This seasons East Anglian Counties Championship is being contested by 4 counties, Hertfordshire, Kent, and tonight's opponents Essex and Suffolk. Essex have started this seasons competition with a win and a defeat. Both on their travels began away to Kent new entrants to the competition, lost the game 4-2. Got the 3 points in their 2nd outing back in November 2015 winning 4-1 against Hertfordshire. Now a home fixture manager Kim Coster in her 9th season as Essex County Women's manager has a large pool of clubs to draw players from across Essex, this coming weekend sees 4 of the largest clubs meeting each other in the semi-finals of the County Cup and that was in her thoughts when selecting tonight's squad.
Suffolk have a new manager in charge of the women's county squad this season, Emma Manning. Got off to a great start in their East Anglian County Championship campaign at home against Hertfordshire capitalising on a frantic start to go on to win the game 5-1. Their fixture back in November scheduled to play Kent was called off now they resume their campaign away from home knowing a win would put them top of the table. A smaller pool to draw players from the nucleus of clubs within Suffolk is still strong. Tonight's squad is largely comprised of players from Ipswich Town Ladies.
Tonight's venue Stanway Rovers FC, home of The Hawthorns just off the A12. A clubhouse situated across the carpark from the ground itself. In a residential area fenced on all sides, a large sized pitch undulating climbing in one corner dipping in the centre. A small seated stand on one side of the pitch with hot drinks and food available. All the weather forecasts had suggested it would be raining by kick-off a light drizzle in the air however with a chilly breeze blowing across the pitch the rain for the large part would keep away. Kick-off delayed slightly due to problems for the home side in getting to the ground.
| East Anglian Counties Championship | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Kent | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Suffolk | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 | Essex | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
| 4 | Hertfordshire | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 0 |
Essex FA Women starting XI - Nikita Runnacles (Colchester Town Ladies), Nicola Carty (C&K Basildon Ladies), Charlotte Hopwood, Nicole Farmer, Hayley Piggott (C) (all Billericay Town Ladies), Kelsey Smith (West Ham United Ladies), Alex Shepherd, Chelsea Forde, Charlotte Bryant (all Colchester Town Ladies), Nicola Dunsdon (Billericay Town Ladies), & Courtney Clarke (Writtle Ladies).
subs - Beth Griffiths, Georgina Tricker (Writtle Ladies) Chelsea Hinz (West Ham United Ladies), Aysha Bentick & Aleah Headley (both Barking Abbey).
Suffolk FA Women starting XI - Helena Brodie (AFC Sudbury Ladies), Jac Ball, Marcie Prettyman, Sian Fagg, Aimee Harrison, Amanda Crump (C), Hollie Clement, Zoe Cossey (all Ipswich Town Ladies), Paige Shorten (Norwich City Ladies) & Amy Howlett (Charlton Athletic Women).
subs - Charlotte Osborne, Nadine Basson (both Bury Town Ladies), Roxanne Small (Ipswich Town Ladies) & Hannah Waters (Lowestoft Town Ladies).
(roll on, roll off substitutes)
A 7:45pm start a minutes silence was held before the match for Ken Robinson who was the Essex FA's Women's & Girls Representative who passed away shortly before Christmas.
The teams out under the floodlights it was Essex to get the match underway kitted out in blue shirts with a white strip down the front on the left with a white band around the right sleeve, blue shorts and blue and white socks with Suffolk lined up opposite all in red. Essex look to play te ball down the right early on Nicola Carty putting the ball into Alex Shepherd, 25 yards out she looks to try a speculative shot doesn't connect with the ball properly screws the attempt away from goal.
Suffolk look to use their wide players right and left early on, Amy Howlett on the right is tackled by Essex's Kelsey Smith before she can deliver her cross into the area. Bringing the ball up the left Marcie Prettyman puts the ball forwards for Zoe Cossey she links up with Natasha Thomas leading the line for Suffolk tonight left side of the area holding the ball up rolls it back into Prettyman who looks to fire a diagonal ball into the box with Howlett her target, Nicole Farmer tracks the run and gets her head firmly on the ball to clear.
Suffolk have started brightly pushing players up into the Essex half captain Amanda Crump blocks a clearance the ball is sent forwards behind the Essex defence with Thomas alert peeling away and onto the ball is through on goal to the right side closing in looks to shoot near post a rising ball with plenty of pace, Essex goalkeeper Nikita Runnacles gets across throws her gloves up to turn the ball behind for the corner kick.
Essex move the ball rapidly from back to front captain Hayley Piggott putting the ball up into the air Courtney Clarke 25 yards out rises to head the ball on with Nikki Dunsdon making the break from the midfield to get in behind the defence. Looks to be through on goal however Suffolk full back Jac Ball gets back to challenge for the ball take it away from Dunsdon giving goalkeeper Helena Brodie the opportunity to gather.
GOAL! 10 minutes on the clock and the visitors open the scoring. Is a quick fire counter attacking move as Essex bring the ball into the final third Crump wins the ball back, her central midfield partner Paige Shorten bursts forwards calling for the pass, Crump with the pinpoint pass sends her away, beyond Shorten, Thomas is on the move to looking to run into space on the right Shorten puts her through on goal, Thomas shoots from outside the box sending her shot low across the keeper and in at the far post 0-1.
Carty and Charlotte Hopwood combine on the right side for Essex getting the ball down towards the area Carty plays it across the face of the box comes all the way through to Chelsea Forde wide on the left, tries to come inside looking for space to shoot, nothing on rolls it back for Dunsdon to have a strike on goal 25 yards out, Brodie has plenty of time to get across and collect the ball.The same players are all involved in the next attack for Essex, Carty bringing the ball into the Suffolk half puts it into Dunsdon who runs on as she lays it out to Forde on the left, Forde looks to put the ball over the top for Dunsdon or Clarke to latch onto inside the box, coming round on the cover Prettyman puts in a great tackle to win the ball back.
Travelling with the ball on the right Cossey covers alot of grass for Suffolk before crossing looking to send it in close to the far post with Howlett on the opposite flank trying to get on the end of it, a great delivery, Howlett can't quite get their to divert the ball into the back of the net. Thomas is proving to be a handful for the Essex defence to deal with a powerful and quick runner on and off the ball is looking for the ball to be put into the right channel once again gets a yard on Farmer as she drives into the area, controls and turns taking the ball inside for a shot on goal goes across the keeper once again sees her effort come back off the post and rolls across the face of goal, Essex get it away from danger.
Suffolk defender Sian Fagg brings the ball out from the back a good 30 yard pass finds Cossey out on the left halfway inside the Essex half she squares the ball into Shorten in the middle who places it out into Howlett available on the left, whips in an early cross with Cossey coming in at the far post meets it Carty blocks her attempt at close range. A corner for the visitors taken from the right comes in towards the near post is knocked out falling to Thomas around the penalty spot, Essex close her down giving no opportunity to shoot, instead Thomas gets the ball out to Cossey left of the six yard box her shot bulges the side netting.
From a throw deep in the Essex half, Thomas is given the ball 20 yards out works it well to get herself in beyond the home defence, breaking into the area, Runnacles comes to close her down going down as Thomas pulls the trigger she saves it, with Piggott on hand to get hold of the loose ball.
GOAL! Closing in on the last five minutes of the 1st half Suffolk have been pressing for another goal and double their lead. Cossey and Howlett have switched wings, Cossey now right combines with Thomas the ball put into the box they have players high up the pitch, Essex get the initial cross clear, is intercepted by Aimee Harrison who puts the ball into Shorten's feet 20 yards out turns and hits a shot in at goal, Runnacles saves parrying the ball away to her left, Thomas is after it plays the pass out to Howlett wide left, the cross is sent in towards the left post area Hollie Clement making her Suffolk debut tonight is the player making the midfield run meets the ball with her head sending it looping up and into the back of the net 0-2.
Essex with a great chance to pull a goal back straight away get it down the right a pace Hopwood down the line for Clarke to chase getting hold of the ball takes on the defender in front of her finds the half a yard for the cross whips the ball into the box, Shepherd has stolen in unmarked near post just evades her. Essex are pushing hard late in the half.
GOAL! Suffolk break, Clement with grass in front of her is encouraged to take the ball on before playing Cossey through down the right carrying it down the wing puts an early cross into the box, a great delivery puts it on a plate for Thomas far post inside the six yard box a bullet headed goalwards Runnacles gets a glove on the ball but can't stop it going over the line 0-3.
Half-time Essex FA Women 0-3 Suffolk FA Women
A 3rd goal right before half-time making it a comfortable scoreline for Suffolk who have caused Essex a few problems in the 1st half, with Shorten always looking to break from the middle Thomas in the middle a difficult player to mark. Have been the better side. Essex have has joy particularly down the right with Hopwood and Carty often overlapping doing well just haven't found that final clinical ball enough.
Essex make 4 changes at half-time a new centre back pairing Aysha Bentick and Chelsea Hinz, Aleah Headley coming into the midfield joined by Georgina Tricker from Writtle Ladies. Bryant, Forde, Piggott and Farmer the players rested. Changes for Suffolk too changing their goalkeeper, Charlotte Osborne on for the 2nd half with Roxanne Small coming on for Cossey. It's Suffolk to get the 2nd half underway defending a 3 goal lead.
A quieter opening to the 2nd half, Essex are looking to press Suffolk on the ball higher up the pitch have more blue shirts in their half breaking up play Headley closing down Crump which in turn is keeping Shorten from breaking forwards. Headley plays the ball out left for Tricker crosses early, too close to Osborne who gets an early feel of the ball. Essex are pushed higher up the pitch is space to run into if Suffolk want it can't get hold of the ball. Clarke carrying the ball into space on the right fires in a cross towards the far post with Tricker making a good run Osborne gets in between her and the ball to claim.
Suffolk get some joy down the left Prettyman bringing the ball on releases Howlett, rather than take the ball on comes inside lays it into Crump on half way, Shorten looks to go get in behind the Essex defence, the through ball is intercepted by Bentick in the centre of defence. Headley breaking up another Suffolk move in the middle threads the pass through for Clarke drives for the box the Suffolk centre backs, Fagg and Harrison shut the door in front of her.
Thomas is being closely watched by Bentick 2nd half comes back to make the challenge on the Suffolk striker as she looks to power her way through the centre 20 yards from goal. Hopwood carries the ball down into the right corner, gets help from Dunsdon as they manage to win a corner kick. A good delivery put into the centre of the box, Shorten with the firm header gets the ball away. Hopwood one the ball again flicks it on for Clarke 20 yards out, one touch to take the ball into the box, Harrison throws a boot at it just takes it away from Clarke, giving Prettyman time to clear.
Headley gets the ball into Hopwood on the right who then plays it down the line for Clarke to chase into the corner. Holding the ball up right side, Hopwood comes to her to offer support gets it working half a yard for the cross whips in a great ball Shepherd is charging into the six yard box, Osborne isn't distracted covering her near post brings the ball into her body.
Essex are doing well have kept Suffolk quiet 2nd half with 20 minutes left to play look the more likely to score during this period. The break is always on however for the visitors a quick throw out from Osborne for Prettyman, Small is available for the pass wide left on halfway the ball played into her feet she cuts back inside evades the challenge from the full back and is away down the line, travels along way with the ball, Bentick recovers well shows good pace to get back and put in the tackle to deny the cross.
Headley sets up another Essex attack putting the ball into Dunsdon ahead of her she tries the one-two with Clarke back to goal inside the D, Dunsdon not quite able to take to ball into her stride take her through on goal. Changes by both sides with Clement coming off for Suffolk, Hannah Waters coming onto to join the attack. Essex change their goal keeper a debut for Writtle Ladies, Beth Griffiths.
Very nearly a short lived debut too as play resumes everyone pushed up into the Essex half a lazy ball out from the back is punted forwards by the Suffolk back line, Small sensing a chance breaks away to the left of the Essex centre backs, Griffiths comes racing out of her area sliding in Small looks to lift the ball over her the keepers gloves are up the ball strikes them the referee blows for the free kick, a long conversation ends with her being shown a yellow card, although her defenders had been caught flat footed they would have been round on the cover but she knows she's lucky to still be on the pitch. Crump over the free kick shoots low gets the ball through on goal Griffiths diving to her left pushes the ball wide Howlett racing in on the follow up tries to turn it back in puts it behind for the goal kick.
GOAL! Late in the game both sides have gotten a little sloppy with their passes, that is until Shorten picks up the ball inside the Essex half is a fantastic pass forwards to cut open the Essex defence and release Waters for a run on goal, left side into the box beats the full back coming across to challenge, turns inside shifting the ball sweeping her shot past the keeper to make it 0-4.
Not long after the final whistle blows and Suffolk celebrate their 2nd win in the East Anglian Counties Championship to take them to the top of the table winning 4-0. Could sit back 2nd half with a 3-0 lead after a dominant 1st half display. Essex were much better 2nd half without really testing the goalkeeper. Set's up a title decider to see who will win The Fred Welham Cup with Kent travelling up to play Suffolk in the final match.
My thanks to Essex FA's Mark Wallis for his help with the team details tonight along with Suffolk FA's Darryn Marsh and the help and hospitality offered by everyone at Stanway Rovers FC.
My thanks to Essex FA's Mark Wallis for his help with the team details tonight along with Suffolk FA's Darryn Marsh and the help and hospitality offered by everyone at Stanway Rovers FC.
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