It was an early start for the Ladies as they travelled to Dalton for an 11:00 kick-off against Crooklands Casuals. Once again there were a number of key players missing that left a squad of twelve players to face a team that they had never beaten on their ground.
Newlaithes kicked off facing downhill but into a stiff wind. They made a nervy start and for the first 5 or 10 minutes they kept giving the ball away to a Crooklands Casuals side playing their 1st league game since November. Slowly but surely the Newlaithes players found their feet as they began to make inroads into the Crooklands half and they took the lead on 14 minutes when left back Chelsea Lightfoot played a diagonal through ball to Carly Stevenson. She rounded the keeper before slotting the ball into the empty net. Crooklands almost equalised 5 minutes later when the Newlaithes defence didn't deal with a long kick from the Crooklands keeper but their striker put her shot wide as Chelsea Lightfoot bore down on her. Then on 21 minutes Newlaithes keeper Lauren Crofts dived well to save from a Crooklands free-kick from the left of the area. The game could have gone either way at this point as Newlaithes were struggling to cope with the long, wind assisted kicks from the Crooklands keeper. Nevertheless, it was Newlaithes who increased their lead on 25 minutes when a long Paige Williams throw on the right fell for Alison McCorry on the edge of the area and her a superb 1st time shot flew underneath the diving keeper. A minute later and it was three. Faye Comber was felled by the advancing keeper as she attacked the goalmouth - thankfully for Crooklands, the ref only got his yellow card out. Faye stepped up to bury the spot kick into the bottom right hand corner. A minute later and Crooklands pulled one back when their forward flicked on another long kick from the keeper, Lauren Crofts got both hands to the shot but the ball trickled in at the far post. However Newlaithes were now in the ascendancy as they pressed for another goal and on 36 minutes Mairead Kinsella battled hard to win a loose ball, midway inside the Crooklands half. She set Chelsea Norris free to attack the left hand side of the area and her crisply struck shot flew in at the far post. Half time 1-4.
With Crooklands now kicking downhill, Newlaithes were anticipating an onslaught but it didn't materialise as the wind provided more of an advantage than the slope. On 56 minutes Mairead Kinsella was just wide from close range when she latched onto a loose ball following a corner from the right. 2 minutes later the Crooklands keeper dived to save well from a Carly Stevenson effort. Crooklands were playing some good passing football but Newlaithes were playing with confidence and controlled them well, however they got a shock in the 63rd minute when a Crooklands shot from the edge of the area crashed against the bar. 3 minutes later and it was Newlaithes turn to hit the woodword when a 30 yard Paige Williams free kick thumped against the Crooklands bar. Then on 72 minutes Faye Comber laid the ball back to Mairead Kinsella, who had worked her socks off in midfield all game. She slotted the ball through to Alison McCorry, who had been a continual thorn in Crooklands' side on the right wing and she buried the ball in the bottom corner for her second and Newlaithes' fifth. Crooklands continued to battle bravely but Newlaithes defended well as a team and Crooklands shooting opportunities were at a premium. The heavy pitch started to take its toll as both teams began to tire and there was no further scoring.
This was a momentous victory for Newlaithes who had lost on all of their previous visits against the Dalton side. There was some full blooded tackling from both sides but the referee let the game flow as much as possible. Nevertheless it was a well deserved victory for Newlaithes with the whole team playing with increasing confidence the longer the game continued. Player of the Match was right winger Alison McCorry who tormented the Crooklands defence for the full 90 minutes.
The Ladies are playing host to the University of Cumbria in a friendly next weekend before travelling to Keswick the following week.
