Always look forwards to seeing another women's football team play for the 1st team and try to see as many as I can even though I invariably leave wanting to see them again, thus the number of women's football teams I want to see is always going up!
Like Huntingdon Town Ladies and Cambridge WFC Reserves who I saw play out a 1-1 draw last evening (see previous match report), Fulbourn Bluebirds and Isleham United Ladies are playing a midweek fixture in order to get all of their games in before the season closes.
Is a contest between the 2 clubs at the bottom of the Premiership table, a newly formed division this season by the Cambridgeshire FA, with women's football in Cambridgeshire having previously been split into a Northern and Southern Division, now 7 sides compete in the Premiership with a Championship North and South below.
Fulbourn Bluebirds find themselves in 6th place in the table with 9 points taken so far with 2 wins and 3 draws, have 3 fixtures left to complete can't be caught, but a positive result tonight gives them hope of climbing a place in the table as their last 2 fixtures are home and away to the team above them Cambridge WFC Reserves. Have a decent sized squad although this is just as well as the club have a number on the side-lines injured.
Isleham United Ladies have found life tough in the newly formed Premiership have been on the wrong end of some heavy defeats over the course of the season, have just the single league win and 3 points on the board will finish bottom. There single league win however was against todays opponents Fulbourn at the start of the season. Come to the ground today though with the bare bones 11 players have a number missing through injury too and are looking to bring in new faces for a new league campaign in particular are looking for a goalkeeper.
Fulbourn Bluebirds play in Fulbourn to the east of Cambridge. The venue the Home End on the villages Recreation Ground hosting a number of sporting facilities, tennis courts and cricket field to name a couple. It was the football pitch I was interested in however situated at the far end of the ground. The pitch looked in good nick well maintained with a healthy covering of grass. Really thought I was in for a wet one tonight having left torrential showers behind in Norfolk, by the time I arrived in Fulbourn however the sun was out it was a pleasant instead of getting wet however I was surrounded by a cloud of gnats
Fulbourn Bluebirds starting XI - Emma D'Costa, Lucy Clarkson, Eleanor Tod, Rachel Garrett Michela Garner, Abigail Molloy, Sharon Pinner, Krissie Taylor (C), Sarah-Louise Bodger, Kirsty Geal & Ebony-Jade Rule.
subs - Jess Anderson, Kathryn Morley, Rosie Boyns & Rebecca Sharp
Isleham United Ladies starting XI - Emily Mynott, Loiuse Davies, Becky Webb (C), Natalie Hill, Donna Woodcock, Sophie Brocklesby, Vicky Sievewright, Justyna Lipinska, Michelle Clark, Laura McAllister & Laura Todd.
(roll on roll off substitutes)
It's Isleham to kick off the first half kitted out in green shirts with black shorts and socks against Fulbourn lined up in claret and sky blue shirts, with claret shorts and socks. Isleham have an early offside call go against them the ball is put out to Abigail Molloy on the right of the midfield she plays the ball forwards clearing the Isleham back line Fulbourn have two players converging to get to the ball as it drops to the right hand corner of the area Ebony-Jade Rule and Sarah-Louise Bodger, it's Rule with the 1st touch knocking the ball to Bodger who puts her foot through the ball lashes it into the side netting.
Fulbourn win a their 1st corner played in from the right, Isleham's Natalie Hill comes to meet the ball headers it behind for a 2nd corner, this one is sent in beyond Hill comes into the crowd around the penalty spot Sharon Pinner for Fulbourn gets a head on the ball, too many bodies to go through the ball pops back to Bodger, chesting it down she puts her shot wide of goal.
Vicky Sievewright gets hold of the ball for Isleham in the centre both Laura McAllister and Laura Todd are looking to make runs for her in attack, Sievewright looks to send McAllister through, her 1st touch is a little too heavy however and the ball travels through into the gloves of Fulbourn goalkeeper Emma D'Costa.
Fulbourn have been doing most of the attacking bringing the ball forwards and getting players in beyond the Isleham defence leaving Emily Mynott who usually plays on the wing a little exposed in goal.
GOAL! Fulbourn open the scoring a little over 15 minutes played, the home side have possession of the ball on the left inside the Isleham players have gotten drawn over to the ball as Pinner sends in a diagonal ball into the box which comes through perfectly to Kirsty Geal, with her 1st touch she strokes the ball over the keeper to give Fulbourn the lead 1-0.
GOAL! Barely 3 minutes later and Fulbourn steal through to add a 2nd goal it's scored by Rule as she breaks beyond the Isleham defence to get on to the end of a cross fired in to the near post from the right, Rule meets the ball sweeping her shot in under the bar 2-0.
GOAL! It's a purple patch for Fulbourn that leaves Isleham reeling as 2 becomes 3 with the next attack, have numbers piled forwards the ball is put into Pinner on the edge of the area left of the goal she shoots, Mynott has started to come gets something in it blocking the ball but has Rule closing her down, gets some contact on the ball is going to creep over the line, Mynott lunging pulls the ball away but is unfortunate as the ball finds Pinner again eight yards out having continued into the box she gets her shot past the keeper this time 3-0.
3 goals in the space of 7 minutes have given Fulbourn control of the match has shaken Isleham. The home side bring on Jess Anderson for Lucy Clarkson. Keeping the attacks going Fulbourn win another 2 corners both times it's Hill though with the defensive clearance.
GOAL! Fulbourn score a 4th goal and their captain Krissie Taylor is involved in the build up with the ball retained down the left wing, Taylor comes inside has Jess Anderson making a supporting run as Mynott races out to the edge of the area to try and close them both down as the three come together the ball pops out and across to Rule who can send the ball into a empty net 4-0.
Isleham try to bring the ball up the pitch attacks are few and far between winning a throw deep on the right the cross picks out Becky Webb a good way out from goal she takes on the shot Emma D'Costa in the Fulbourn goal is behind it all the way. 3rd sub for Fulbourn with Bodger coming off and Kathryn Morley coming on.
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| Ebony-Jade Rule |
Sievewright looks the most likely to thread a ball through to the Isleham strikers McAllister and Todd with Fulbourn attacking they are defending a high line up on half way there is room to run in beyond, Todd is on the shoulder of the last defender when the pass does put her in D'Costa comes and committing early kicks the ball away from outside her area. At the back for Fulbourn Michela Garner tries having a go from 40 yards out a swerving shot Mynott is behind it palms it down before safely gathering.
GOAL! A 4th goal for Rule as Fulbourn add to their score, the no 9 springing the off side once again through into the area to the right of the goal she sends her shot across the goal and in at the far post 6-0.
Half-time Fulbourn Bluebirds 6-0 Isleham United Ladies.
Fulbourn in control of the match as the referee blows for half-time have been clinical when put through on goal putting their chances away a rapid 3 goal opening leaving Isleham shattered and on the back foot. Know they have little chance to get back into the match but return to the pitch in good spirits knowing it's the last game of the season and they may as well enjoy it as Fulbourn get the 2nd half underway.
Is a quieter opening to the 2nd half Isleham have the ball as Sophie Brocklesby bringing the ball into the Fulbourn half looks to get it out to McAllister moving into space on the right wing, coming to the by line McAllister looks to drive with the ball into the area, but runs into traffic and is eventually crowded off the ball.
Sarah-Louise Bodger has come on for Fulbourn at the start of the 2nd period she smashes a stinging shot into the box from the edge of the area turning in a cross pinged into her by Rule out on the left flank, the ball is blocked, but spins away for a goal kick as Bodger's shot hits team mate Pinner in the side of the head as she has no time to avoid it.
Isleham win a free kick inside the Fulbourn half, the ball is sent in towards the D there are plenty of bodies around it as McAllister get's hold of it for the visitors on the turn she shifts the ball between her feet opening up a shooting opportunity pulls the trigger a Fulbourn boot flicks out taking the sting off the shot with D'Coast beyond down to bring it up into her glove.
GOAL! Although they have had plenty of corners in the game so far Fulbourn have yet to score from one this changes with one from the left the ball is played in Pinner comes towards the ball and stooping forwards flicks the ball on with the back of her head to the edge of the area where it is met by Anderson who sends the ball with pace into the back of the net 7-0.
Anderson has to come off soon after as she goes down with an injury. Isleham are having more of the ball in the Fulbourn half but with a bare 11 are starting to feel the pace of the game with Fulbourn having the substitutes to rotate and rest players, McAllister is looking to the right channel more in an effort to get into a crossing position no one can cover the ground to try and attack the ball though.
Isleham have a break on as a Fulbourn attack breaks down bringing the ball out is sent up to Todd she is clear and running towards the box D'Costa is coming to close her down, she has McAllister clear on her right, looks to put her through gets the ball too close to the Fulbourn keeper though and D'Costa gets enough on it to slow the ball down and retrieve it.
GOAL! Rule scores again as the ball is send long up the pitch as Isleham loose possession out on the left of the pitch in plenty of space Rule chases the ball down and turning to look at her options takes on the shot sending the ball in towards goal heading in under the bar Mynott get's something on the shot knocking it down but it drops beyond her and bounces over the line before she can sweep it out 8-0.
Rule is through on goal again moments later on the right this time has Hill with her though as she tries the shot from a tight angle pulls it across the face of goal and out. Getting tired Isleham's defence is getting turned by Fulbourn with Rule and Geal both looking to peel into space wide on the flanks. A shot is fired in from just over the half way lie by Fulbourn's Molloy stings Mynott's gloves but the keeper brings it down well and claims with Rule looking to pounce.
GOAL! Mynott is unlucky as Fulbourn add a 9th goal to their tally. The Isleham keeper doing well to initially save from a cross/shot fired in from the left into her near post she get a good fist on it the ball is played back though in as the defence pushes up drops kindly for Bodger who springs the offside trap Mynott races out to the edge of her box to close her down, Bodger pops the ball over her and into the net beyond 9-0.
GOAL! 10 minutes left on the clock and captain Krissie Taylor gets on the score sheet the ball is played over from the right hand side of the pitch Taylor runs after it has no one marking her turns and brings the ball back in looks to send a low shot in to the near post Mynott is there, however the shot squirms in 10-0.
GOAL! Is a rout entering the last 5 minutes with the light starting to fade and the gnats getting hungry Rule completes her 2nd hat-trick of the night as Geal finds the energy to travel half the length of the pitch with the ball at her feet, whips the cross in with pace as Mynott attempts to come out to stop her the ball going beyond her leaving Rule to run in a tap home from 2 yards 11-0.
Fulbourn continue to press going into the closing moments Mynott saves from a 30 yard curling effort from Michela Garner, then again from Rosie Boyns as she fizz's a shot with power behind it into the area. The final whistle blows and Fulbourn win the match 11-0.
The result see's Fulbourn turn their negative goal difference into a positive one close the gap to Cambridge WFC Reserves to 5 points with their last 2 games against them, will have gained plenty of confidence from tonight's performance were clinical and took their chances.
A tough end to a tough season for Isleham a heavy defeat their ability showed in patches but the belief was knocked out of them, still good to see them leaving the pitch in good spirits and will regroup for a new season and a new campaign.
Always a tough game to cover and report but that's football my thanks to the coaching staff of both teams for being so accommodating and helping me out with the squad details tonight.
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