U10 Wildcats Shut Out New Hyde Park

Maggie goes to goal

The Garden City Wildcats traveled to I-Park last Saturday to face the New Hyde Park Lady Lions. This was a showdown for second place as the two sides were level on points in the Nassau Major league table. The one noticeable difference between the teams going into the match was the tremendous goal differential. GC's differential was +22 while NHP's stood at +5. The team's kicked off under sunny skies and the Wildcats quickly went about pressuring the NHP defense. Captain Kate Farrell, Megan Seel and Emma Wieland worked their way through the defense for a couple of chances at the net. A mistake by the NHP goalkeeper who touched the ball with her hands outside the penalty area gave the Wildcats a free kick. Gabby Rogers was summoned to have go at the NHP goaltender. Since the ref had his arm at his side Gabby noted it was a direct kick but her shot toward the lower right was stopped by a defender. The Wildcat offense maintained possession of the ball in the NHP end and it was a nice passing sequence involving Seel, and Farrell which led to the games first goal. The duo of Kelly George and Jacqui Brattan teamed up moments later for another chance as Brattan fed George who fired a shot which was saved by the goalkeeper. Defenders Kelly Donovan, Marlee Rich and Gabby Rogers were first to the ball and aided their forwards with fine passing. Celia Concannon was brilliant in the GC net corralling any loose balls in the box and exhibiting several strong punts back up field. Brattan tallied for GC minutes before halftime as she one-touch finished a crossing pass from George who was a step ahead of her defender up the far side.

Kelly George holds off the defense

The Lady Lions changed up their formation to begin the second half in an effort to get any type of scoring attack going. However, the changes mattered little to the Wildcats as Jacqui Brattan, enjoying a fine game on offense scored with the help of a marvelous pass from line mate Celia Concannon in the first minute and the score was 3-0 for GC. This latest strike seemed to awaken the Lady Lions as shortly afterward they created some tense moments for defenders Kelly Donovan and Marlee Rich. Possessing the ball deep in GC territory, a NHP attacker struck the ball which hit the crossbar above goalkeeper Kate Farrell. The rebound bounced around for a few moments before the GC defense cleared it up field. GC soon righted themselves and commenced another assault on the Lady Lion defense with Taylor Gladd working up the left side and winning a throw in. Celia Concannon spotted an open Jacqui Brattan and threw her the ball. As a defender converged, Brattan bombarded the NHP goal with a high, lofted kick toward the net which looked troublesome for the Keeper. The ball bounced high in front and the goalkeeper who was unable to control it, enabling a well positioned Devon Heaney to gain possession and deposit it into the back of the net for a 4-0 GC lead. NHP changed Keepers at this juncture and the Wildcats welcomed the substitute to the game with more pressure. Maggie Casey, working hard up front, received a through ball and got behind her defender and shot the ball just wide of the right post. Moments later Marlee Rich spotted Kelly George making a run down the near sideline and fed her a great ball. George pulled the ball back, dished it to Rich who left footed a shot just wide of the target. As the final whistle sounded, the Wildcats celebrated their victory. The girls travel to the home of the Massapequa Lady Thunder next Saturday to conclude a very successful first season. Go GC, Go GC, Go !!

Wildcats Team D paying off