Going into the match Cambridge WFC were laying in 4th place in the South East Division One table with 15 points from 9 matches played and were looking for a win and the 3 points that would see them close the gap to 3rd placed Crystal Palace Ladies going into 2015.
Ipswich Town Ladies too were looking for the win to take them into the New Year have had just the single league victory, which belies their form, as the club has had a good run in the cup competitions, reaching the last 16 of the FAWPL League Cup, are still in the FA Women's Cup aswell as the semi-finals of the Suffolk Women's County Cup.
The shortest day of the year it was cold and overcast, cloudy but little chance of rain the pitch not too bad a little cut up in places plenty of mud around.
Cambridge WFC starting XI - Verity Crook, Emma Jenkins, Becca Fay, Liv Abbott, Kayleigh-Anne Burt, Hannah Bodily, Laura Bright (C), Laura Mills, Laura Baker, Dawn Mallett & Sophie Thompson.
subs - Becky Russell, Liz Pamplin, Carrie Bennett, Robyn Phillips & Hannah Goodchild.
Ipswich Town Ladies starting XI - Chloe Wood, Coral Young, Lucy Du Plooy, Aimee Harrison, Lindsey Smith, Danielle Bitten (C), Samantha Carson, Amanda Crump, Ellie Rossiter, Roxanne Small & Jasmine Cox.
subs - Enya Moore & Molly Hall.
It was Cambridge in their home kit of sky blue shirts and socks with navy shorts to kick off the match against Ipswich lined up in their away strip of red shirts and socks with black shorts. A new name in the Cambridge WFC line up one I recognised from seeing her play in FAWSL 2 for London Bees last season was Dawn Mallett, had played in Cambridge's previous match too a 1-0 win at Bedford Ladies.
It's the visitors who start the brighter winning the ball one the left it comes into the feet of Amanda Crump outside the area she puts a lofted cross into the box Cambridge's Liv Abbott heads the ball clear of the area, centrally Ipswich win it back the shot comes in from distance is wide of goal.
Ipswich's Roxanne Small makes a run into the left channel, the ball finds her on the run she cuts it back into the area, Cambridge win the ball and break get it up the pitch on the right work it across the 18 yard box out to Laura Baker on the left, she looks to feed it into the box for either Sophie Thompson or Dawn Mallett to run onto, the Ipswich defence gets to the ball first.
The visitors are quick to spring a counter attack through Ellie Rossiter on the right hand side of the pitch passes it into striker Jasmine Cox and continues her run, Cox returns the ball, Rossiter closing in on the byline looks to cross the ball sends it behind the goal.
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| Ipswich Town Ladies Ellie Rossiter |
Ipswich are enjoying a fair amount of possession are winning the ball on a frequent basis, centrally the ball is played back to Bitten who looks to strike it on the half volley 30 yards out, doesn't get the power or height on the shot to trouble Verity Crook in the Cambridge goal.
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Chances for Cambridge are limited are struggling to get the ball into their attacking players, make it stick. peeling out to the left Hannah Bodily works the ball forwards gets it into Mallett in the centre outside the box despite being under challenge she deflects the ball towards goal, no power however it is an easy gather for Ipswich goalkeeper Chloe Wood.
Coral Young brings the ball out from the back for Ipswich the right back links up well with Rossiter in front of her, she takes the ball out to towards the corner puts in a good cross, Cox is coming in, Crook though takes the ball. Cambridge are giving away a number of niggly fouls in the centre of the pitch it's Crump to take has been looking to play them into the danger area inside the crowded penalty box, this one comes in up from the back Lindsey Smith rises to meet it can't quite get the touch going over her Cambridge captain Laura Bright puts the ball out for a corner.
GOAL! It's Crump to play the set piece in from the right, puts the ball in across the goal face Crook calls for it but it goes over her and drops at the far post, Jasmine Cox gets something on it to send the ball over the line past the player defending the post to give the visitors the lead 0-1.
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| Ipswich Town Ladies Amanda Crump |
Cambridge have been sluggish so far going behind seems to spurr them into life Mallett wins a free kick in the centre circle takes it the ball flighted into the Ipswich box is headed behind for a corner. The ball is played in towards the crowded near post area, squirms through Ipswich clear it from the six yard box the ball comes to Kayleigh-Anne Burt on the edge of the area, she shoots the ball goes over the bar.
On numerous occasions in the 1st half Ipswich have exposed Cambridge one on one, attacker against defender, it has been the defender that has won the ball, has needed too. At the other end Sophie Thompson has had little opportunity to get a strike in on the Ipswich goal, wins a corner though as her shot from outside the box takes a nick to send it wide of Wood's goal. The corner played along the edge of the area is rolled back into the path of Laura Baker she sends her shot over.
Cox with good possession holds the ball up on the left of the area allwoing players to get there in support she finds Samantha Carson on the edge of the box, she tries to line up a shot, Becca Fay coming round on the cover is forced to play it out for a corner. Cambridge get the ball out of the area but can't hold onto it as Bitten puts the ball in behind for Rossiter to chase, too long Crook can gather.
Half-time Cambridge WFC 0-1 Ipswich Town Ladies
A one goal lead at half time is no more than Ipswich deserve, have had the lions share of possession, pressured the ball well and created numerous openings found themselves one on one with the Cambridge defence on several occassions. One goal though Cambridge were still in the match and half time was a chance to regroup.
Ipswich kick off the 2nd half and are straight on the attack down the right win a free kick, Crump plays the ball into the box, goes over everyone, but the referee spots a push and Cambridge have the free kick.
Cambridge captain Laura Bright plays a superb ball forwards from midfield picking out Laura Mills making a run into space on the right, driving forwards with the ball puts a cross into the box, looking for Thompson the ball is just beyond her head as she leaps to meet it.
Mallett looks to play a similar pass from the centre as Mills makes another good forwards run the ball dropping into the box this time gives Wood a chance to come off her line and drop on the ball before Mills can reach it.
Cambridge have started the 2nd half better are getting on the ball. Ipswich are still dangerous on the counter, down the right it's Rossiter on the ball, she puts the ball into towards goal, high across her, Crook with quick hands somehow plucks the ball out of the air and gathers at the 2nd attempt.
Crook with another good save as Crump plays the ball forwards into Rossiter, she is in on goal looks to slot it wide of Crook, the Cambridge keeper saving with her leg, the ball is loose for a moment, the Cambridge defence get back and the ball the shot under challenge is put wide.
Laura Baker gets onto the ball wide left holds off a couple of challenges pushes forwards looks to put the ball into the box, no one has made the run to meet it as Ipswich clear. Cambridge make the 1st change with Baker the one to come off Becky Russell comes on in her place. Not long after the 2nd change is made this time Hannah Bodily is replaced by Hannah Goodchild.
Ipswich make their 1st change too with Enya Moore coming onto the pitch for Roxanne Small.
Cambridge attack, Mills getting onto the ball coming in from the left puts Thompson through on goal is ahead of the Ipswich defence, Wood comes rushing off her line to try and close her down, Thompson lofts the ball over the keeper as she goes to ground gets it over her, but also over the crossbar.
Ipswich play the ball out from the back Du Plooy pushing on, links up with Rossiter the ball squirming through to her inside the box she shoots, Crook with an excellent save to put the ball behind for a corner. The set piece is played in towards the far post by Crump, Cambridge head clear of the box, the ball comes back to Crump who looks to aim her shot towards the far post. Crook is there to pluck the ball out of the air and make the save.
Bright gives away a free kick to the right of the box, Crump looks to play the dead ball in towards the far post, a spot of head tennis ensues, the ball comes back across the six yard area drops to Rossiter coming in at the near post she puts her foot through the ball, hits Crook at pointblank range as the keeper comes across her goal to cover the post.
Cambridge make their 3rd change with Becca Fay, coming off for Robyn Phillips, she drops into the centre of defence as Kayleigh-Anne Burt moves out to left back. Crook is called into action again as Ipswich get a ball in over the defence for Cox to chase, Crook is out of her area and reaches the ball before Cox can get to it.
Becky Russell and Emma Jenkins combine well down the right for Cambridge with the latter's cross being put behind for a corner which Ipswich clear. The visitors make a change with Molly Hall coming on for Rossiter as the game enters the last 5 minutes.
Thompson playing off the shoulder of the last defender is put through no offside flag, Wood races out of her box has to get to the ball before the Cambridge striker can reach it and take it around her. Does reach it first kicks the ball away, it falls straight to Cambridge's Mills 40 plus yards out, she looks to strike the ball goalwards, through the bodies racing back to defend, it's instinctive from Wood she flashes out a glove to stop the ball, outside the box, the referee blows up has a decision to make, the shot from Mills looked at least from my angle to be on target but it was a long way out and Wood had two defenders on the cover behind her. A yellow card is shown, the right colour I think. The free kick is awarded level and to the right of the D.
GOAL! It's Dawn Mallett over the ball is a bullet of a strike rising heading towards the top left hand corner, Wood dives but no chance of stopping it as Cambridge level the scores 1-1.
GOAL! It's the dying seconds of the match Ipswich have gotten the ball into the Cambridge box have pushed up Crook claiming the ball plays it out into the middle it's another attempted long pass from the middle that is played out to Becky Russell in loads of space out on the right inside the box the ball she collects is perfect she takes a touch and shoots sends the ball across Wood and into the net at the far post to give Cambridge the lead 2-1.
That's it the final whistle blows and Cambridge come back to steal the 3 points and win the match. Elatation for Cambridge a hammer blow for Ipswich, having lead the match for so long and having created numerous other goal scoring chances to lose the match in the dying seconds is very tough to take, that though is football.
Cambridge manager Steve Edwards tells me the pass for the winning goal is something the team have been working on in training, it certainly paid off today as they claim the 3 points to move onto 18 and close the gap on 3rd placed Crystal Palace Ladies going into Christmas, and in doing so have already equalled the points tally they achieved last season.
Thanks to both teams managers, Steve Edwards and Ralph Pruden for helping me out with the teams today and I wish everyone at both clubs a Merry Christmas.
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