The Ladies were fired up for this top of the table clash v league leaders Abbeytown.
With a stiff breeze blowing diagonally across the pitch, Newlaithes had the wind advantage in the 1st half. Both teams battled to gain the upper hand for the first 15 minutes then Newlaithes began to take control with Paige running things in midfield. Abbeytown's defence was strong with their robust style and they were always dangerous on the break. However the wind made it difficult for both teams; Abbeytown struggled to clear their lines but time after time, Newlaithes were putting balls straight through to the Abbeytown keeper. A long free-kick from Paige just clipped the bar from 35 yards then Pat was unlucky to see her shot come crashing off the bar. Newlaithes were starting to find their rhythm and in the 28th minute they took the lead when Laura W set Faye free and she tucked the ball inside the right hand post. A minute later and it was two; in a moment of genius, Paige dummied three Abbeytown defenders, sending them all the wrong way in one movement and slotted the ball through to Faye to blast the ball home for number two and her 22nd goal of the season. Both sides kept battling but Newlaithes always looked the more dangerous and the Abbeytown keeper was at her sharpest to keep the score at 2-0 at half time.
The 2nd half began in much the same vein, Abbeytown were winning plenty of possession but Newlaithes were looking more likely to increase their lead with the Abbeytown keeper still working hard to keep Newlaithes out. Then after 58 minutes Newlaithes were rocked when Faye was sent off for venting her frustration towards the linesman when she was given off-side. Down to 10 players but Newlaithes kept attacking and Pat was unlucky when she hit the foot of the left hand post from the right hand side of the area. Katie O was unlucky when she got on the end of a couple of crosses at the far post but her headers were off target. Then the Abbeytown keeper popped up again to save well from a low driven shot by Yula. Abbeytown started to come into the game more and more but were unable to trouble Abbie in the Newlaithes goal until six minutes from time, Newlaithes were guilty of ball watching as everyone drifted out toward the right wing leaving Tasha to mark two Abbeytown forwards on her own in the middle. From a seemingly innocuous position, the Abbeytown player did well to hook the ball inside to one of the Abbeytown forwards in the middle who was able to shake off Tasha and finish well in the bottom right hand corner. Abbeytown's tails were up and they forced several corners. In the last minute they almost equalised when they hit the post but the ball went agonisingly wide from the follow-up. However they were first to pounce onto the goal-kick that followed and their forward squeezed the ball in at the near post in the 92nd minute to equalise. The final whistle blew and the Abbeytown players were ecstatic while the Newlaithes team were gutted to have conceded two goals in such a fashion having been in control for much of the match. Fair play to Abbeytown they battled for ninety minutes and even though they didn't threaten the Newlaithes goal too often, they took their chances when they arose wheras Newlaithes really should have had the game sewn up by half-time.
Pat was energetic as ever and Chelsea, Jade, Sarah C and Tasha looked solid in defence. However player of the match was Paige who stood head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch with a mixture of skill, quality and sheer effort, she must have covered every blade on the pitch several times over.
It's 'Game of the Season II' next week when the Ladies again play host to Abbeytown in a re-arranged League Cup semi-final. Kick-off 11:30 at Rickerby Park.
