Tense encounter sees Lions Take Euros Silver at Sixways

Arriving at Sixways Stadium there was a distinct air of Women’s Euros Déjà vu. Great Britain are playing Finland in the final game of the tournament and the winner gets the higher grade of medals, just as it was at the 2019 Euros in Leeds. Once again, for the Lions to succeed they would have to win by a certain number of points, this time, it was seven or more.

This game would mark the end of an era for the GB programme, after eleven years and twenty caps, defensive talisman Phoebe Schecter would be playing her last game of contact football. As she took to the field waving the Union Jack flag, she was introduced to the crowd who welcomed her with thunderous cheers and applause. As you will read, she certainly went out with a bang! Also stepping away was two-way sensation Sydney Green. At quarterback, linebacker and punter she had been an impact player, sometimes playing all three positions in the same game! Also representing the Lions for the final time would be defensive line stalwart Becky Martin, having lived and played in Finland for the Seinajoki Crocodiles for some time, she has chosen to give the younger Lions the chance to follow in her illustrious footsteps.

Schecter has long been a flag bearer for the team – Image Dave Tidswell

To the action then, but not before we had been treated to two excellent live renditions of the national anthems. GB won the toss and chose to defer, Finland chose to receive the ball. IFAF are still using the traditional format for kick-offs, so GB’s kicker Eilidh Currie of the Solent Thrashers looked to place the ball deep. The Finish returner did a decent job and they would start their first drive on their own thirty nine. Quarterback Lea Kazzas wasted no time taking to the air completing two passes in quick succession, the second going for a big first down to Tiia Jansen who we would come to realise was her go to target. A gain on the ground for six was followed by an incomplete pass, before Lions defensive tackle Rachael Moody got deep into the Fins backfield to cause some Caledonia Chaos and register a sack. The pressure was on the offence, but Kazzas stepped up in style with a deep pass down the left sideline, Jansen won the contested catch and strode into the endzone for the opening score. Hold on, not so fast! It was called back for a holding penalty, much to the relief of the crowd. The relief didn’t last for long though as on the next play Kazzas threaded the ball between two converging defenders where it was snagged by the receiver who took the ball to the house. The PAT was good, and Finland led 7-0.

The Lions were eager to respond, and when Ruth Matta and Siobhan Walker deployed a reverse move on the kick return, Walker made it to the GB forty-eight. Matta handled the ball on the first two plays for short gains, before quarterback Rachael Tumelty found tight end Anna Page, unfortunately it wasn’t enough for a first down and the Lions had to punt. Finland now had first down on their own forty-one, they went to the air again, but linebacker Sophie George undercut the receiver and picked off the pass! Three plays later Matta flared out to receive a screen pass but was levelled by a defender, meaning Green would set up to punt. Having caught the ball, she stepped up as if to kick, but tucked it away and raced off down the left sideline, all the way to the Fins two before she was tackled. Tumelty soon found Page in the endzone who screened of the defender and caught the pass for the touchdown! Currie slotted the ball through, and as the first quarter ended the game was all square at 7-7.

It was game on, and back in possession the Fins would have a chance to regain the lead, but to do that they would have to get the better of the Lions defense, it would be interesting to see them try. Quarterback Kazzas kept the ball on the first play, circling towards the right sideline she was met by Phoebe Schecter, add that encounter to the “tackle for a loss” column. Kazzas then completed a short pass, Schecter making the tackle again. Finland ended up punting, Oli Davies made a clean catch in stride and secured ten yards before being tackled. The Lions couldn’t get the chains moving and punted it away themselves. Finland tried their luck on the ground, but their running back fumbled the ball, and a grateful Sophie George of the London Warriors recovered it to give GB good field position. Finland’s defense were well aware of the threat posed by Siobahn Walker, but a blown assignment and some precision decoy routes had Walker in space across the middle where Tumelty targeted her with a laser pass. Having made the catch she braced for contact, but it didn’t come. Turning up field she switched on the turbos, leaving three would be tacklers in her wake before she arrived in the endzone! Currie delivered the extra point, and the Lions now led 14-7.

Tumelty was finding her targets - Image Jody Davies

The Fins would have to re-double their efforts on offence in an attempt to get back on terms, however constant pressure from the Lions front seven would frustrate them. Aggressive defence from Finland also restricted the Brits and the next two drives saw the teams forced to punt, to the delight of the Finnish sideline they blocked Green’s kick and were now handily placed on the Lions twenty-six-yard line. On first down Kazzas looked deep left into the endzone, but the ball fell incomplete. Second down saw the same play, the outcome though was dramatically different, as Emily Mullen lept highest to make the interception!

Mullen makes the spectacular interception – Image Jody Davies

Heading towards the two-minute warning the Lions were pinned inside their own twenty and once again they had to punt. Kazzas threw for a first down to get the Fins to the Lions twenty-five, but a big tackle by linebacker Beth Pilkington of the Teesside Steelers made sure they didn’t advance any further. Finland set up for a field goal but chose to run the clock down before taking a time-out with seven seconds left in the half, ensuring that whatever the outcome of the attempt, the Lions would have little time to reply. They got the kick away, but it didn’t have the height and ended up on the turf under the crossbar. Halftime came with GB still ahead by the requisite seven points. It had been a pulsating first half and there was still everything to play for.

The Lions would get the ball first at the start of the second half but were unable to establish a drive due to some tenacious defending by the Fins. Starting at their own forty-four, Kazzas scrambled for big yards down the left sideline before being helped out of bounds by Schecter. On the next play she had a wide-open receiver but was unable to connect. Scrambling left again, Green was on hand to help the quarterback step off the field, unfortunately the officials decided the help wasn’t of a sporting nature and tacked on another fifteen yards, moving the Fins to the GB six. Two plays later the Kazzas to Jansen connection hit the jackpot again, touchdown! The kick was good, and we were level at fourteen.

Matta fielded the kick and got it to the Lions thirty-seven before being swarmed by a group of Finnish tacklers. The Fins, who were on a high after levelling the game, closed down the Brits offence and forced them to punt. With the returner calling for a fair catch, they would start their next drive from their own thirty-one. A screen pass saw the receiver pull the ball in and step toward the sideline where she was met by a thumping tackle by Candice Simon. Schecter was in close proximity and reached in to strip the ball, seeing it fall to the turf, she recovered it and sped away to the endzone, touchdown Lions! Currie nailed the kick ensuring the seven-point lead was restored.

Schecter takes it to the house! - Image Phil Rocker

The momentum had swung back in the Lions favour but both teams were leaving nothing in the jar in their efforts to secure the silver medals. Defence dominated for the rest of the third quarter, with Moody making a crucial tackle in the Fins backfield to end a promising drive. The Lions suffered a massive blow to their offensive line when the dominant Yasmin Cazeau went down with a knee injury. The crowd held their breath as she was treated on the field for several minutes. To everyone’s relief she was helped to her feet to leave the pitch, however she was done for the day. Green came in at quarterback for the Lions, but as the third quarter closed Finland were first and ten at their own twenty-six.

In recent times, the GB Lions had found themselves in a number of nail biting fourth quarters, this one would give us more of the same!

Several good gains on the ground saw Finland edging closer to the Lions endzone but tackles by Zoe John, Ibernia Fraser and Lucy Peaty held them at bay and on fourth and eight they chose to go for a field goal to narrow the score. Pressure on the holder and kicker meant their mechanics were off, and the kick went wide left.

Incomplete passes meant the Lions had to punt, leaving Finland to try to reduce the deficit and swing the battle for the silver medals in their favour, they would start on the Lions forty-seven. It didn’t go well for them, and they punted the ball back, they did however, manage to down the ball on the British eight-yard line. With the pressure on, the strategy now was for Green to run the ball and eat up the remaining time. As the two-minute warning was given, she secured a first down off the back of a great block by Tara Minto. Finland’s Head Coach was having to spend time-outs to preserve what was left on the clock, but his defence stiffened, and the Lions had to punt, it was high and short, leaving the door slightly ajar for one last chance. Kazzas stood under centre at the Lions thirty-five, she found her open receiver on a crossing pattern and a touchdown looked likely until Schecter and Simon dragged her down at the ten. On first down a pass to the back left corner of the endzone was batted down by the ever-alert Mullen. Second down saw a panicked Kazzas sacked by Fraser for a loss. On third down they ran the ball for no gain, and an injury time-out led to a ten second run-off. With one minute and three seconds to go, Finland would attempt a field goal for the third time in the contest. Everything was on the line as Finland’s kicker, Laura Pulkkselle  stepped up and fixed her gaze on the uprights, meanwhile on the Lions defence Becky Martin fixed her sights on the flight of the ball. Pulkkselle connected, Martin lept, and for a moment, time stood still. Martin had blocked the kick!

With less than a minute left on the clock, Green simply had to kneel it out. Silver medal to Great Britain, whilst Finland gets the bronze.

The Lions in victory formation - Image Dave Tidswell

Football programmes, particularly national representative ones, tend to plan, build and deliver around competition cycles. With the Women’s 2023-24 Europeans now in the rear-view mirror, the focus will shift towards the World Championships scheduled for 2026. Head Coach Chris Stone will be losing some core personnel to retirement, but he has created a structure that discovers, develops and brings through fresh new talent. Two successive major tournament silvers has set a high bar, it will be exciting to see what the next iteration of the team achieves.