Wow! What an amazing performance from the Satellites. Make no mistake, this game was a potential banana skin. Churt went into the game well ahead of Sutton in the league, but Sutton have had some good results, not least putting 5 past Beacon Hill in a recent win. And the Satellites went into the game without Jamie, Isobel, Tallulah, Martha and Tia meaning only twelve players and a particularly depleted defence.

This led to much discussion amongst the coaches on the morning of the game, but it was Ruby who came up with a key idea which helped shape the game and ultimately a fantastic win for Churt. We were keen to play with 4 at the back but the available players meant it looked like we would move to a back three. But Ruby suggested she played at centre back in a back four and a plan was hatched for a modified 4-4-2 with Ruby and Emily in the middle and Amy T and Alex at right and left back respectively. Ahead of this we would essentially pack the midfield with a 5 of Amy O and Maisie in right and left attacking roles, Phoebe, Lilly and Liv sharing more defensive positions in the centre of midfield and Ella playing an attacking midfield role just behind Hannah as the advanced striker.

We didn’t quite know what to expect but the girls dug into their positions and as the game began it became clear that the set up might just work well against a physical Sutton side. Churt applied most of the early pressure, and despite Sutton getting some balls towards their more advanced players the Churt defence coped well. On a bumpy sloping pitch the Satellites made good use of balls through and across the Sutton back line and it seemed only a matter of time before we got a breakthrough.
And on 9 minutes Alex played a nice through ball to Hannah who – as she so often does – controlled the ball well, made progress into the box and scored with a low shot past the keeper. One nil!

Churt continued to apply pressure while soaking up the Sutton attacking threat and 5 minutes later Amy T fed Ella who broke through for a one on one with the keeper and beat her with a great finish into the bottom left corner.

Sadly 60 seconds later at the 15 minute mark Hannah pulled up with a hamstring injury and had to come off unable to take any further part of the game. At this point Liv came on to take up the attacking midfield position and Ella moved to the centre forward role.
Sutton were proving to be a physical side and were clearly drilled as such with their management cheering any strong challenges or sliding tackles from their team. All fair and above board and strong stuff but Churt responded equally and were clearly determined not to lose the physical battle – what a group of warriers!
Ella was battling up front and leading the line really well and on 22 minutes got another well deserved goal from an Amy O assist. Unfortunately the writer missed the goal so can’t describe it, but it was now 3 nil to the Satellites with a little over a quarter of the game gone! Great stuff.

Sutton continued to put some pressure on Churt’s new look defence and on 25 minutes after some of Suttons best attacking work their forward was clear in front of goal and only had to tap the ball across the line, but almost from nowhere Alex arrived at high speed and executed the perfect sliding challenge to hook the ball away from the Sutton players foot as it was about to put the ball in the back of the net. Players, coaches and parents alike couldn’t quite believe that had just happened and as Churt congratulated Alex everyone collectively sighed with relief. The coaches can’t remember a better last ditch challenge than that. Well done Alex - a challenge that really typified the work rate and spirit in the Churt team today.
Churt still had a clean sheet intact and continued to apply attacking pressure, and after 35 minutes Ella played a clever ball to Maisie who carried out a signature Maisie bursting run into the box before burying the ball low and hard into the far corner of the goal. 4 up with a few minutes to go before half time!

The game got to half time with no more goals, and during the half time teamtalk the players (for the first time) erected the player bench canopy to keep the rain off Hannah during the second half, and to get some relief from the rain themselves for a few minutes.

Things were going well so no major changes were made to the set up for the second half, and Churt now had the benefit of kicking downhill and with the wind. The half started in a similar manner to the first and after only 3 minutes and with the wind in her sails Maisie scored another cracker after another blistering run down the left and another top quality finish! 5 nil and a lovely little assist from Lilly.
There were no more goals for the next 22 minutes as both sides fought a hard physical battle with just a few half chances from either team. The Churt midfield of Phoebe, Lilly, Liv, Amy O and Maisie battled so hard and were always on top in the midfield battle. With no subs there were some tired players on the Churt team, but no one was lying down and letting the opposition get on top. Great spirit being shown from the Satellites, even when 5 nil up – that’s what it’s all about!

But on 65 minutes Churt scored to make it 6 nil and who was it again – yes the turbo-charged Maisie Lambert with yet another lightening run into the Sutton penalty area after an Amy T assist and yet another goal and another hattrick. Just awesome Maisie.

3 minutes later Sutton did pull a goal back and whilst Churt really wanted a clean sheet it was probably fair that Sutton got a goal. Ruby made a lot of firm but fair challenges in her temporary defensive role today, but on this occasion a challenge inside the box brought Sutton a penalty that was taken well and gave Tilly no chance. 6-1.

The game didn’t peter out and despite all the Churt players having a full game or a virtually full game they were not backing down in the face of good pressing from Sutton. And on 73 minutes Maisie completed a top-quality 4 goal haul with another trademark run down the left and fantastic finish over the keeper into the far top corner at pace. Four fantastic goals and an amazing performance, well done Maisie!

There were no more goals or major incidents in the closing minutes and the game ended 7-1 to the Satellites. What a fantastic performance from every single player. When the chips seemed like they might be down the Satellites rose to the occasion and showed exactly the right attitude and full on commitment to win the game. What a great team performance.

Despite some brilliant individual performances it would probably be wrong to pick out a single player. Tilly had a great game in goal, and made some important saves and challenges – always timing interventions well. The defence of Emily, Ruby, Amy T and Alex (with Amy O swapping with Amy T for the last quarter) got stuck in and defended brilliantly, the midfield as mentioned above were just on it and fully committed, and Hannah (for the time she was on) and Ella performed the sole striker perfectly, running the line so well and with another goal for Hannah (despite only 15 minutes on the pitch) and two great goals for Ella.
Well everyone, well done team Satellites!!