancaster continued to push on the defense and continued to work as a team. In the 59th minute however a lapse of concentration led to a goal being scored by Manchester. A corner was taken and one of their strikers headed the ball in. A weak goal conceded by Lancaster meant that they recomposed and ensured no more goals were scored. The end result was 1-3 to Lancaster. Again special mentioned should go to the Lancaster captain for being awarded Player of the Match and for her overall brilliant performance.