Trevs-South women’s football team play Hilde Bede this Friday, 20^th February, battling for a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Football Floodlit Cup 2025-2026. This follows from their Floodlit first round rout of Mary’s, an 8-0 victory, impressive even despite Mary’s numerical disadvantage, fielding only nine players. Despite their two-person advantage, voluntarily reduced to one at half-time in the interests of sportsmanship, Trevs-South were made to work hard in what was at times an end-to-end match. Mary’s fielded two DU players who made themselves known to the Trevs-South defence and were probably hard done by in not getting on the scoresheet at least once. 

More than anything, this was a testament to a Trevs-South side that has taken great strides from last season, previously defined by defensive solidity and structural discipline but a real lack of creativity and goal threat in the final third. This season, the defensive strength of last season has been replicated, largely due to the consistent and assured centre-back pairing of co-captains Mary Bray (Trevs) and Jas Luther (South), and the recruitment of a reliable new goalkeeper in Alex Korneeva (South), unfortunately ruled out of Floodlit with a knee injury but deputised for by the able and agile Erin Lavender (South). 

These solid foundations coupled with the midfield ingenuity of Anaya Pye (South), the relentlessness of faux-striker turned box-to-box midfielder Dani Abednego (South), and the attacking incisiveness of Emily Stephens (South) on the right wing have taken Trevs-South from a defensively solid, hard to break down team, to one that can take hold of a game by the scruff of its neck and decide matches with fluid, transitional football and individual moments of brilliance. 

‘a defensively solid, hard to break down team […] that can take hold of a game by the scruff of its neck and decide matches with fluid, transitional football and individual moments of brilliance. ‘

In their first Floodlit game, these came from Anaya, who produced an emphatic performance, scoring twice and assisting once. The first of these goals came from an incisive counterattack following a Mary’s corner. Keeper for the night Erin kicked long out of her hands, and Emily held up the ball before playing Anaya in down the right-hand side, who then beat the defender and produced a curled lob over Mary’s keeper and into the side netting. The second was pure individual brilliance, and the only way to describe it would be to liken it to the iconic ‘Ankara Messi’ run. My co-steward and fellow spectator for the night, JCR President Harry Naylor, was in awe of this one, summarising the nonchalance on display as ‘slide left, slide right, bottom bins.’ 

Amongst the other highlights were two great goals from Emily, both from distance, one of them bamboozling the Mary’s keeper with a bit of movement on the ball. There was some absolute liquid football on display at times in the second half, one of the best passages of play of the night ended without fruition when Trevs-South built out from the back after a goal kick; right-back Jemimah Haynes (South) played it around the corner setting free Emily who chopped inside the Mary’s left-back and played a beautiful low cross into the box, but sadly this time the resulting connection from Anaya was tame and did not result in what would have been a well-deserved hattrick. This did not halt Trevs-South’s attacking momentum by any means as shortly after this, another fluid passage of play saw Anaya turn playmaker, this time setting free Esme Chambers (Trevs) down the right wing to deliver another astute low cross which was excellently finished by striker Michaela Ashworth (Trevs), who is starting to come in to her own in her second season in the number 9 position. 

The dominant display against Mary’s should leave Trevs-South confident heading into the next round against Hilde Bede, who are a division below but not to be underestimated. Just one point separates them from Division Two leaders Stephenson A, but Hild Bede have a game in hand and could finish the season as promoted league winners. This would see them enter Division One, where Trevs-South have had a mixed season and currently sit second on 10 points, having played all of their games. A couple of frustrating results, such as a 5-0 loss to Grey, having beaten them a week prior, should not cloud what has been a great improvement over last season’s performances. An end-of-season league record of four wins, one draw, and three losses is certainly one to be proud of.

What would be a fitting end to a long and hard-fought season is a Floodlit semi-final against JoBo A, a mighty Premiership opponent, but what is a cup competition without the prospect of a David vs Goliath giant killing? First, Trevs-South must see off Hild Bede, who await this Friday, 20^th February at 20.30 on 3G2 at Maiden Castle, for what promises to be nothing other than a riveting cup tie under the lights. 

Image: Luke Taylor