As the playing surface of Myra Shay remains under repair, the Eagles’ FA Women’s National League fixture this Sunday was played at the Vestacare Stadium in Oldham.

The luck wasn’t on the Eagles’ side, as we lost 0-1 to Liverpool Feds due to the visitor’s winner in the 83rd minute.

Battling for an opener
Both teams demonstrated great determination in pushing for an early opener as soon as the game started. As early as the 3rd minute, Meg Shaw had an attempt on target after making a run in behind. Two minutes after that, Phoebe Hollin’s low-driven cross from the right arrived just in time to find Farah Crompton, whose close-range stab was narrowly wide.
After the early pressure from the Eagles, Liverpool Feds began to pose challenges to the Eagles’ defence, as their long-range effort in the 15th and 19th minutes were both saved by the Eagles’ goalkeeper, Maddie Crosbie. In the 28th minute, they launched an even more threatening counterattack, as their tap-in attempt following a cut-back was wide.
The Eagles’ last good opportunity in the first half happened in the third minute of added time, as Macy Settle made a forward run, received the ball at the opponent’s byline and fired a cut-back to Phoebe Hollin, whose powerful shot was blocked.

Half-time: Halifax FC 0-0 Liverpool Feds.

Greater challenge in the second half
Coming back from the half-time break, the visitors launched even fiercer attacks. The 49th minute saw their shot inside the box saved by Maddie Crosbie, while their volley attempt during the following corner was wide. The best chance for the Eagles happened in the 53rd minute, when Meg Shaw won the ball from the opponent’s goalkeeper and attempted to put the ball into the net, but the ball was cleared by the visitor’s defender right before the goal line.
In the 61st minute, Liverpool Feds’ free kick was delivered into the box, a header following a head flick-on was slightly high. Four minutes later, Karri Chan’s chip pass managed to find Eleanor Ashton in the box, whose cross-shot flashed across the face of goal. The 70th minute witnessed Ellie Dobson clear the opponent’s header off the goal line. In the 79th minute, the away team’s dangerous early cross from the right was stopped by Anna Phillips’s crucial outside-of-the-boot clearance.

The visitor’s late winner
Just when most of us thought the game would end in a 0-0 draw, the opponent broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute. Their cross from the right was met by a powerful header in the box, which put the ball into the back of the net. Despite the Eagles’ attempts to fight back in the remaining minutes, the match ended with Halifax FC’s defeat at home.

Full-time: Halifax FC 0-1 Liverpool Feds

The Eagles will be back on the road two weeks after, facing West Bromwich Albion in the final game of the first half of the league season.

We wish Farah Crompton, our number 10 and standout striker, a speedy recovery after sustaining a serious injury during today’s match. We are all with her throughout her rehabilitation process.

Written by Dai Xingzhi