MY FIRST MATCH – Thea-Rose becomes a women’s football fan

Joining the record-breaking crowd at the Hive to watch London Bees v Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup wasn’t a bad way to start watching live women’s football.

During the match, eight-year-old Thea-Rose variously asked why women footballers aren’t paid the same as men, why women got banned from playing for 50 years, and how she could become one of the flag wavers or mascots.

Below, however, she tells the editor about her experience of the day.

This was my first match, but I was thinking, well, for a first match, I would say the Bees, in their first time in the main stadium in a long time, I would say they did really well.

Even though it was six goals to Liverpool and nil for the Bees.

If you were picking out one or two players for Liverpool who played well, which ones caught your eye and why do you think they were so good?

Number 25, Alice Bergstrom, because she did some of the most epic goals I’ve ever seen, even when I was watching on TV.

Did you get to meet her?

Yes, I did. She was very nice, but she looked quite tired.

Any other Liverpool players that you thought were good?

Risa Shimizu, I met her and Fuka Nagano.

When the goals were scored, was there anything you noticed about the numbers of the players and the goals they scored?

I did find something that I found that was pretty amazing.

When number 31 Martha Thomas scored around the 31st minute.

And was there a very young player for Liverpool that caught your eye?

Yes, number 87 (Maizie Trueman). She had the highest number, but for some reason she’s the youngest. She was 16 or maybe 17 years old.

Of the London Bees team, which were the players who started or came on as substitutes that you enjoyed watching?

I really enjoyed watching number nine, Ish.

Well, that is her nickname that we call her, but her real name is Millie Isherwood (below, left, with Liverpool’s Lily Woodham).

And did you meet her afterwards?

Yeah, she’s very lovely.

I shook her hand and I read her the Bees poem I wrote (see bottom of the page).

What did she think of the poem?

She really liked it.

Did you meet any other London Bees players?

I met Tia Ginn, player number one (Bees goalkeeper, below right).

She came for a lot of the Liverpool attacks.

Can you remember what the score was at half-time?

Um… 3-0.

Do you think London Bees played better in the second half than the first?

Yes, all thanks to Millie Isherwood.

And the other substitute who came on then (Fran Vigo) played very well.

Any other London Bees you met?

Yes. Sam (Lanza, below left) was one of the nicest players I met.

She was the captain and she’s number 10.

She looked exhausted at the end?

Yes, she was panting.

From the London Bees, was there anyone important, apart from the players who you met?

Yes, I met the London Bees manager. Dan McKimm.

And what did you say when you were talking to Dan?

I asked him what it was like to be manager of a match.

He’s a very nice man.

So the final score was… 6-0. And did the Liverpool goalkeeper (Sweden’s No 1, Jennifer Falk, below right) have much to do?

No, she literally only got three shots, so I would say she was bored. And she must have thought she should have been getting some of the action.

And apart from the players and the manager, did you meet anybody else there?

Yes, I met the radio commentator, Emily (Herbert).

What did you think about her commentary style when she was talking on the radio?

Yes, I thought it was very, very good.

It was very funny when she said the word, “blundled”.

What did you think about the way she was talking on the radio in terms of pace?

Fast.

Did it help you understand a bit about the match when you were listening to her?

Yes, actually, yes.

And I want to know how she manages to talk so fast.

Would you like to come to some more matches?

Yes, yes, more Bees matches. Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Did you get any souvenirs in the shop?

Yes, I got a little autograph book, and a London Bees badge.

If you’d been playing for London Bees today, what would you have been?

I would have liked to play in the Bees stadium, the Hive. As the goalkeeper.

Maybe you’ve got the ambition that when you’re 16 you could be making your debut?

I’m very bad at football!

And here is Thea’s poem for the Bees (composed during the game):

Bees and Honey

Sweet with a sting.

Sugary and savoury,

But with no gaps within.