Our Wildcats girls used the free league weekend to play an U15s friendly against Wedmore, winning 8-5.

Their squad combined the club’s Year 9 and 10 aged girls who are currently playing in the U14s and U16s respectively.

Having not played together before, they took time to settle but, after a shaky start, they took the lead through Lola Hamlyn who cooly finished after being set clear by Emilia Smith. The same players combined shortly after as Hamlyn put Wildcats two up inside 15 minutes.

At the other end, Julia Rosicka made two fine challenges inside the box to prevent any shot on the Wildcats goal.

With their confidence high, Hamlyn completed her hat-trick, again finishing off from Smith’s through ball.

Wildcats were playing some great football, building from the back through Jess Bowden who was rock solid in defence throughout the game and using Florence Self and Erin Clements along the left touchline.

They finished the half with a further goal, this time from Faith Nicholson-Hawkings.

With both teams dropping a player due to an injury to one of Wembdon squad, there was a lot more space in the second half which Wembdon used to their advantage, scoring a couple of quick goals to halve the deficit.

Not to be outdone, Wildcats bounced back. Frankie Purdy and Isla Cooper, battling well in the heart of the Wildcats midfield, created space for the forwards to exploit and Nicholson-Hawkings duly completed her own hat-trick with two good finishes, the second from the edge of the area.

Again, Wembdon hit back with two quick goals before Orlaith Colegate, a livewire most of the morning, finished off a fine Wildcats move, after Lillie-May Critchard had gone close moments earlier.

The Wembdon keeper made a fine save to deny Smith adding to the tally, before Wembdon scored again. Hamlyn completed the scoring with a superbly struck free-kick from the edge of the area.

Wildcats used two goalkeepers in the game – Jasmine Simmons and Sophie Webber, both making vital saves at key points in the game.

This was an excellent example of girls’ football with Wildcats playing some outstanding football at times.