Grays Ath Girls U15s 6 v 1 St Clere’s Girls U15s

After the Grays Ath Sundays won their cup final last week, our Girls U15s, managed by Lee Vehit made it a double celebration for the club by winning their age group of the Essex County Girls League. Having already secured the title with a game to spare, Sunday’s final fixture at home to St Clere’s was something of a victory lap – but the prize of an undefeated season was still to be claimed.
And just to put the girls on their game, they were given a shock in the first couple of minutes when a mix up in the home defence allowed St Clere’s to take the lead.
All this did though was to wake up the Blues and remind them that the game still had to be won. Almost straight from the kick off, Grays went on the attack and should have scored at least three times before Aisha Amao struck home her first of the day, to level the scores. And it was soon 2-1 when Amao couldn’t miss in front of goal following a great break down the left by Tilly Russell and Amy Sullivan.
Ellis Thomas then joined in the fun after quarter of an hour when she got on the end of a long clearance from keeper Sophia Peck and finished well to make it 3-1 to Grays. The final goal of the half was a lovely team move finished well by Amao for her hat-trick and a 4-1 lead.
Leighana Maine and Gabriella Taiwo were a real presence at the back, bossing the defence and bringing the ball out well, to link up with the midfield. Little got past them all game.

Half time: Grays Ath Girls U15s 4 v 1 St Clere’s Girls U15s

The second half started much as the first ended with Grays very much on the front foot. Atene Jurate hit the post and there were then a host of shots from across the team, but no-one could find the target to extend the scoreline. St Clere’s then reminded the Blues that they could also play some very nice football and a great move ended with a shot just clearing the crossbar.
However, as St Clere’s tired, Grays built the pressure again. Isabelle Ludlow got on the scoresheet with a quarter of an hour left, bringing the ball under control and finishing cooly for Blues’ fifth of the day and scoring was completed soon after by Rae Fleming who got on the end of a nice pass from Amy Sullivan.
So, the team’s unbeaten record was preserved with a strong performance against an opposition who kept fighting to the end and lost nothing in defeat.
But it was the chorus of “Championes, championes, ole, ole, ole” that rang around Palmers after the final whistle, with the girls rightly celebrating their achievement across the season. They have done Grays Ath proud, playing good football and, very much, in the right spirit.
Club Youth Section chairman, Rob Seaman, was on hand to present all the girls with their champions’ medals and he passed over the league trophy to captain Paige Pinnock, who held the cup aloft, with cheers from friends and family ringing out.

Final score: Grays Ath Girls U15s 6 v 1 St Clere’s Girls U15s
Grays Ath starting XI: Sophia Peck, Tilly Russell, Eden Joseph-Russell, Leighana Maine, Gabriella Taiwo, Paige Pinnock, Atene Jurate, Amy Sullivan, Katlin Asper, Ellis Thomas, Aisha Amao
Bench at start: Tilly Vehit, Isabelle Ludlow, Lydia Franklin, Rae Fleming, Lexi Clark.