Thursday 19 March 2015

Match Report - Doncaster Rovers Belles v Durham Women FC

   The opening round of FAWSL 2 fixtures continues as the other 6 teams get their league campaigns under way, all wanting to get those 1st, precious 3 points on the board. Last night saw Millwall Lionesses get their season started with London Bees the visitors to The Den, the points were shared as they drew 0-0. Whilst Aston Villa Ladies welcomed Everton Ladies to Sutton Coldfield, the side relegated from FAWSL 1 last season coming away with a 2-1 victory (see previous match report).

  Tonights fixtures see Oxford United Women hosting Watford Ladies and Reading FC Women making the trip to the south west to play Yeovil Town Ladies. I have headed north up the A1 to watch Doncaster Rovers Belles play Durham Women FC at the Keepmoat Stadium.

   A quick recap of last season saw Doncaster Rovers Belles narrowly miss out on promotion having given eventual FAWSL 2 Champions Sunderland Ladies a good run for their money. Doncaster Rovers Belles aim this season is the same as last to achieve promotion, and now that there are two promotion places up for grabs they are one of the favourites to do so.

  Durham Women FC, also know as the Wildcats took a while to settle into life in thre newly formed FAWSL 2, went on a good run towards the end of the season and secured a creditable 6th place. Are hoping to build on that this season.

   Was a chilly night at the Keepmoat Stadium, dry and clear under the floodlights there was a good buzz about the place as the two teams took to the pitch.

  Doncaster Rovers Belles starting XI - Nicola Hobbs, Ashleigh Mills, Rhiannon Roberts, Leandra Little (C), Lauren Cresswell, Kasia Lipka, Sophie Barker, Bethany England, Sue Smith, Emily Roberts & Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.
   subs - Danielle Hill, Molly Johnson, Lyndsey Cunningham, Reanne Thomas, Sophie Stamp, Hope Knight & Samantha Tierney.

 Durham Women FC starting XI - Helen Alderson, Jen Jennings, Sarah Wilson (C), Julie Nelson, Ellie Christon, Beth Hepple, Emily Scott, Rachel Lee, Jemma Purfield, Amelia Periera & Becky Beech.
  subs - Jordan Atkinson, Vic Linsley, Lauren Jordinson, Jess Clark & Anna Moorhouse.

  Doncaster Rovers Belles manager, Glen Harris had two of his new signings Sophie Barker and Emily Roberts in the starting XI. Whilst Lee Sanders manager of Durham Women FC had five of his close season signings starting, goalkeeper Helen Alderson along with Becky Beech and Amelia Periera in attack, Julie Nelson in defence and Rachel Lee whom the club unveiled just the day before was in their midifeld.
 
  Its Doncaster in their home kit, yellow shirts and socks with blue shorts to kick off the match with Durham lined up in their away kit of red shirts with black sleeves, black shorts and white socks. Doncaster start on the offensive taking the ball to Durham, it's notable early on that Kasia Lipka and Sophie Barker are the ones sitting in midfield whilst Beth England is pushing on making it look like a front 4 at times.

   Joining the Doncaster attack Ashleigh Mills playing at right back wins a throw deep in the Durham half, the home side keep possession as the ball is passed inside to centre back Rhiannon Roberts, who putting her foot through the ball looks to send a high ball into the box. Durham goalkeeper, Helen Alderson keeps her eye on it as players converge on her, she gathers safely.

  Durham are keeping it tight in defence Doncaster's moves are broken up and the visitors look to break the ball going through Beth Hepple in the middle and out wide right to Amelia Periera, the Portugese player looks to go on a mazy run the ball close to her feet she comes inside looks to thread a pass into Jemma Purfield making a good run into the box from the left, the pass is intercepted.

  Courtney Sweetman-Kirk is the 1st player to register an attempt on goal as she gets her head to a high ball lofted into the area by Barker, her header is off target goes wide. Sue Smith out on the right flank holds up the ball, looks to curl a cross into the box with her left foot, too close to Alderson, she gathers again.

  Lipka gets on the ball centrally with Barker peeling off into space to her right, getting her foot around the ball she plays a great cross into the area. Alderson sees it into her body, even as Emily Roberts bears down on her looking to get to the ball 1st.

  Periera makes a determined run down the right wins her team a corner. The set piece is played into the box, it's Rachel Lee who gets her head to the ball, is blocked rolls out to the left, Periera races to retreive it, plays it low into the area left of goal for Durham captain Sarah Wilson, she slips just as she's about the pull the trigger the ball rolls through to Doncaster goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs.

   Purfield is doing well on the left for Durham wins a tackle takes the ball forwards squares it looking be striker Becky Beech along the 18 yard line, Beech's shot is blocked at close range the rebound coming out to the advancing Lee she strikes her goal, looks to be heading for the top corner, Hobbs is across quickly to cover but she can see the shot go the wrong side of the woodwork.

  Both sides are looking to get the ball forwards create something, are finding defences standing firm on both counts. Hepple is the springboard for another Durham attack. plays a long ball out to Periera and continues to run forwards, is there to get on the ball as Periera's intended cross for Beech is cut out, Hepple takes the shot on, Hobbs is sharp to drop and make the save.

   England recieves the ball half way inside the Durham half finds herself with space to run into looks to take a couple of strides to set up a strike, Wilson is the one who senses the danger races out of the area to close her down blocking England's strike as she falls end to end as the half draws to a close Durham are doing well, Julie Nelson in particular in the Durham defence is reading Doncaster well getting herself in the right place to deal with the intended final ball.

   Doncaster though aren't afraid to take on the shot from distance, as Emily Roberts comes the closest to breaking the dead lock as yellow shirts flood the left channel possession is retained the pass comes into Roberts 25 yards out left corner of the box she shoots great effort the ball smashes off the cross bar.

                        Half-time Doncaster Rovers Belles 0-0 Durham Women FC

   Good work from Durham in the 1st half are doing well, defending is disciplined Doncaster are finding it very hard to break them down although Durham are conceding possession higher up the pitch at times. When they do get it forwards Periera is showing good close control is prepared to take players on whilst Purfield is finding some space to exploit on the left.

   Durham kick off the 2nd half, have made a change at half time with Beech the player coming off with Jordan Atkinson coming on in attack. It's Doncaster with the ball early on Sweetman-Kirk plays the ball out to Smith on the right she sends a cross into the box towards the far post area Emily Roberts is there, however it's Jen Jennings who gets her head to the ball 1st to clear.

  Durham look a threat from a set piece have a corner taken from the right coming in it's Nelson who gets a glancing head to the ball, turns it goal wards catches Hobbs by surprise, although she reacts quickly to claim the ball.

  GOAL! Doncaster get the break through, Lipka involved in the build up passes it forwards to England she lays it out to the left for Smith, she looks to place her cross for Sweetman-Kirk to hit, the ball is just behind her, Durham fail to get it clear as Sweetman-Kirk stays sharp to get hold of the ball and lashes it past Alderson into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

  Doncaster captain Leandra Little, commits a foul against Periera half way inside the half, Hepple is over the ball looks to have a strike on goal, a good distance out Hobbs is well placed to see it into her gloves.

  GOAL! Pressing the ball inside Durham's half, Barker has England bombing on in front of her as she plays the pass to her, edge of the area bearing down on goal, Alderson comes rushing out to meet her, England gets a touch to lob the keeper and the ball going past her bounces once and into the back of the open goal. 2-0.

  Periera passes the ball out to the right with Jordan Atkinson peeling off into space, she sends a good cross into the area, Purfield is coming in at the far post gets her head to the ball, it lands on the roof of the net.

   Doncaster make a change with Cresswell the player coming off and Hope Knight coming on. Their tails up having gotten a couple of goals, Lipka looks to get in on the act, takes on a shot 30 yards out, clips the top of the cross bar and out of play. At the other end Purfield jinks pass Mills left of goal she takes an early shot sends her effort over.

  Double change for Doncaster with Mills and England leaving the field, on in their places Reanne Thomas and Sophie Stamp who recently celebrated her 18th birthday. Durham have a half chance as they manage to squeeze a ball through for Atkinson on the edge of the area Hobbs races over to smother the shot the ball going away for a corner.

 GOAL! Doncaster add a 3rd goal and it's Smith who scores as the home side keep the ball out on the right attacking the Durham goal, Smith looks to take the ball inside, corner of the area she strikes the ball a curling effort that evades Alderson to go it at the far post. 3-0.

  Durham make a double change with Hepple and Wilson the ones coming off, their replacements Vic Lindsley and Jess Clark. Doncaster though are the ones doing the lions share of the attacking now are getting lots of bodies forwards. Rachel Lee is in a more advanced role now taking the ball into space has Atkinson making a good run into space on the right passes the ball to her Atkinson looks to burst into the box and have a shot, plants the ball in the side netting.

  Closing moment Alderson gets a touch on a long range shot from Doncaster to concede a corner the ball is played into the box, Little rises and gets her head to the ball, on target an instinctive save from Alderson she tips the ball over the bar.

  The final whistle goes and Doncaster wrap up an opening day 3-0 win and have their 1st 3 points on the board too. A strong performance in the 2nd half, once they opened the scoring were in total control.

  A 3-0 scoreline is a little harsh on Durham, who played well especially in the 1st half, were hard to break down and had attacking options going forwards too.

   In tonights other matches it was Oxford United Women who ran out 1-0 winners against Watford Ladies, captain Sahara Osbourne-Ricketts with the goal. Whilst there were 6 goals shared between Yeovil Town Ladies and Reading FC Women, Fran Kirby scoring 4 of them as Reading ran out 4-2 winners Tash Knapman and Corinne Yorston from the spot the goal scorers for Yeovil.

   Early days in the 2015 FAWSL 2 season Doncaster Rovers Belles are top from Reading FC Women and Everton Ladies. Another game with some good football played it promises to be a great season.

 

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like Durham will be a tougher proposition this year. Glad to see Barker handed a midfield commission too, I always thought full-back was a bit of a waste of her talents...

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