The 2nd tier of women's football in Norfolk saw a number of new teams entering the league this campaign and both Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies and North Walsham Angels Ladies have had solid starts to the season, both have played 11 games to date, North Walsham Angels Ladies are sitting in 3rd place in the league table on 23pts, Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies are 2pts further back in 5th place, both in need of the 3pts today if they want to catch the table leaders, Brandon Town Ladies or 2nd placed Lynn Ladies.
Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies are a Suffolk based side situated south of Lowestoft and play their home matches at the same venue as the men's team, Walmer Road. A decent stadium with good facilties, clubhouse and refreshments. A small seated stand to one side of the pitch. The pitch looked like any pitch of this type at this time of year that sees plenty of play and poor weather a little cut up. The weather was dry but very chilly... that was only going to grow over the afternoon although the heavy rain that affected much of the region didn't arrive until after the match.
Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies starting XI - Shauna Brunton-O'Neil, Maria Palmer, Lisa Sissen, Zalonia Warford, Kylie Butler, Sue-Lyn King, Gemma Farman, Selina Rowland, Nikki Wigg (C), Sarah Cunningham & Jodie Ashman.
subs - Samantha Brown, Abbie Knights & Sianne Davies.
North Walsham Angels Ladies starting XI - Cyan Fullbrook, Emily Farmer, Lucy Ellis, Robyn Steele, Sarah Fulcher-Arnold, Georgia Wager, Lauren Yarham, Imogen Carter, Sophie Hall, Luci Middleton & Georgia Bryant.
subs - Jemma Bowles.
Chilly and overcast, their was a stiff breeze blowing the length of the pitch that was only going to increase as the game wore on as Kirkley & Pakefield all in blue kicked off the 1st half with North Walsham lined up opposite in white shirts with blacks shoulders, black shorts and black and white hooped socks.
Kirkley & Pakefield take the ball out to the right and work it up the pitch, get an early cross into the area, North Walsham goalkeeper Cyan Fullbrook is well placed to claim the ball at her near post. Fullbrook launches the ball forwards, wide right it's Luci Middleton getting onto the ball and taking it forwards, has team mate Georgia Bryant in support to her left passing the ball to her she prods it forwards into midfielder Robyn Steele who is looking to take the ball into the box, her run is halted by Sue-Lyn King at the back for Kirkley & Pakefield.
The ball is travelling from one end of the pitch to the other early on with both teams finding it difficult to get the ball beyond the others defensive lines. Kirkley & Pakefield are trying to work the ball out wide then play the cross in, when North Walsham get hold of the ball and bring it out they are looking to put attacker Imogen Carter through centrally twice the ball is put beyond the Kirkley & Pakefield defence Carter is after it, both times goalkeeper Shauna Brunton-O'Neil is alert to the threat and out of her area to clear the ball before Carter can latch onto it.
Kirkley & Pakefield captain Nikki Wigg gets hold of the ball in the centre circle spins and set's up a break as she plays in Jodie Ashman to her left Lisa Sissen holds her run wide left staying onside as Ashman passes the ball, one touch and Sissen looks to shoot from outside the box a low drive she puts the ball into the side netting.
GOAL! North Walsham clear a Kirkley & Pakefield corner, the ball is reclaimed by the home side with Sissen bringing it forwards down the left, has Selina Rowland in front of her gives her the ball wide of the area Rowland looks to take on the North Walsham defence, skips past one, then two players is inside the box level with the six yard line running across it, is looking for an opportunity, racing into give her support Wigg is better placed takes the ball from Rowland and sends the ball across Fullbrook to score 1-0.
Sue-Lyn King brings the ball out from the back for Kirkley & Pakefield unopposed she crosses the halfway line has Rowland making a run in front of her plays her in, Rowland in turn sees Kylie Butler peeling off into space on the left the pass is good, Butler with her 1st touch is into the box left of goal she looks to put her shot across Fullbrook's goal, this time though Fullbrook is down quickly to make the save.
Kirkley & Pakefield are enjoying the majority of the attacking play have a corner on the right played into the box Rowland has it at her feet ten yards out tries to turn and shoot, North Walsham have players closing the door, Rowland keeps possession passes it out to Sarah Cunningham outside the box, her first time strike goes over the bar.
Closing moments of the 1st half and Kirkley & Pakefield have another corner put in from the left headed clear of the area it falls to Cunningham again, she puts her foot through the shoot, is unlucky as her effort smashes against the cross bar.
Half-time Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies 1-0 North Walsham Angels Ladies
A dominant 1st half display from Kirkley & Pakefield, they have had the majority of the chances in front of goal, the front players making good cross field runs to open up spaces in the North Walsham defence. The visitors have defended well but far too often in the 1st half have struggled to get the ball up to their attacking players and make it stick. At 1-0 though they were still very much in the game.
The wind had picked up steadily during the 1st half, it was bitterly cold blowing across the pitch it would be at North Walsham's back in the 2nd half as they got play under way. On the attack straight away this time it's Carter who holds up the ball, turning her marker she looks to play in her strike partner Emily Farmer, she can't get onto the ball before Brunton-O'Neil can gather inside her area.
Steele is showing alot of determination to win the ball back for North Walsham in the centre, getting hold of it her pass forwards puts Carter through on goal, she is shoulder to shoulder with King who pushes the attacker wide of goal, Carter gets her shot away but off target as it rolls behind the goal.
North Walsham are pressing the ball harder 2nd half trying to get numbers forwards are vulnerable to the counter attack as Kirkley & Pakefield's Wigg wins the ball back and sends it out to the left for Sissen, chasing towards the box, she see's Fullbrook racing out to close down the angle, get's her shot past her, but also narrowly wide of the far post.
The wind is definetly a factor in the 2nd half any forward ball from North Walsham is gathering plenty of pace, twice the ball is past the Kirkley & Pakefield defence, North Walsham's Farmer is the one giving chase, it's in Brunton-O'Neil's gloves long before she can get there.
North Walsham have a corner the ball put in from the right, falls into the crowded area, it's Sarah Fulcher-Arnold with the shot, hooks the ball wide of goal.
Wigg is on the ball from a deep position puts team mate Cunningham through inside the box wide to the right of the six yard box she drags her cross/shot along the goal face it comes to Butler, she miscontrols the ball allowing Fullbrook the time to adjust her position and drops to make the save as Butler shoots.
Fullbrook produces a vital save off Wigg as the Kirkley & Pakefield captain latches onto a loose ball springing free from a midfield scramble to claim the ball, beyond the North Walsham defence, Wigg only has Fullbrook to beat the keeper coming out, she tries to place her shot pass her, too close to Fullbrook she dives to her left to smother the ball.
Up the other end Farmer has been causing the Kirkley & Pakefield defence problems, get's a run with the ball into the area centrally, has King on her shoulder the defender is hard to shake off, puts in a good tackle to take the ball from her feet inside the box.
Kirkley & Pakefield hit the bar for the 2nd time in the match, a strike from distance from Rowland who has been coming deeper to fetch the ball and drive forwards with it, central she puts her foot through the ball 40 yards out, it looks to be going over, is against the wind however and Fullbrook back pedalling jumps in vain as the ball suddenly dips, not enough though smashes against the bar and out of play.
GOAL! She has seen alot of the ball in attack in the 2nd half and it's Farmer that scores the equalising goal for North Walsham. Winning a throw deep on the left the visitors keep the ball in and around the Kirkley & Pakefield box. With numbers forwards Farmer has the ball at her feet inside the D, head down she is looking to move it a couple of yards looking for an opportunity to have a strike on goal, stealing inside she gets her shot away, on the rise, Brunton-O'Neil has no chance of stopping it as the ball finds the top corner to make it 1-1.
North Walsham have their tales up now have got back into the match are looking to go on and score again. Farmer is in again as she beats the offside flag opts to shoot early from 35 yards out, no problem for Brunton-O'Neil as the ball finds the side netting.
Kirkley & Pakefield's Cunningham gets on the ball in midfield and brings it forwards, strong on the ball she drives on has Sissen in support plays the ball to her continues her run Sissen tries to play her in inside the box too strong a pass Fullbrook is able to save holding onto the ball as Cunningham closes her down.
Sissen and Rowland link up on the edge of the North Walsham area, with Rowland putting in a shot towards goal from the left, Fullbrook is behind it all the way to make the save as the final whislte blows and the points are shared the result 1-1.
The point keeps North Walsham in 3rd place, sees Kirkley & Pakefield move up into 4th. A competitive game with Kirkley & Pakefield strong in the 1st half taking the lead, had chances to extend it. 2nd half was a much improved performance from North Walsham, the wind in their favour helping they pressed the ball better got the equaliser.
My thanks to both teams for helping me out with the squad details today.
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