Second-half goals see off Blues in impressive display

Eloise Summers-Mee netted a brace and Cruz Fuller-Fagan was on target once again as a stirring second-half performance from our Women’s Under-19s saw us pick up our first win of pre-season against Birmingham City Under-21s on Wednesday afternoon.
Having been unable to capitalise on a strong showing in the first half at Hotspur Way, we eventually broke the deadlock just after the hour mark as Fuller-Fagan’s well-struck effort found the back of the net to make it two goals in as many games for the forward.
With a foothold in the game, we doubled our advantage six minutes later with a composed finish from Eloise Summers-Mee inside the box before the forward, who has stepped up from the Under-16s to the Under-19s for this season, netted her second of the game from the penalty spot after she was fouled inside the box.
While we took control of the first half in glorious conditions at our training complex, we were unable to test the Blues’ goalkeeper in the first period. Mia Endacott, who has been training with the first team in recent days, was a real threat down the left and produced some good moments as her, alongside Rania Oukriss, saw an effort blocked from inside the box in the opening 20 minutes, while the Trialist could only direct her shot into the side-netting in what was arguably our best opportunity of the half.
Sophie Jackson was called into action in the closing stages of the half, getting a strong hand on Day’s shot from the edge of the box to tip it around the post but, following wholesale changes at the break, we took control of proceedings once again after the restart. Poppy Neill struck the underside of the crossbar with a fierce right-footed effort just minutes into the second-half before Summers-Mee should have opened the scoring moments later, but she was unable to bury the ball following a brilliant run from Oukriss to pick out the forward inside the area.
However, our pressure finally prevailed on 62 minutes as Oukriss’ cut-back from the byline fell to Fuller-Fagan just inside the 18-yard box and she directed her first time left-footed strike into the bottom corner via the inside of the post. Six minutes later and we had our second of the game, Oukriss played Summers-Mee behind the backline who then showed composure in the area to slot the ball under the Blues’ keeper.
Oukriss was denied by a superb save on the stretch by their shot stopper as her effort from distance was tipped over the bar but, on 72 minutes, we had our third goal of the afternoon when we were awarded a penalty after Summers-Mee was brought down inside the box. The young forward stepped up to take the spot-kick, firing low into the bottom right corner. Ruby Mace - another player that has stepped up to first team training in pre-season so far - saw a powerful strike from range saved well by the visitors’ shot stopper in the final minutes of encounter as, all in all, it was an impressive display from our youngsters who step up their pre-season preparations with a clash against Leyton Orient on Sunday (10 August) at Cheshunt.