After much arranging and re-arranging, the ladies had their first match of the year at the Sheepmount. The pitch was reasonably firm but was very uneven and full of holes that had to filled in before the start. As with the previous match v City, City only had 9 players available but they had a reasonably strong, experienced line-up. Newlaithes had 6 players missing, with Abbie, Emma, Holly, Jemma, Katie J & Stacey unavailable.
Newlaithes pressured from the start and the first goal came after three minutes when Pat burst free down the right after a nice through ball from Laura W. She shot low, from the edge of the box to score at the far post. A minute later and it was 2 - Laura W had a shot blocked and Sarah's follow-up shot across goal was helped in by a City defender despite her efforts to stab it clear. The third came after seven minutes, when Faye attacked a corner from the right to score with a superb header into the back of the net. Was this to be a repeat of the previous meeting? Not quite, as City became more lively. They were quick to close down the ball and Newlaithes conceded possession too often. Newlaithes also grew increasingly frustrated as time after time they were adjudged offside as the well-organised City defence stepped out. The off-side trap - probably the first time we have come up against it, so high up the pitch. City began to push forward and won a number of corners but to Newlaithes credit, City were unable to create any real chances as Tasha, Jade, Carly and Chelsea remained rock solid at the back. Despite their frustration, Newlaithes were starting to beat the off-side trap but the stand-in City keeper was playing out of her skin and she made a string of fine saves, notably a 25 yard thunderbolt from Faye. Newlaithes also wasted a number of clear cut chances before they finally added to the score after thirty three minutes when the keeper saved Faye's shot only for Katie O to score from the follow-up. The score remained 4-0 at half-time.
The second half started in similar fashion as time and time again, Newlaithes were given offside, sometimes literally a yard into the City half. Faye was denied at close range by the City keeper but after fifty minutes, Newlaithes got their 5th when sub Laura O controlled the ball well just inside the City half. She spun to put Faye clear and this time Faye shot early to blast the ball past the City keeper. Laura herself then had several good chances but once again the City keeper came to the rescue. The match continued in the same vein for much of the 2nd half as City frequently squeezed the play up to half-way but without troubling Katie M in the Newlaithes goal. In the seventy third minute, Newlaithes got their 6th when Katie O showed quick feet to spin past her marker and blast the ball home from the edge of the area. The score remained the same until the final whistle.
This was the first game for almost two months and the ring-rust was much in evidence. Nevertheless, Newlaithes dominated possession for much of the game as you would expect with a 2 player advantage although they found it difficult at times to play with any sustained rhythm as they were constantly frustrated by a lively and wiley City team that battled right until the end. The bumpy pitch didn't help either but the encouraging fact is the number of chances that the team still created. Sarah, was cool as ever in midfield and it was good to see Katie O looking more like her old self with a lively performance on the left wing. Pat also looked sharp on the right and Laura O caused problems up front when she came on - on another day she might have grabbed a couple of goals.
Player of the match was Faye, who ran her heart out with a typically battling, competitive performance that caused City all kinds of grief.
Away to Kendal-Wattsfield in the cup next week. Well played Ladies!!
