Loughborough are Champions again

By Dr. Colin Aldis

Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Loughborough 3 UWIC 1

Scoring
Loughborough Milly Durrant, 23rd.minute
UWIC Miranda Hall,43rd.
Loughborough Anna Renken, 60th.
Loughborough Amber Cook, 79th.

The date and venue were changed. A week early and it took place in West London instead of Sheffield. It was the first time the women’s final had been played on a football league ground, but it did not matter to Loughborough University as they swept aside their Cardiff based rivals who were in their first final.

“There is only one Loughborough Uni”, sang their mainly female supporters. Which was not completely untrue, for they have appeared in the last seven finals, and won in 1994, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004 and now 2006 under the BUSA banner.

They were the first winners in 1989, when it was the UAU Championships, and again in 1990 and 1992, with appearances in 13 finals overall.

Match report
The opening goal by Milly Durrant, who plays her Sunday football for the famous Doncaster Rovers Belles, was a superb left foot volley into the top right cornerof the net.

The equalizer by UWIC was somewhat controversial, as a speculative
rising shot by Miranda Hall was fumbled by the Loughborough keeper, and the referees assistant gave it as over the goal-line. A nearby steward said that it did not go in, while our video evidence is likely to prove inconclusive.

Loughborough deservedly took the lead again with a great angled shot by Anna Renken hitting the roof of the net. Amber Cook wrapped up the win about 10 minutes from time