Well, well, well... do we have a match report for you!
Wednesday the 25th of October saw Durham travel down to Nottingham in what would end up becoming an epic win for our first team. As usual, Captain Emma Wallis and coach Chris Sewell were prepared for this big game, and tactics were firmly planted for the starting XI. Travelling away from home, against reigning BUCS 2023 National Champions, Durham knew that they needed to put on a show, and wow, they did not disappoint!
With enough said from me, let's delve into a first-hand account of the game through captain Emma Wallis' eyes!
Match report Nottingham A 25/10/23 Going into this game, we knew that Nottingham away was going to be one of the hardest fixtures in the calendar, having lost 4-0 away to them last season, and them beating Loughborough 6-0 in the BUCS Championship final last season. Unfortunately, in the lead up to the game, illness and injury hit the Durham first team. This meant that three 2’s players stepped up into the small match day squad of 12. Nevertheless, this didn't dampen Durham's spirit as they set off early Wednesday morning, determined to prove to Nottingham who the better team was. And just like that... it began. The game started tight. Both teams were having spells of possession and bouncing the ball around swiftly. However, neither team was able to make any chances from it, struggling to beat each others back fours.
Entering the 10th minute, Durham goalkeeper Anna King was called into action, pulling off a good save from a striking shot from outside the box. The game was starting to heat up.
Vicky Neuefeind, finding herself in a different position than normal, was starting up top for Durham. Despite the position swap, she found herself linking up well down the right with Becky, but this progress was defended briskly by Nottingham, preventing Durham's way to goal.
However, Durham were not deterred. Rose Newman - a consistent starter for the 2s, who was making her debut for our first team - won the ball back for Durham on the edge of the box, managing to set it back to Sophie Centi who hits a rocket of a strike into the top right hand corner of the goal. The goalkeeper didn't stand a chance.
Durham 1 - 0 Nottingham
After conceding a goal, it was clear Nottingham weren't going to go down without a fight. After a good passage of play, Nottingham cut back, sending a sharp ball straight to their player inside the box who fortunately blasted it over the bar after a first time shot.
This chance was the last of the first half. The whistle blew, and Durham were in the lead.
Half time: Durham 1 - 0 Nottingham.
After some brief halftime tactics, both teams were raring to go. Nottingham began the second half strong. A goal was ruled offside for the home team after Durham switched off, and this, if anything, forced Durham back into gear.
First goal scorer Sophie Centi came close to a second after a Durham corner saw her shot go slightly wide. However, Nottingham were swift to retaliate with another shot blasted just over the bar following a scrabble in the Durham box. It was clear that both teams wanted this win, and it was all still to play for.
After a couple of minutes, Nottingham were attacking again. In what looked like a brilliant flick-on to send the Nottingham player in 1v1 with Durham keeper Anna King, and a resultant guaranteed goal for Nottingham, first-year Emily Harrison made a crucial goal line clearance to keep the ball out of the Durham net as Anna King was beaten by a dinking shot. Nottingham were giving this game their all.
After suffering this attacking onslaught from Nottingham, Durham knew what they had to do to secure the win. After a quick formation change, Durham were prepared to park the bus. Defending like their lives depended on it, Durham banded together and fought as a team. Together, they worked in synchrony. Every single player giving it their all. This togetherness was second to none, and even despite some chances from Nottingham, Durham were able to fend them off through great defending, great saves, and unfortunate misses from the home side. Anna King was on fire, ensuring Durham kept a clean sheet. Their first one of the season.
After an enormous shift from Durham, the game was solidified in the last few minutes where Vicky Neuefeind charged down a sloppy pass from the Nottingham defender, winning the ball back in her own half. Driving forward, she spotted the Nottingham keeper off her line. 25 yards out and after hitting an absolute beauty, Vicky Neuefeind secured the second goal after her shot rocketed through the sky, burrowing into the top right hand corner of the goal. I don't think Vicky, Emma or Chris saw that one coming!
Nevertheless, this was an incredibly well-earnt result for our first team, with excellent goals, saves, defending and teamwork, Durham were able to dethrone Nottingham from their unbeaten streak.
Full Time: Durham 2 - 0 Nottingham This game saw a vital 3 points away to reigning BUCS champions, fundamentally closing the gap at the top of the table. This puts Durham in 2nd place, 1 point behind Nottingham after 4 games.

A happy captain and goalscorer: Emma Wallis and Vicky Neuefeind.
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