Our Girls Academy team won their crucial game versus Kent United
Gillingham Girls Academy vs Kent Football United
SECWFL Division One (East), Sunday March 19
Match report by Captain Jade Tinsley
Leading up to the game everyone knew it would be an evenly-matched, close game.
All through the week, us Gillingham girls were ready and raring to go. The two previous games we have played against Kent Football United we have unfortunately lost, so this game we had something to prove; plus this game could determine how the league finished, with Kent currently sitting in 1st place and Gillingham currently at 2nd. A Gillingham win would take it to just one point in it at the top of the table.
The game kicked off with a Gillingham centre, and we went straight into what we do best and that's playing as a team. We had some early chances we didn't take, but these just put Kent under pressure, and they knew we had turned up to beat them.
The first half was evenly matched, with us not taking every chance we got, but also our goalkeeper Stevie saving one-on-one chances from Kent. The first half went on with Kent trying to get in our heads, but we just laughed it off, and they started to make a couple mistakes.
The half-time whistle went, and after some encouraging words from our coaches Dan and Georgia, Gillingham went back out fighting for the win.
With a Kent centre, Gillingham went hunting down as a team, and after a miss-kick from Kent, Gillingham had the ball back. I got the ball at centre back, then our right-back Seren made a fantastic run down the line, beating her player to then put a cross in which our striker Annie received back to goal, and with a wonderful turn Annie found the back of the net...
With cheers coming from every direction, Gillingham were 1-0 up!
For the next 40 minutes, Gillingham retained their 1-0 lead, and although Kent were giving everything to try and score, they just couldn't.
The final score ended Gillingham 1 – 0 Kent Football United.
All I can say as captain is that I am very proud of every single girl who played this game, as we fought from start to finish and put 110% in, and we got the result we deserved.
Want to be part of the Post-16 Gills Girls Academy next year? Applications are now open – find out more about our trial day on Wednesday, April 12, or contact gbowie@priestfield.com for more information.