The University of Sheffield women’s first team celebrated a victory against Sheffield Hallam 1s at their home pitch on Tuesday 16 April. Led by captain Millie Garewel, the team won the game 2-0.
The atmosphere at Norton Sports Park was a determined one. After watching five previous games, with the men’s 3s kicking off the day at 9am, the spectator crowd was tiring. But the diminishing voices didn’t let the morale of both Hallam and Uni of supporters dwindle; the competitive nature of Varsity was still very much hanging in the air.
This match would make or break the whole day for Hallam. With the previous women’s teams both losing their matches but all three of the men’s teams winning theirs, this game would be the difference between scoring an extra Varsity point for Hallam and a draw for the day.
For the first 20 minutes of the game, the possession was mostly with the Uni of. The passes around the back between the defensive players gave a sense of composure to Uni of that helped them maintain possession.
Hannah Dring won a penalty corner for Uni Of. The ball was injected to Garewel, who drag flicked at the goal. Saved by the keeper, Katie Mycroft.
Hallam gained possession back and Sadie Hingley dribbled the ball in the middle of the pitch. This was interrupted by a block tackle from Garewel, leading to a foot in the Hallam defensive D. A penalty corner for Uni Of. With just less than six minutes to go of the first half, the ball was injected to Rach Mckinlay, who slapped the ball bottom left. 1-0 to Uni Of at half time.
In minute eight of the second half, Garewel won a short corner by dribbling the ball into the top of the D. Garewel dribbled to the top of the D with three Hallam players surrounding her, making it impossible for her to hit the ball. This resulted in a penalty corner for the Uni of. The ball was injected to Ham on the left slip, who slapped it hard and fast at the right post, which was narrowly missed by Hannah Johnson as she ran in for a deflection.
Despite what felt like constant shorts, Hallam’s defence was doing an effective job at keeping the score at one goal, with accurate tackling and success in stepping players to intercept the ball. This didn’t stop Hannah Porter as she dribbled the baseline, which was hit off the backline in a tackle by Hallam captain, Kate Burgin. Another penalty corner awarded to Uni of.
Play quickly broke down after the ball wasn’t received at the top of the D, resulting in a Hallam clearance. Garewel took the ball as a sideline and passed it to Porter, who passed it to Aimee Stapleton. Stapleton had a shot on goal and Johnson picked up the rebound and pushed it bottom left.
With three minutes to go of the match, the clock was briefly stopped due to a collision between Emily Bidnell for Uni of and Hallam player Becca Hudson. Hallam were awarded a penalty corner. As the whistle blew to signify time had restarted, Hallam injected to the top of the D and took a straight strike at the goal, which Tilsley saved.
The last play of the game was a shot on goal from Dring, which she had received from Porter. This was saved by Mycroft and cleared.
Full time 2-0 to the University of Sheffield.
Garewel, 21, studying economics at the University of Sheffield, has been captaining the first team since September 2023. She said: “We played an incredible game, kept composure and smashed it. Hallam were quaking in their astros.”
All Image Credits: Sarah Heywood-Jones