A second half hat-trick from Maja Znamirowska fuelled an impressive comeback from The Pride away at Mickleover on Sunday. A 4-3 win on the day was enough to seal second place in the league with one match to play writes Hannah Roberts

With the previous encounters between these two teams this season ending in an 8-0 win for Pride Park and a 6-4 victory for Mickleover, it was clear that any outcome was possible. Despite the high-scoring history, the first half was one of few chances. We looked a bit disjointed to start and struggled to get passing movements going, and when we did, Mickleover’s sweeping centre-back was always on hand to tidy up any promising attacks.

The opening goal of the game was an avoidable one as we failed to deal with the second phase of a corner, and a weak but accurate shot nestled into the bottom corner from Mickleover’s #3 from the edge of the box. We looked to respond quickly and our best chance of the first half came from a long range effort that was well hit by Eliot Sayavong but ultimately flew over the crossbar.

With the first half looking like it was going to peter out without further action, Mickleover once again took advantage of some sloppy play on the edge of the area and their striker hit a thunderous strike up and over Jade Howell to double the home side’s lead.

We hadn’t looked ourselves in the first half, but despite the two goal deficit it was clear that the game was there for the taking if we raised our level - the goals conceded were the only real chances Mickleover manufactured.

Pride Park came out of the blocks at full speed in the second 45, getting first to every ball and pushing forward with purpose. We quickly earned a free kick as Summer Evans was taken down just outside the 18, but the free kick from Tash Allderidge was comfortably held by the keeper. This was just the start of the pressure however, as we kept Mickleover penned into their half for most of the opening 15 minutes of the second half, and any counters from the home side were swiftly dealt with by the backline. On the one occasion they did break through they were thwarted by some brave goalkeeping from Jade, snuffing out the chance at the striker’s feet.

The Pride Park pressure continued, and it wasn’t long until we had a goal back. A shot from distance from Beth Thompson bounced awkwardly on the hard ground and up onto the crossbar, and a melee ensued until Maja popped up in the right place at the right time, as she has so many times, to fire home from close range. This goal was Maja’s 100th for the club in just 82 appearances since her debut in 2016.

The momentum was fully swinging Pride Park’s way now, and the equaliser came ten minutes later, as an inch perfect cross from Tash on the right was headed home by Maja from about a yard out. Five minutes later the comeback was complete, as a long free kick from Annie Laight on the halfway line was headed past the Mickleover keeper by one of her own players from inside the box. We won the ball back almost immediately after the kick off, and an inch-perfect through ball from Summer set Maja away with just the keeper to beat, and she rounded off her hattrick with a tidy finish into the far corner.

Mickleover hadn’t looked like scoring from open play in the second half, so it took a 30-yard free kick goal to add some nerves to the final minutes, but we saw out the game without further event for the 4-3 victory.

Three points were fully deserved for an excellent second half display, and coupled with Borrowash Victoria’s 1-1 draw at Draycott, saw us seal second place in the league, a feat last achieved by the team in the 2017/18 season. It is a great achievement in what has been an incredibly competitive league this season.

A special mention must go to Pearse for stepping up to referee, as a mix-up left us without an official at kick-off - without him the game could not have taken place - and to Sam for running the line.

We have one further game to play, as we travel to Borrowash Victoria on May 29th.

Match report by Hannah Roberts

To view the photographs of the game taken by Shaun Hardwick of SH Photos
click on "photos" above, or go to the gallery