As we reach the mid way point of the FAWSL season the league table is beginning to spread and develop into those that will be challenging for the title and those that will be looking at the dreaded drop. Chelsea Ladies had dropped from 2nd to 3rd in the table overnight as Liverpool Ladies over took them with a 3-1 victory away to Bristol Academy on Saturday.
Chelsea Ladies league form is good since the break they have recorded wins over Everton Ladies and Arsenal Ladies to move up the table. Just behind them in 4th place going into todays match were Manchester City Women in a good run of form themselves their league campaign had gotten off to a shakey start but since the break results have been positive the latest a 1-0 at home to Notts County Ladies on Thursday night. So going into this match both teams were full of confidence.
Of course once we get to the middle of July (which means I'm another year older by the way) summer should finally be here and it was. It was hot and bright at Staines Town FC the pitch once again looking perfect everything was ready, I was refuelled Chelsea Ladies refreshments booth offering up a bacon and cheese bap I was turned away from the path of the cheeseburger... for once.
Chelsea Ladies starting XI - Marie Hourihan, Hannah Blundell, Laura Bassett, Emma Wilhelmsson, Ana Borges, Katie Chapman (C), Ji So-Yun, Drew Spence, Yuki Ogimi, Rachel Williams & Eniola Aluko.
Manchester City Women starting XI - Karen Bardsley, Emma Lipman, Steph Houghton (C), Kathleen Radtke, Abbie McManus, Betsy Hassett, Jill Scott, Isobel Christiansen, Natasha Flint, Krystle Johnston & Toni Duggan.
It was Chelsea to kick off the match in their blue and white kit lined up against them Manchester City were in their white away shirts and sky blue shorts and socks with navy trim. It's a hot day the conditions aren't suited to a high intensity match but that is how both teams approach the game winning the ball and looking to play it forwards quickly.
The 1st chance falls to the visitors through left back Abbie McManus as she wins the ball back and plays it forwards through to Krystle Johnston, she bursts down the left into the box and shoots the ball flying across the goal mouth and wide.
Up front for Chelsea Rachel Williams playing centrally is a powerful player strong on the ball wins the ball off Manchester City's new German signing Kathleen Radtke and would have been through to have a strike at Karen Bardsley's goal had Steph Houghton not tracked back well to make a great sliding tackle to deny her.
It is Manchester City who are causing the early problems pushing Chelsea back getting joy down both flanks with Izzy Christiansen, left, and Natasha Flint on the right. Are counter attacking well winning the ball in their half and finding willing runners to get the ball to. Krystel Johnston has another chance coming in from the left of the box that Chelsea keeper Marie Hourihan pounces upon to save.
Minutes later Hourihan produces a world class save from a Manchester City corner taken by Hannah Blundell, played into Johnston she plays it into the centre, to Toni Duggan on the penalty spot she hooks it goalwards, through a crowd Hourihan does fantastically well to get a hand to it to make the save.
Chelsea can not make the ball stick up top can't get the bodies forwards like Manchester City seem able to, Johnston has another chance on the right this time volleys over after the ball is worked forwards with purpose.
Manchester City's Jill Scott is booked for a foul on Ji So-Yun 30 yards from goal, it's Yuki Ogimi to play it into the box, Rachel Williams is the target she plays it out to Katie Chapman outside the box her effort on goal lacking the pace to trouble Bardsley.
Eniola Aluko is having some joy coming in from the right has the ball running with it towards goal gets a shot away Bardsley though covering her near post makes the save with her legs the danger is cleared.
Manchester City take the lead, through another break, Natasha Flint wins the ball and from 25 yards out sees Hourihan is off her line and tries the lob. No real height it has the pace and Hourihan can only turn and watch the ball ripple the back of the net 0-1.
Chelsea have a chance to draw level as the ball is won on the left and is played in it is Korean Ji So-Yun who gets a foot on the ball to send it towards goal Bardsley however gets a touch making the save to send it wide for a corner.
Play is stopped then for a head injury to Manchester City's captain Steph Houghton a clash with Rachel Williams she needs lengthy treatment the stretcher is called for. She gets up, however, bandaged but looking very groggy is taken off sensibly her replacement Chelsea Nightingale.
Late in the half Chelsea win a corner, Ogimi takes sending it to the far post were rachel Williams rises over everyone else making contact with her head but sending it over the bar.
Half-time Chelsea Ladies 0-1 Manchester City Women
Manchester City has edged the 1st half and deservedly so, but had lost their captain Steph Houghton through a head injury in the process. As things stood though if they could hold on then they would move above Chelsea in the table. The home side needed a better 2nd half if they wanted to retake 2nd spot from Liverpool Ladies.
It was Manchester City to kick off the 2nd half. It is the visitors through Toni Duggan that have the 1st shot at goal or rather wide and putting a hole in the garden fence at that end of the ground in the process.
Chelsea have a great chance to equalise, Aluko makes a determined run down the right powers her way to the by line, puts in a peach of a cross, Williams coming in centrally just can't quite get her head to it behind her Yuki Ogimi sees the ball late and blazes over from close range.
Aluko is proving a real threat early in the 2nd half is taking some stopping as she runs with the ball gets another good ball across that evades everybody before Manchester City clear. Moments later Aluko is brought down inside the box a lunging tackle, I was close to it looked a dead cert to me however my opinion doesn't count the referee waved the appeals away.
Manchester City make their 2nd substitution bringing on their new New Zealand signing Emma Kete for Natasha Flint. The visitors haven't had as much possession in the final 3rd in the 2nd half as they enjoyed in the 1st. Izzy Christiansen has a chance as she wins the ball off Ana Borges strikes the ball early Hourihan is well placed to make the save.
The equaliser comes through a great bit of Chelsea build up play a good run from Aluko she plays it to So-Yun centrally outside the box the Korean thinks about shooting before eventually laying it out to Ana Borges making a run from right back, she in turn passes it to Williams on the right hand corner of the box she plays the perfect cross into the danger area for the running Katie Chapman to get a bullet of a header that gives Bardsley no chance 1-1.
Chelsea are on top have the superior possession and are coming at Manchester City just like they were to them in the 1st half. Chelsea have a free kick 30 yards out wide So-Yun plays it to Williams inside the box once again she rises above everyone but again the chance is over the bar.
Jill Scott heads a chance wide from a Krystle Johnston cross, but it is a rare chance as Chelsea come again Aluko with another driving run into the right channel plays a good cross into the six yard box near post Bardsley coming for it does enough to put the arriving Williams off as she heads over.
Aluko is taken off has run herself into the ground, time for new legs her replacement Jackie Groenen.
Williams has a fantastic opportunity to get herself on the score sheet finds herself through on goal a one and one with Karen Bardsley tries to go wide put the ball across her but dropping Bardsley makes the save nudging out her shoulder enough to deflect the ball does come to Groenen but she puts the ball high over the goal.
Anne Meiwald comes on for Chelsea to replace Hannah Blundell at left back. Chelsea attacks are piling up but the clock is against them to find the winning goal. The ball pops loose from the box after a corner Ana Borges runs onto it and blasts the ball goalwards a stinging effort the shot is blocked... by Yuki Ogimi her team mate who was down after a tangle in the box, that hurt, one owed I think.
Football is great.. football is cruel 90 minutes are up the ball is played forwards a mistake from a Manchester City defender gifts possession to Chelsea's Jackie Groenen she is through on goal one on one once again, she goes around Bardsley as she comes out this time and runs the ball past and into the net to win the game for Chelsea 2-1! Groenen is buried by her jubilant team mates. Manchester City are floored.
A late substitution Laura Coombs comes on for Chelsea replacing Ji So-Yun. The full time whislte blows and they have the win and retake 2nd spot in the WSL table.
There were 2 other matches in the WSL 1 today leaders Birmingham City Ladies travelling to Meadow Lane to play Notts County Ladies and they came away with the 3pts winning 1-0 to extend their lead at the top to 17pts.
It was a battle of the bottom 2 at the Select Security Stadium between Everton Ladies and Arsenal Ladies the visitors coming away with the 3pts after a 2-1 win. And this is how the table looks....
| FAWSL 1 League Table standings as of 20/07/14 | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
1
|
Birmingham City
Ladies
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
10
|
3
|
7
|
17
|
2
|
Chelsea Ladies
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
9
|
5
|
4
|
14
|
3
|
Liverpool Ladies
|
7
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
12
|
4
|
Manchester City Women
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
4
|
5
|
7
|
-2
|
9
|
5
|
Bristol Academy
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
-1
|
7
|
6
|
Arsenal Ladies
|
7
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
9
|
-4
|
7
|
7
|
Notts County Ladies
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
6
|
8
|
Everton Ladies
|
7
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
10
|
-7
|
2
|
Starting to spread out and take shape as most of the teams have played half their matches. Still plenty to play for and a team can move a long way up the table if they can get a run going... if
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