Match Report - Cambridge WFC v Watford Ladies Development Squad - Pre-season Friendly

    Been a while since I've had a journey of under an hour to watch a women's football match having been following the FAWSL during the summer months. It was good to be back on the local trail as the 2014/15 'winter' leagues prepare for their new seasons. A chance to return to Ely City FC and watch Cambridge WFC back in action as they took on Watford Ladies Development Squad.

         Player Sponsorship for the New Season



Cambridge WFC's Olivia Abbott

   A friendly match isn't usually a match I write a report on, however in this case it was an opportune fixture, falling as it did during the week that Cambridge WFC and their partner @CWFCPressOffice that do great work promoting the club announced my sponsorship, through this blog -  supportingwomensfootball.blogspot.com of their player Olivia Abbott.

                                                                                    
     I'm pleased to continue my association with Cambridge WFC for the new 2014/15 by sponsoring a player for a 2nd season. I think it is a good and rewarding thing to do and a way to show my support of the women's game. Olivia is a defender and has been a part of the 1st team on a regular basis since she has been with the club. I wish Olivia all the best for the coming season.

                    

 The Match Action

 

     To the match action, returning to Ely City FC where Cambridge WFC play their home matches it was a great day weather wise nice and warm, a few dark clouds around that threatened rain but none came. The grass on the pitch looked a little long in places but the main thing I noticed upon arrival at the ground was that the visitors outnumbered the home side by at least two to one. Watford Ladies Development had brought a very large squad with them.



Watford Ladies Development Squad

At one point it looked like all of them were going to start the match as they did the prep talk before kick-off. As it was the mandatory 11 took to the pitch as the referee blew for kick-off.

 Cambridge WFC had a squad of 14 for the match with players unavailable through injury and away on holiday. Of those that were available three were new faces, Chloe Houston and Charlotte Crisp, along with one player that I know well from following women's football in Norfolk and one of the most recognised and talented players in the county Becky Russell, formerly of Thorpe United Ladies.

    Along with new faces in the playing staff, Cambridge WFC have a new head coach, Steve Edwards, coming to the club from Watford Ladies where he worked as assistant coach.

    Cambridge WFC squad - Liz Pamplin, Emma Jenkins, Olivia Abbott, Jordan Holland, Becca Fay, Kim Motley, Becky Russell, Emily Reed, Nuala Wayne, Laura Bright, Hannah Bodily, Faith Hewitt, Chloe Houston & Charlotte Crisp.
  (colours - sky blue shirts & socks, with navy shorts)

  It was the visitors to kick off the friendly. As the game would develop this was going to be very much a game of two halves.. but you'll have to read on to find out why. It's Watford with the possession early on working the ball down the pitch playing a cross in from the left it is Liz Pamplin in the Cambridge goal who has to deal with the 1st cross taking the ball comfortably.

    It isn't long before the ball comes back in a shot from inside the box that flashes across the face of goal and wide. Cambridge's Laura Bright gives away a free kick on the edge of the D a good shooting position central for Watford, Liz Pamplin sets a good wall and shooting around it the keeper is well placed to make the save.

     Coming back into the game Cambridge's best outlet is down their right channel where, Becky Russell is keeping wide looking to receive the ball and run at the Watford defence looking to find lone striker Nuala Wayne.

    Winning the ball back Watford break quickly using the flanks well a cross is driven in, this time Olivia Abbott running back to cover the near post intercepts the cross putting the ball behind for a corner.

    Watford have Cambridge pushed back, they are defending well as a unit however no allowing any space to break into centrally force Watford to shoot from distance, 25 yards out Pamplin is behind the shot all the way.

    The ball is won back from Watford in their own half, Laura Bright seeing Becky Russell free out on the right plays a good ball into her. Russell has the ball at her feet drives towards goal has a strike from the corner of the penalty box, driven hard to the near post, Watford's keeper spills the ball as she makes the save swerves loose behind her, but she recovers quickly to pounce upon the ball as it comes back off the post.

   

Watford come back strongly, Pamplin making another save from a 25 yard shot aimed straight at her. A cross is fired in from the left going behind the Cambridge defence running back the ball comes to an unmarked Watford attacker, leaning back as she shoots the shot is screwed wide of goal.

   Watford have Cambridge's defence beaten moments later as a looping cross is played over the on rushing Pamplin coming in from the left inside the six yard box the Watford attacker tries meet the ball coming down to volley into the empty net but the touch is too heavy the ball spinning high and wide Cambridge clear.

    In another Watford attack, Pamplin is hurt as she comes to claim a cross with an attacker closing in.

   Late in the half Emily Reed with good possesssion of the ball in midfield plays the ball into the feet of Wayne she lays it into the feet of the supporting Bright, she shoots from 30 yards out her drive going wide of the Watford goal.

                            Half-time Cambridge WFC 0-0 Watford Ladies Development

   A solid defensive display from Cambridge, Watford with the bulk of the possession and the chances. I did say though at the beginning of this report that this was going to be a game of two halves. No more so than Watford putting out a new starting XI for the 2nd half, this one a younger looking one too. A fitness test then for Cambridge's smaller squad we would see as the home side kicked off the 2nd half.

    Watford have the 1st attack of the 2nd half a free kick 25 yards out that is played high and wide. Pinned back somewhat in the 1st half meant Nuala Wayne had very little support up top for Cambridge, has Faith Hewitt and Charlotte Crisp looking to get further up the pitch now with Russell offering width wide right.

Cambridge's Becky Russell

    Great work from Nuala Wayne as she turns her marker on the edge of the box cuts back inside and shoots across the keeper who makes the save pushing the ball wide the visitors concede a corner from the loose ball. Cambridge take the lead as the ball is played into the box, a good height and the header is from Laura Bright from inside the six yard box to make it 1-0.

     The play and possession is all Cambridge's 2nd half, Wayne with a turn and volley from 25 yards that stings the keepers gloves. It's soon 2-0 and the scorer is Wayne as she recieves the ball into her feet turns on the edge of the box to the right loops it over the keeper and into the back of the net 2-0.

   Wayne beats the offside trap, cutting down the left channel into the box she shapes to shoot near post, pulls her effort wide.

   The 3rd goal is scored by full back Emma Jenkins as she wins the ball back from Watford high up the pitch powers forwards and releases a strike from 25-30 yards out, flies over the keeper and into the goal 3-0.

    Almost immediately after Watford are guilty of sloppy play at the back as Faith Hewitt latches onto a poor ball, has a strike from outside the box and buries it into the back of the net 4-0.

     Not long after Hewitt gets another chance to strike from almost the same position the ball played into her this time she turns and shoots sending it to the right of the keeper and into the back of the net 5-0.

     Watford's goal has been peppered 2nd half, their keeper does however make a fine save at the near post from a low drive from Wayne. Their has been little by way of a attack from the visitors 2nd half as they struggle to retain the ball. Late on Pamplin is called into action parrying a long cross away from danger.

     The last action of the half a long range strike from Watford that won't dip in time to trouble the Cambridge goal as the final whistle blows and the match ends Cambridge WFC 5-0 Watford Ladies Development.

    An interesting friendly in that Watford used 2 different starting XI's but then it could have been totally disrupted by constant rolling on and off of subs. A good test for Cambridge 1st half a solid defensive display under pressure, a useful exercise in attack 2nd half that won't do the confidence any harm going into the new season FAWPL South East Division One that is just a week away.

    Cambridge WFC begin their campaign on Sun 24th Aug against Enfield Town LFC a 2pm KO at Ely City FC.