Stamford AFC Young Daniels U12 Girls are the 2023 Lincolnshire FA County U12 Girls’ Cup – Sponsored by George Richardson – Champions after an impressive display against Lincoln Griffins on Sunday at the Zeeco Stadium. 

Steve Gaunt’s side took a 3-1 victory in a result he described as “fantastic” and “really good for them”. 

“They deserve it. They’ve worked so hard this season and I’m so pleased for them. I think the performance was great, but I do think 3-1 flatters a little bit as I think it was a lot closer than that. Lincoln were fantastic today and they threw everything at us, but one team had to win and today that was us”. 

It was Lincoln Griffins who nearly took first blood after a lovely through ball to the Griffins attacker, but was ultimately saved by Willow Gaunt and pushed out for a corner. A subsequent effort from Gracie Bavin was again saved by Willow Gaunt to keep the game all square. 

But minutes later, Stamford’s Maisie Edwards tucked away a superb effort into the bottom left corner to give them a 1-0 lead. She nearly doubles Stamford’s lead just 5 minutes later after slipping through 1-on-1 against Amelia Dring, but the Lincoln Griffins keeper denied Stamford’s number 27 to keep the game 1-0. 

The 250 strong crowd were treated to a fantastic game as Lincoln Griffins attacked superbly but just couldn’t find that final ball, but Stamford was equally excellent going forward. 

On the 25th minute, Maisie Edwards doubled her goal tally and subsequently Stamford’s lead after a brilliant ball was fed through to Edwards who was left one-on-one with the keeper and buried her chance. 

Lincoln Griffins nearly pulled a goal back direct from a corner as the ball was curled in behind the keeper but was booted away right on the goal mouth by a Stamford defender. Incredibly, the exact same moment happened again just 2 minutes later.

The sides went into the break with Stamford two goals up but Lincoln Griffins still looking like a real threat. 

3 minutes in to the second half saw Maisie Edwards come close to getting her hat trick, but was denied by Amelia Dring from close range. Stamford came excruciatingly close to Stamford’s third as Florence Swift hit the bar.

Florence Swift came close again just minutes later from the edge of the box, but Amelia Dring got a hand on it and tipped it onto the crossbar. 

Lincoln Griffins were able to pull a goal back as Darcey Whiteley’s effort from close range threw Griffins a lifeline and blew the game wide open. 

Maisie Edwards once again came close to a hat trick but her efforts was curled just wide of the post. But it was Florence Swift who secured the title for Stamford AFC after a 51st minute goal was enough to crown Stamford AFC Young Daniels the 2023 Lincolnshire FA County U12 Girls’ Cup Champions. 

Stamford’s Maisie Edwards was awarded Player of the Match, and the game was officiated by Richard Gutsell, Roman Everist, Ryan Bussey, and Liam Mcgowan. 

Photo Credit: Ed Mayes Photography