Ulverstone fought back to claim their first point of the Women's Super League season, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 2-2 draw against University in their Saturday afternoon clash. A brace from Sophie Young had the Bees well on the way to victory before 2019 Rising Star Winner Amy Bissett halved their lead on 72 minutes. It was former University player Eli Cropp who then punished her former side when she stroked from the penalty spot 10 minutes from time to ensure a share of the spoils and that both sides would earn their first point of the season.
It didn't take long for the scoring to start, catching both Ulverstone’s goalkeeper, Georgia Anderson, and the crowd napping, University opened the scoring early. In just the second minute Sophie Young found space 35 yards out. With the keeper off her line Young lobbed the ball over a back pedaling Anderson and into the top corner.
The Reds had reshuffled their deck since their defeat at the hands of Kingborough. With the return of Lucy Reimer to solidify the defence and Tiela Weeda in midfield, Ulverstone left the troubles from last weekends back three approach behind them, and brought in added experience to the centre of the park. The changes worked as despite the early scoreline they did everything but score in the first half.
Absences and injuries saw University tweak with their preferred system. A look of discomfort with a different formation saw Uni reverting to scrappy play to keep track of their opponents at times. A key change saw Olivia Young move into centre back, with the Bees missing her tenacity and creativity in midfield. However Young’s performance in defence alongside Mimi Refaei was pivotal in keeping Ulverstone at bay under considerable pressure.
For long swathes of the first half play was highly congested as both teams applied a defensive high line. The pressing of Amy Bissett in particular for Ulverstone caused headaches for her opposing defenders as did her dribbling and eagerness to shoot. University’s best chances came from the early ball being released to their forwards in Sophie Young and Zoe Lovell.
An opportunity for Ulverstone to draw level was gifted when they were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute. Ex-University player, turned Red, Mikalha George stood up to take the kick. With steely confidence, the battle between forward and keeper was won by the player donning gloves. Rhiannon Steele picked the correct side to dive, parrying the ball into a scramble of oncoming players. It would have only added to the frustration for Ulverstone who had been dominating play at that stage.
Anxious moments were then felt at both ends of the pitch due to fumbles and misreads of the ball by each sides goalie but it didn't lead to another goal. University looked dangerous from dead ball situations, while Ulverstone were happy to pull the trigger once in range of goal as both defences held out until half time.
With an hour elapsed and with play increasingly becoming more spread out, Sophie Young went and bagged her side's second goal. Beating the offside trap to perfection, she stormed from halfway through one on one with the keeper and buried her shot to make it 2-0.
With the confidence of a second goal, pep returned to the steps of University. But in the tale of the match, that pep wouldn’t assist the Bees, instead it was Ulverstone who capitalised next. Barely ten minutes later, the scoreline was cut in half, igniting the Reds. Amy Bissett had been knocking at the door a handful of times and she finally reaped her reward. Dancing through a line of tired defenders, the pacey attacker made no mistake on this occasion to score.
At 2-1, there was no better time for Ulverstone to introduce their trump card to the fray, with former University star Eli Cropp coming off the bench. Tensions that were building over the following ten minutes would soon bubble over. Ten minutes from time, the referee spotted another penalty, awarding it to the home side.
This time Cropp was tasked with the spot kick and with a confident finish the substitute drew Ulverstone level. Steele again dived the correct direction but this time couldn't keep it out.
The bus to park in front of the goal didn’t make an appearance for either side in the final minutes. Ulverstone continued to surge forward, on one late occasion hitting the crossbar, but they were otherwise restricted to long range efforts. While University’s forwards chased down their defensive clearances, but proved unsuccessful in providing any real threat to the Reds net, with the dangerous Young sat on the bench.
The final score would see the points split between the sides as Ulverstone dug deep to recover from their two goal deficit and the final result proved a fair one for two hard working sides.