Yeovil Town Ladies didn't get off to a great start in the league lost to both Reading FC Women and Doncaster Rovers Belles the 2 sides touted as promotion favourites at the start of the season. Since those defeats though Yeovil have gone on to win 6 of their last 8 league matches and climb up the league table into 3rd place. Have 19 points after 10 matches played 7 points behind 2nd placed Reading FC Women with Doncaster Rovers Belles top, the gap 9 points.
Yeovil Town Ladies have played both the teams above them twice though and are well placed to close the gap and push on into the 2nd part of the season try and keep picking up the points starting today against Watford Ladies. Manager Jamie Sherwood has assembled a squad with a good blend of youth and experience. Over the mid season break the club has brought in a couple of new signings to bolster the squad, Welsh U19 international Sammy Quayle and most notably, Sarah Wiltshire has returned to the club having left to join Manchester City Women after a short spell at Yeovil prior to the move Wiltshire made a real impact scoring plenty of goals the club will be hoping she continues to score as they look to push on.
A different story all together for their opponents today, Watford Ladies travel to Sherbourne Town FC as the side currently propping up FAWSL 2. Has been a difficult start to the new season losing 10 of their opening 12 league fixtures have just a single win and draw 4 points in total are in danger of getting cut adrift from the rest of the table. Have seen a large turn around of players have lost several experienced players too. Manager John Saloman has players out injured too, a good development set up at Watford Ladies, are not afraid to give the youngsters a start has brought in a few new faces over the mid season break including experienced goalkeeper Trippoli Witney who played for QPR Ladies last season.
Woke up this morning and it was tipping down, headed south regardless, ironically I had remembered to pack an umbrella but had totally forgotten to pack any sun cream, not that I've needed any yet, this being the Great British summer and all. Yeovil Town Ladies assured me it'd be dry by time the match got under-way. I usually go for the cheeseburger option at a WSL ground (if they have such a thing) Yeovil Town Ladies were offering something a little different today, had The Pizza Box at the ground, cooking thin crust pizza's as well a crepes to order. Went for the magarita pizza and it was very tasty too.
It was wet, the driest place to be was in the dugouts so it was a good day to be named amongst the subs.
Yeovil Town Ladies starting XI - Charlotte Haynes, Corinne Yorston, Nicola Cousins, Natalie Haigh (C), Helen Bleazard, Steph Williams, Sammy Quayle, Ellie Curson, Sarah Wiltshire, Natasha Knapman & Annie Heatherson
subs - Alys Hinchcliffe, Stacey Pearson, Shauna Cossens, Emily Donovan, Ebony Dover, Jodi Cornwall & Nicky Lipscombe
Watford Ladies starting XI - Trippoli Witney, Leighanne Robe, Phoebe Read, Tricia Gould, Amber Tullett, Anneka Nuttall, Jordan Littleboy, Mollie Burgess, Nicole Pepper, Kim Farrow & Stacie Donnelly (C)
subs - Deger Zekai, Megan Wynne, Ellie Mason, Sasha Adamson, Adekite Fatiuga-Dada & Ashleigh Deacon.
It's Yeovil in their home kit of green and white hooped shirts and socks with white shorts to kick off the game with Watford lined up opposite in their usual kit, yellow shirt and socks with black shorts. From the kick off Watford harry Yeovil on the ball forcing them to play it back to goal keeper Charlotte Haynes, she is rushed into dealing with the back pass but gets it clear before Watford captain Stacie Donnelly can close her down.
Helen Bleazard getting hold of the ball on the right for Yeovil pushes on from the back sends in a high looping cross towards the back post Watford's defence deals with the threat. Yeovil are soon into their stride getting hold of the ball and driving at the Watford back line, Annie Heatherson wins the ball back inside the Watford half pushes forwards has Sarah Wiltshire running with her to her left plays the ball into her run, Wiltshire bombs forwards into the area hits a shot/cross along the face of the goal the ball running out of play.
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| Watford's Nicole Pepper with Yeovil's Sarah Wiltshire |
GOAL! Penalty! Wiltshire has got herself one on one with Watford defender Leighanne Robe on a couple of occasions early on the 1st time Robe puts in a good challenge to put the ball out for a throw not long after the pair are shoulder to shoulder as they enter the box from the left Wiltshire goes down, the referee is quick to point to the spot. It's Corinne Yorston to take is a cool strike that sends Watford goalkeeper Trippoli Witney the wrong way 1-0.
Less than 10 minutes played Yeovil have opened the scoring, and with it, Corinne Yorston's goal has also brought an end to the rain! Yeovil are picking the ball up easily in the middle and pushing forwards, Heatherson is all over the place wanting to get hold of the ball, has Wiltshire out to the left again plays the ball to her Wiltshire pushes on down the wing he cross is good along the six yard line but misses everyone retrieved by Sammy Quayle on the right the ball is send back into the box, Heatherson having made the run can't control the ball with her head falls to the edge of the area, Yorston is there to take the shot on is blocked by a Watford body.
Watford have little opportunity to get the ball into the Yeovil area, win a free kick on the halfway line the ball delivered to the edge of the area is headed down into the box falls to Mollie Burgess she shoots, has too many bodies in front of her the effort is blocked. Yeovil are soon attacking up the other end Bleazard bringing the ball forwards confidently down the right, rides 2 challenges before delivering a diagonal ball from the corner of the area towards the far post, Robe is there to clear the threat.
Wiltshire is fouled wide on the left, off the free kick delivered into the box Bleazard wins her team a corner, put in from the right into the congested six yard box, Witney does well to throw her fists up and punch the ball away and out for a throw.
GOAL! On 19 minutes Yeovil double their advantage. On half way Heatherson goes down theatrically as Nuttall shoves her in the back the referee awards the free kick. Heatherson has made her way into the box as the free kick is played in receives the ball left of goal, fires in a shot, Witney is down sharply makes the save but pushes it out to the right straight into Bleazard who sends the ball into the back of the net 2-0.
GOAL! 4 minutes later and Yeovil add a 3rd goal, good work from Ellie Curson in the middle of the park, winning the ball before delivering a great pass out to Bleazard up on the right taking the ball into the final 3rd she turns before sending in the ball towards goal, is over Witney with Wiltshire coming in, may have got the final touch, the ball was heading in either way Yeovil make it 3-0.
Strong running with the ball at her feet from Nuttall she does well travelling up the right touchline with the ball then squares the cross into the box picking out Kim Farrow right of goal she shoots early puts the ball wide of goal.
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| Watford's Trippoli Witney |
Curson plays the ball out to Sammy Quayle on the right, her cross into the box is met by Knapman she shot takes a kick off a defender to put it wide of goal, the referee though indicates a goal kick. Yeovil come again, Quayle down the right again this time looking to come inside does win a corner. Wiltshire manages to get he head to the set piece, Watford manage to keep it out of their goal and clear.
GOAL! Over half an hour played Watford have been on the back foot for much of the game, Yeovil looking like they are going to score every time they go forwards, add a 4th goal before half time. The build up play on the right before the ball is delivered into the area, Watford get the ball away falls to Curson around 25 yards out. She takes on the shot sending in a great ball that flies over Witney and in 4-0.
Witney's gloves are stung for the 2nd time in the match this time off a Yorston strike as a cross-field ball from the right comes all the way through to her, taking it on the run into the area hits the shot, arrows straight at Witney who gets her gloves behind it parries it away for the save.
Yorston can get plenty of power behind the ball, Watford's Robe feels the effects as she gets in the way but manages to stop her cross from the left finding a team mate is off the pick winded play stopped. From the corner Witney rises highest to knock the ball away for a corner on the right. The ball put into the area is headed over the bar by Bleazard.
Half time Yeovil Town Ladies 4-0 Watford Ladies
A dominant 1st half display from Yeovil have looked a constant threat going forwards at will looking like scoring with every attack. Watford have been on the back foot all half finding it very difficult to retain the ball and build an attack.
It's the visitors to kick off the 2nd half, have made 2 changes at half time with Kim Farrow and Tricia Gould the players having come off. On the pitch are Ellie Mason and Sasha Adamson. Start the 2nd half much brighter than the 1st getting bodies forwards a chance for Jordan Littleboy outside the area on the left smashes the ball goal wards in the Yeovil goal Charlotte Haynes is called into action to make the save.
Soon after sub Adamson gets hold of the ball slides the pass through to put Nuttall through on the right side of the box, her initial shot is blocked, gets onto the loose ball fires her shot over the bar. Time for Watford's other half time substitute to have a go for goal picking up the ball in the centre pushes on hits a low effort 35 yards out, coming across to guard her post Haynes can see it roll wide.
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| Phoebe Read on ball for Watford |
Wiltshire coming in from the left for Yeovil plays the ball out to Quayle wide on the right she tees up the cross looking to send it in towards the far post, Witney is back pedalling to get to it has to with Knapman closing in punches the ball away from danger before Knapman can connect. On the ball in front of goal 20 yards out Wiltshire twists and turns makes the room for a shot lifts the attempt over the cross bar.
GOAL! Despite Watford's brighter start to the half it's Yeovil who extend their lead as we approach the 60th minute the build up is on the left of the Watford area Curson and Quayle are involved before the ball comes to Yorston hits it on the volley sending the ball into the top corner from 30 yards out, great strike 5-0.
Yeovil make their 1st change with Bleazard coming off and Ebony Dover coming on to join the defence, picks up a yellow card straight away going in strong on Adamson as she looks to take the ball into the area. Left of goal it's Nicole Pepper over the ball sweeps a low curving ball into the six yard box, Yeovil captain Natalie Haigh is the player who gets her foot to it to clear.
Heatherson is full of energy worked up and wanting to run at defenders makes a move down the right of the pitch before delivering a cross into the centre is met by Wiltshire who shoots takes a deflection of Watford defender Phoebe Read out for a corner.Put into the far post from the left Knapman rises to try and get her head to it has a defender jumping with her can only direct the ball over the bar.
Read pushes out from the back for Watford on the left wins her team a corner, the ball is initially cleared by the Yeovil defence, comes back out to the right of the area to Watford's Donnelly 25 yards out she takes on the strike sends the ball over the bar.
GOAL! Watford get themselves a goal as Adamson gets herself into a one on one position with Haigh central to the goal as they enter the area Haigh blocks Adamson's 1st attempt then slides in to deny Read as she looks to get up the pitch to support Adamson, the ball is loose Haigh can't recover a 3rd time before Adamson can reach it and send her shot past Haynes into the back of the net 5-1.
GOAL! Isn't long before Yeovil restore their 5 goal lead on the 67th minute, Heatherson with another powerful run into the middle has the space in front of her closed by the Watford centre backs manages to get it out to Wiltshire to her left who wins a corner. In from the left Witney gets her fists to it to send it away for a corner on the right. From this delivery Heatherson scores inside the six yards box right of the goal jumps and sends a bullet into the back of the net 6-1.
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| Annie Heatherson always looking to take players on with the ball |
GOAL! Into the last 5 minutes not long on the pitch substitute Donovan has a go fro a long way out a low strike that drops bouncing before Witney who getting down to try and stop it is very unfortunate as the ball lifts up off her and despite he attempt to gloves the ball off the line the linesman flags to say it was in 7-1.
A late effort for Mason for Watford as they get the ball up into the D, falling as she hits the shot however can only scuff the effort wide of goal. Injury time Donovan has pulled out into space on the right flashes a cross along the goal face Heatherson still has the energy to get leaping though is just under the ball. The final whistle blows and Yeovil Town Ladies win the game 7-1 closing the gap on the teams above them whilst significantly improving their goal difference.
Yeovil were dominant from start to finish their movement and forward play a constant threat had 4 goals by half time could easily have been more but for some great saves from Trippoli Witney in the Watford goal.
A tough game for Watford were pulled all over the place never really got themselves imposed on the ball gave it away too easily. Remain bottom can only pick themselves up and go again.
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