Thackley Women AFC continued their pre-season preparations with a challenging encounter against Leeds United Reserves, following last week's encouraging 0-0 draw. The fixture provided another valuable opportunity for the squad to build fitness, while also allowing several trialists to stake their claim ahead of the new campaign.
Both sides began brightly, with the opening exchanges producing end-to-end football as each team looked to establish an early rhythm. Strong defensive displays from both teams limited clear-cut chances, although there were promising passages of possession as the game settled.
The first meaningful opportunity arrived after six minutes. Em Senior threaded an excellent through ball into the path of Charlie Blythe, who timed her run perfectly before driving a powerful effort towards goal. The Leeds goalkeeper reacted sharply to make an impressive save and deny the opening goal.
As the first half developed, Thackley began to enjoy the lion's share of possession and looked the more threatening side going forward. Leeds remained dangerous on the counter-attack, particularly down the right flank, and forced Laura Bibby—deputising in goal for the absent regular goalkeepers—into a comfortable save after a low cross into the penalty area.
Thackley's pressure was eventually rewarded midway through the half. Senior once again picked out Blythe with a perfectly weighted pass through midfield. Racing clear of the defence, Blythe kept her composure and calmly slotted beyond the advancing goalkeeper to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.
The game's most controversial moment followed shortly afterwards. A back pass was played towards the Thackley goalkeeper, who collected the ball after the home side believed the referee had verbally indicated it was not a deliberate pass. Despite strong protests from the Thackley players, an indirect free-kick was awarded to Leeds inside the penalty area. Fortunately for the hosts, Leeds failed to capitalise, firing their effort over the crossbar.
Following the hydration break, Leeds returned with renewed intensity and began to control more of the possession. Their pressure eventually paid dividends from a corner kick. The delivery caused problems inside the six-yard box, and after Bibby was unable to hold the ball under pressure, a Leeds player reacted quickest to bundle home the equaliser.
With the scores level at 1-1, the contest remained evenly balanced as both sides continued to use the fixture to sharpen preparations for the upcoming season.
Leeds continued to find joy down their right-hand side and eventually took the lead after winning a series of challenges on the edge of the Thackley penalty area before forcing the ball through a crowded defence to make it 2-1.
The visitors' attacking threat continued to test the home side, and Thackley suffered a setback when defender Amy Woods sustained an ankle injury while tracking a through ball. Woods was replaced by Beth Davies.
Despite falling behind, Thackley responded positively. Strong defensive work from Davies won possession before she produced an excellent backheel into the path of Trialist A, earning a corner. A Leeds defender headed behind the first delivery, while the second was punched clear by the goalkeeper into the path of Godson, whose effort from the edge of the area flew over the crossbar. Moments later, a misplaced Leeds goal kick fell straight to Trialist A around 20 yards from goal, but the visiting goalkeeper superbly saved her well-struck effort.
Leeds continued to press, forcing Bibby into several fine saves to keep Thackley within touching distance.
As the game entered its closing stages, play became concentrated around midfield before another Leeds attack resulted in an unfortunate collision. Godson made an important challenge, only for the ball to ricochet off a Leeds player and strike her full in the face. After receiving treatment, she was forced to leave the field, leaving player-manager Yaz Senior with the difficult task of reshuffling an already stretched defence following two injury-enforced substitutions.
Leeds capitalised on the disruption to add two late goals. The third came from another well-worked move down the right, with the forward finishing confidently past Bibby, before a long ball into the same channel led to the visitors' fourth, which was calmly placed into the bottom corner to seal a 4-1 victory.
While the scoreline perhaps flattered the visitors, the match provided another valuable run-out for Thackley as preparations continue ahead of the new season. There were encouraging performances throughout the side, particularly during an impressive first-half display, and the coaching staff will undoubtedly take plenty of positives despite the result.
Thackley Women will look to build on those positives when they face Huddersfield Development in their next pre-season fixture.