Friday 13 March 2015

Match Report - Cambridgeshire FA Women v Suffolk FA Women

  Made the short journey down into Cambridgshire last evening to Ely City FC to watch a women's representative football match between Cambridgeshire FA and Suffolk FA in the East Anglian Counties Championship. They are two of four county sides in East Anglia competing for the Fred Welham Women's Cup the others being Hertfordshire the current holders of the cup and Essex.

   Has been a slow start to this years East Anglian Counties Championship with just the one match being played to date between Essex FA and Cambridgeshire FA the latter coming away from Hornchurch with a 0-4 win. The other scheduled matches have fallen foul to the wet weather that has caused a back log of fixtures for a number of women's football clubs across the east.

EAST ANGLIAN COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Pl W D L GD Pts
Cambridgeshire 1 1 0 0 4 3
Herdfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0
Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0
Essex 1 0 0 1 -4 0

Each side plays the other once during the competition the draw determining whether it will be home or away. This match is Cambridgeshire's only home match of their scheduled three with an away trip to Herfordshire who have yet to play a match in this years East Anglian Counties Championship to come at the end of April. With 3pts already on the board they had the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table.

   The bulk of the Cambridgshire squad is made up from Cambridge WFC who compete in the FA WPL South East Division One along with Gt Shelford Ladies and Bar Hill Women who play their football in the Eastern Region Premier and Division One North respectfully.

   Suffolk had brought a strong squad of players to Ely City FC. Has been a frustating time with squads getting the call up and then the matches getting postponed due to the weather. Again their squad had FA WPL South East players to call upon from Ipswich Town Ladies and C&K Basildon, along with the Eastern Region Premier league leaders Lowestoft Town Ladies and Division One North leaders Bury Town Ladies and 2nd placed AFC Sudbury Ladies, aswell as Tori Campbell representing the county league in Suffolk playing for East Bergholt United Ladies.

    Cambridgeshire FA starting XI - Verity Crook  (Cambridge WFC), Gemma Clare (Bar Hill Women), Kayleigh-Anne Burt (Cambridge WFC), Hannah Bodily (Cambridge WFC), Liv Abbott (Cambridge WFC), Vicky Neal (Bar Hill Women), Rebecca Charter (Gt Shelford Ladies), Laura Bright (C) (Cambridge WFC), Nuala Wayne (Cambridge WFC), Laura Mills ( Cambridge WFC) & Rebecca Taylor (Gt Shelford Ladies).
   subs - Laura Baker (Cambridge WFC), Zoe Lander (MK Dons Ladies), Allison Wright (Gt Shelford Ladies) & Emma Jenkins (Cambridge WFC).

   Suffolk FA starting XI - Charlotte Osbourne (Bury Town Ladies), Marcie Prettyman ( Lowestoft Ladies), Anna Larkins (Lowestoft Town Ladies), Laura Brown (Bury Town Ladies), Lindsey Smith (C) (Ipswich Town Ladies), Aimee Harrison (Ipswich Town Ladies), Roxanne Small (Ipswich Town Ladies), Tori Campbell (East Bergholt United Ladies), Natasha Thomas (Lowestoft Town Ladies), Tarnya McKew (Ipswich Wanderers Ladies) & Paige Shorten (Lowestoft Town Ladies).
    subs - Helen Cryer (Bury Town Ladies), Megan Lawler (C&K Basildon Ladies), Hannah Waters (Lowestoft Town Ladies) & Ellie Rossiter (Ipswich Town Ladies).

  A chilly evening at Ely City Fc but dry and clear with the floodlights on as the teams entered the pitch, Cambridgeshire kitted out in sky blue shirts, navy shorts and socks with Suffolk in an all maroon kit. On paper it looked two strong line ups as Suffolk got the match under way.

   The visitors are on the attack straight away a cross field ball from the right picking out Paige Shorten on the left bursting into space, she hooks the ball back into the centre looking for Natasha Thomas standing inside the D, getting hold of the ball she has Tarnya McKew making the run behind her slides the ball into her path McKew charges into the box on the ball has Cambridgeshire defender Liv Abbott for company manages to get a shot away, off target goes wide of goal.

   Cambridgeshire work the ball up the pitch retain possesssion around the Suffolk area looking for the pass to put a someone through, eventually captain Laura Bright is fouled a push in the back 25 yards from goal to the right of the D, it's Nuala Wayne over the ball, she goes for goal, her effort doesn't trouble Suffolk goalkeeper Charlotte Osbourne who sees it all the way into her gloves.

   Both Suffolk full backs are looking to make runs go beyond the attacking players in front of them, on the left played in by Shorten, Anna Larkins plays a cross from a deep position into the area picks out Tori Campbell, can't get the ball down and under control to get her shot away as the Cambridgeshire defence close her down.

   Two or three times the Cambridgeshire central midfielders, Bright and Hannah Bolily look to thread a pass between the Suffolk centre backs looking to release Wayne in at goal, each time the pass has a little too much weight allows Osbourne to come off her goal line and gets to the ball first.

   Is an even match both sides are looking to be progressive with the ball work it up the pitch Suffolk looknig for more width are winning more corners the delivery from the set pieces causing Cambridgeshire goalkeeper little trouble. On the right Roxanne Small has pace to burn charging into the corner squares a good ball into the box, with McKew coming in to meet it at the near post, Crook comes well to scoop the ball up in front of the striker.

   Good work from Larkins again down the left gets her cross into the box is met by a Cambridgeshire defender, bouncing in front of her the ball isn't cleared McKew closing her down reacts fast gets her foot on the ball, the shot though is high over the bar.

  GOAL! Cambridgeshire win their first corner of the match and from it open the scoring. The ball played in from the left is sent in chest high to the near post is headed away, it's Bright who gives chase getting hold of the ball on the edge of the area, she turns and strikes the ball, the shot flying past Osbourne before she can react and into the back of the net 1-0.

   Cambridgeshire win the ball back from the restart with Bodily playing a long pass through to Wayne peeling into the right channel, she delivers a cross low into the box, Laura Mills has made up the ground from the left is inside the area, doesn't get hold of her shot, allowing the Suffolk defence to retake the ball, the break is on the visitors with one pass through the middle send McKew away bursting forwards she takes her shot early looking to send the ball from the corner of the area across Crook but also wide of the far post.

   On the right Rebecca Charter for Cambridgshire makes a good run taking on the player in front of her, jinks past her sends her cross along the front of the Suffolk area picks out Wayne her back to goal, she rolls it out for Bodily 30 yards out, in space she has a shot gets no power on the low effort, Osbourne can scoop it up into her gloves. Hannah Waters comes onto the pitch for Suffolk up front.

   Late in the half Cambridgeshire win a free kick halfway inside the Suffolk half, Taylor is over the ball plays it high into the box it's Bodily making the run to get to the ball at the near post, gets her head to it sends the ball back across the goal and wide.

                  Half time Cambridgeshire FA Women 1-0 Suffolk FA Women.

   A game of few chances both sides using the pitch well finding it had to catch the others defence out, Brigh'ts goal the difference between the two sides as Cambridgeshire kick off the 2nd half. Late in the 1st Abbott came off for the home side with Zoe Lander taking her place in the centre of defence. Laura Baker is also on for Cambridgeshire at the start of the 2nd half with Charter off.

  Mills makes a powerful run along the right of the pitch the ball at her feet she turns and comes inside drives towards the area, sees Osbourne coming strikes her shot early gets it past the keeper, Osbourne turns and watches the ball roll wide of her goal.

Another free kick for Cambridgeshire inside the Suffolk half and the same players look to combine as Taylor plays in another good delivery with Bodily the one making the run across the Suffolk defence steals into space as the ball bounces in front of her, Osbourne is right behind it though and has it safe in her gloves before Bodily can get a boot to it.

  Tori Campbell plays a nice ball through to Waters up front she gets hold of the ball looks to take it into the box, is stopped by Vicky Neal who puts in a great tackle to stop her. Suffolk then win a free kick of their own 25 yards from goal to the right of the box, it's Shorten who looks to take on the shot, get's too much on the ball sends it over the cross bar.

   Nuala Wayne comes off for Cambridgeshire with Allison Wright comnig onto the pitch which sees Rebecca Taylor being pushed further forwards in attack. Taylor is put through on goal the pass bisecting a static Suffolk defence, the no 11 bursts into the box Osbourne rushes to meet her closes the angle makes the blocking save as Taylor shoots at point blank range.

   On the left hand side of the pitch Laura Baker makes a nice run to open up the pitch in front of her the ball is played through to her she looks to play her cross into Taylor in the centre 25 yards from goal she puts her foot through the shot the ball smashes against the cross bar and goes out of play.

   Laura Brown comes onto the pitch for Suffolk, as Marcie Prettyman brings the ball out from right back pushing on takes the ball into the middle, with the strikers in front of her looking to provide the runs she plays the ball forwards too much weight on the pass allows Crook to come out and gather.

   Cambridgeshire have the ball on the left looking for a long cross field pass into the area it's Taylor providing the run the ball has good weight on it landing before Taylor she doesn't need to break stride as she bursts into the area hits it sends the shot over the cross bar.

   GOAL! Taylor has been looking a threat since she has moved up top in attack and she gets on the score sheet doubling Cambridgeshire's lead. It's good work from Mills down the right to set her up however as she takes on her marker gets to the byline and sweeps her cross into the area, coming in to the near post area Taylor arrives to meet it with a stooping header that she turns into the back of the net 2-0.

   Osbourne makes a great save off Baker as she takes on the shot from outside the box having found the space out on the left again, head down ball at her feet she comes back inside drills the low shot in from outside the box only to see it saved.
 
   Suffolk are struggling to get the ball into their strikers late on as Ellie Rossiter enters the pitch, the visitors win a corner on the right the ball is sent into the middle of the six yard box, but Crook does well to jump amongst the crowd around her to take the ball down.

   Cambridgeshire break quickly send Taylor through on goal again this time she looks to stab her shot under Osbourne, the keeper is alert though and drops down quickly to make the save as the final whislte blows and seal the victory by 2 goals to nil and claim another 3pts to give Cambridgshire a strong lead at the top of the table.

EAST ANGLIAN COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Pl W D L GD Pts
Cambridgeshire
2
2
0
0
6
6
Herdfordshire
0
0
0
0
0
0
Suffolk
1
0
0
1
-2
0
Essex
1
0
0
1
-4
0

   Good football from both sides tonight, Cambridgeshire ultimately creating more goal scoring chances as the game wore on took their goals well and look in good shape at the top of the table with an away trip to Hertfordshire to come the match scheduled for the 30th April dates for the other matches dates yet to be confirmed.

  

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