UoL Ladies show the boys how it’s done

Our women’s football team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the King Power stadium last night to give the University a winning start to the Varsity season.

But it required late drama and a penalty shoot out to divide the two teams at the end on an Arctic night at the home of Leicester City, with Amy Offler writing her name in the ULWFC history books as the hero of the hour.

The Ladies line up before the biggest game of the season

Leicester dominated huge swathes of the match and had De Montfort on the back foot throughout the first and majority of the second half.

The Leicester defence was untroubled in the first half as they camped in DMU territory, with central midfielders Offler and captain Sammy Hargrave dominating possession.

Hargrave delivered a sweet cross into the box mid way through the first half towards an unmarked Offler, who was inches away from nodding in from close range.

Jess Andrews also had a great chance at the end of the half after a defensive mix up which saw the DMU keeper come out for a clearance and miss the ball, but she recovered well to save from Andrews at point blank with the goal empty.

The second half saw continued Leicester pressure with Hargrave and Offler once again dominating. But for all their dominance and possession, they were once again unable to break the deadlock.

Offler came closest, nine minutes into the second half, with an audacious looping shot as she ran away from goal and towards the touchline, wrapping her foot around the ball and sending it goalwards. The shot looped over the keeper and only the crossbar prevented what would have been a special goal in any match.

The last ten minutes of the game saw a DMU revival. Firstly, Emma Morgan made a great save at her front post from a low shot, but the King Power was stunned as DMU took the lead.

The DMU centre midfielder picked up the ball 25 yards out and struck a sweet dipping shot which sailed into the top corner leaving Morgan no chance. To say it was cruel on the Leicester girls would be an understatement – they dominated throughout and it looked like the match and the glory would be taken from them at the end.

Victorious! Star players Amy Offler (left) and Sammy Hargrave (right) hold the Varsity trophy.

Leicester quickly reasserted their dominance and had DMU pegged back in their half once again and with time fast running out, won a free kick on the left wing.

From the ensuing free kick, madness descended in the 6-yard box with DMU unable to clear and Leicester unable to get a chance off. Eventually, it fell to Offler from no more than four yards out to strike into the empty net in what was by now the first minute of overtime and force a penalty shoot-out.

It fell to Offler to wrap up the victory in the penalty shoot-out and she duly dispatched her penalty to win the match and the Varsity cup. A fitting way to wrap up a fine performance by the Derby girl.