A short drive from Girton the Sycamores Recreation Ground is located at the end of a new housing estate easy to find if you follow the sign posts and ignore your sat nav. A smaller receation ground than Girten's it boasts the same facilities and the pitch surrounded by tall trees on three sides was protected from the breeze that had been prominant in the earlier match. A good sized sized pitch with a visble crater present for the attacking left winger to fall into.
Milton Ladies were in mid table after starting the season with 2 wins and a defeat on 6 points had the chance to overhaul their visitors Sawtry Ladies 2 points ahead on 8 at the top of the table have played 5 won 2 drawn 2 and 1 defeat.
Milton Ladies squad - Lauren Lock, Lauren Threadgold, Marianne Rowley, Katrina Brown, Joanne Carr, Sharon Rayment, Ligia Ramos, Patricia Jarmaine, Katie Tedstone, Sarah Freestone, Cara Agar-Hutty, Danielle Briggs
Sawtry Ladies squad - Giulia Giaffreda, Mollie Flack, Cat Harris, Emily Holman, Katie Hardy, Mollie Mayston, Georgia Rebane, Harriett Ford, Jorgie Hall, Drew Jenkins, Sasha Smith, Molly Berryman, Penelope Ford, Nicola Holliday.
(roll on roll off substitutes)
It was Sawtry to kick off the match wearing yellow shirts, blue shorts and socks against Milton lined up in navy shirts and scoks with yellow shorts. It was a quiet opening to the match the ball travelling up and down the flanks but neither side getting a meaning ball into the area, looked to be two evenly matched sides.
Sawtry are the 1st to play a ball into the area after good build up play down the right of the pitch however Milton goalkeeper Lauren Lock is quick off her line to come out and claim the ball on the edge of her box.
Milton's centre back Sharon Rayment is called into action coming across the six yard box to make the challenge as Sawtry's Jorgie Hall is put through the visitors have a corner, the set piece is played across the goal mouth over everyone and out.
Milton look to play the ball through the centre have their captain Sarah Freestone on the ball she looks to put the ball into the path of striker Lauren Threadgold, Sawtry's Georgia Rebane makes an important interception cutting out the pass.
Sawtry counter attack the ball put out to Katie Hardy on the left wing she looks to drive forwards get into a good crossing position, Rayment is across makes another tackle to stop the attack, Sawtry have a corner.
There are cries for handball from Sawtry as the ball is played out to the edge of the box, the referee waves the appeals away.
20 minutes in an no attempts on goal both sides doing a good job in defence. Sawtry register the 1st shot as they attack down the right Jorgie Hall gets the ball past her marker to burst into the box shoots puts the ball across the goal and wide.
In the middle for Milton, Freestone has the ball passes it to Danielle Briggs she makes a strong forwards run lays the ball forwards into Threadgold the attacker is in on goal, Sawtry's captain Cat Harris stays with her get's her foot on the ball to stop her getting the shot away.
Sawtry are progressive in their build up play look for the shorter pass as they move the ball up the pitch on the right win a corner, the ball coming into the crowded six yard box Lock calls and claims a good catch under challenge.
For Milton it's Freestone with time on the ball in the middle that is looking for the pass to put her strikers in on goal, once again Threadgold get's into a position to shoot centrally, the shot is blocked by Harris sliding in to block.
Sawtry get the ball over the Milton back line have Mollie Mayston chasing it down with Lock coming off her line to challenge Mayston sticks a foot out prods it past her but wide of goal, Lock recovers quickly to dive on the ball before Mayston can get to it.
Briggs with a powerful run on the right for Milton has Marianne Rowley with her in support linking well Briggs fires the ball across the edge of the area Sawtry kick it away but only out to Freestone on the centre she plays the ball back into the area Rowley tries to turn it towards goal, puts it wide.
Break for Sawtry, this time it's Milton's Katrina Brown with the tackle on Jorgie Hall, she wins the ball back puts a fierce cross into the box that Lock parries up then claims at the 2nd attempt.
Briggs on the counter for Milton coming in from the left flank ends her strong run with a 20 yard shot, Sawtry goal keeper Giulia Giaffreda saves with her feet deflecting the ball up and away to her right comes to Milton's Cara Agar-Hutty whose instinctive header is put wide of goal.
Half-time Milton Ladies 0-0 Sawtry Ladies
A game of very few chances in the 1st half both sides fairly evenly matches with both defences doing a good job at not allowing any space. Sawtry sitting a little deeper have drawn Milton out a little have looked to get through their back line then have found goal keeper Lock more than willing to come off her line and deal with the ball.
Milton kick off the 2nd half, starts very much like the 1st half. Milton have a period of sustained pressure in and around Sawtry's box thatt ends with Briggs putting a 25 yard drive wide of the near post.
Winning a free kick on the left the ball is played in Emily Holman finds herself in on goal hooks the ball over the bar as Lock comes off her line to close her down.
Milton's Freestone wins the ball has the space to line up a 30 yard shot hasn't quite got the height to beat Giaffreda who stretching plucks it out of the air.
Milton break from a Sawtry corner with Briggs running half the length of the pitch looks to slot a pass through into Threadgold, almost succeed's as Rebane does well stretchnig to make the interception, then looks to get another attack going.
GOAL! Sawtry have the ball out on the left Holman and Hardy combine working it forwards is played inside to Jorgie Hall, looks to strike from 30 yards out sends the ball in at a good height, Lock can't get enough glove on the ball to stop it going in and the visitors break the dead lock 0-1.
Hall then hit's the post from 40+ yards out taking a free kick coming back out into the playing area the ball is then put wide for a goal kick. Sawtry are the strong side at the moment have used their substitute options more regulary as Milton start to tire.
The visitors have a corner taken short put a cross into the box, a shot comes in, Lock makes a good save, with a good kick out gets the ball forwards quickly Katie Tedstone, nearly squeezes through the Sawtry centre backs as her shot is blocked on the edge of the area.
Briggs with another strong run for Milton looks to make her way into the box, into the area her touch is a little too strong as she evades a challenge, allows Giaffreda the chance to claim the ball before she can get into a shooting position.
Briggs then tries her luck from 35 yards out Giaffreda seeing the swerving shot wide of her post. Giaffreda then keeps her eye on a high ball sent into the area, not fazed by Threadgold coming in to close her down.
Sawtry look to double their lead late on Hardy with the ball in the middle looks to put Holman through her attempt at goal lacks the power as it rolls safely into Lock's gloves. The final whistle blows and Sawtry take the 3 points to move onto 11 points at the top of the Cambridgeshire Women's Championship South.
A closely fought contest between two hard working sides that were fairly even with few clear cut chances on offer the defences for the most part on top, Sawtry worked hard to earn the 3 points, Milton might feel they did enough to share the points a good contest.
There was one other match in the Cambridgeshire Women's Championship South today with Newmarket Town Ladies moving onto 10 points and 2nd behind Sawtry after beating Little Paxton Ladies 3-1.
An enjoyable double bill of women's football in Cambridge today two contrasting games. I thank both Milton and Sawtry for helping me out with their squad details.
