Asfordby girls' football club expecting another 'massive' boost from World Cup fever

Sharon Reason started up Asfordby Amateurs Ladies Girls and Inclusive FC in 1999 and it now has 250 players playing in 17 teams from the under 7s up to two adult sides.

Ashleigh Plumptre, who started playing the game for the club from the ages of five to eight, was outstanding on Monday when her Nigeria team took on the England Lionesses in the last 16 of the World Cup.

She stunned a big crowd in Brisbane and millions watching on television when she almost broke the deadlock in the first half with a shot which crashed off the underside of the crossbar with England goalkeeper Mary Earps well beaten.

The game ended in heartbreak for Ashleigh when Nigeria lost in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 0-0 after extra time.

Sharon told the Melton Times: “I felt so proud watching her and so sorry for her because Nigeria played better than England did.

"It’s a big deal for us to be able to say we are a grassroots club with a player that’s made it all the way to the World Cup.”

Ashleigh, a former pupil at St Francis Primary School in Melton, was spotted by the Asfordby club when she attended a coaching session near her home in Melton.

“She was tall as a child even then and quite shy and her close ball contact was always quite special,” recalled Sharon

"She just practised, practised, practised.

"Ash was very good from a young age.”

Many of the world’s best female footballers developed through playing with and against boys at younger ages but Ashleigh is one of the exceptions, having come through the Asfordby club and then moving to the girls’ academy at Leicester City. She went on to play for the first team in the Women’s Super League but has now left the club.

Sharon added: “Ash is a real role model. Some girls drop out of football if they can’t play just with girls because they are worried about it being too physical but she has proved that you can still reach the highest level just playing with girls.”

Ashleigh did play for England’s youth teams but decided to play for Nigeria after qualifying through a grandparent.

After Monday’s defeat she said the team proved it could compete with the best after getting out of their group after beating Australia and then pushing England all the way.

Sharon added: “England winning the Euros had a massive impact on us in terms of attracting new players and it will happen again if the Lionesses do go on and win the World Cup.”

Asfordby Amateurs Ladies Girls and Inclusive FC train on Wednesdays on the artificial pitch at John Ferneley College in Melton and new players are welcome.

The juniors – under 7s through to under 11s – have their sessions from 6pm to 7pm and the older players above these ages train from 7pm to 8pm.