Newlaithes beat the weather to play their first home game of the season against Keswick. The Ladies only had 10 available players which included striker Tasha Scott who is still nursing a foot injury so they started with nine players on the pitch, with Tasha only to be used if the going got tough. Also in the squad was striker Nicola Morning who was making her debut after a two year absence from the game. Driving rain was being blown diagonally across the pitch by a howling wind but the pitch itself was in great condition.
Newlaithes began brightly with the wind at their backs and they took the lead on 4 minutes when Katie Johnston layed off a delightful ball for Alison McCorry to drive a shot across goal from the right hand side of the area and in at the far post. On 12 minutes, debutant Nicola Morning got on the scoresheet when centre back Jade Williams cleared into her path and she shook off the Keswick defenders to slot home for number two. Despite the two player advantage, Keswick were finding it difficult to clear their lines into the strong wind and on 24 minutes, Paige Williams floated in a corner from the left for Chelsea Norris to head home into the roof of the net. Three minutes later and it was Chelsea again on the scoresheet as she took full advantage of the wind to curl the ball in, left footed direct from a corner on the right and on 30 minutes, she completed her hat-trick when she skipped past two defenders on the left wing before unleashing a screamer that flew in at the far post, with the full force of the wind behind it. Two minutes later and Nicola Morning grabbed her second when Paige Williams played a peach of a ball from central midfield that she ran onto before showing great composure to tuck the ball past the keeper in similar fashion to her first. Then on 34 minutes, Chelsea Norris once again scored direct from a corner on the right for her 4th and Newlaithes' 7th. Many a team would have folded after conceding 5 goals in the space of 10 minutes but Keswick dug deep to mount several promising counter attacks but Newlaithes were assured in defence to keep them out. Newlaithes continued to press but the score remained 7-0 at half-time.
Newlaithes found the going a lot more difficult into the wind at the start of the second half and Keswick began to push back although again, the Newlaithes back three did a sterling job to deny Keswick any clear cut chances. Newlaithes continued to press but due to a mixture of tiring legs and the driving wind, they were finding it difficult to add to their tally as they consistently missed the target or shot straight at the keeper who's positioning was excellent. Chelsea Norris, Alison McCorry, Katie Johnston, Nicola Morning, Laura Owen and Paige Williams all came close on numerous occasions but they were unable to force the ball home until on 84 minutes, Alison McCorry picked up the ball on the right wing and deep in her own half following a Keswick attack. She sprinted about 70 yards upfield, jinking past several Keswick defenders before lashing in a shot from the right hand edge of the area that the keeper could only Parry and up popped Laura Owen, making a welcome return from Uni to blast the ball home from close range. That was the end of the scoring and the game finished 8-0 to Newlaithes.
It is never easy for nine players up against eleven but the Newlaithes players seemed to thrive in the vile conditions to make the most of the wind advantage in the first half and they worked their socks off to cover the extra ground and keep up the pressure throughout the game. Particularly pleasing was the way that the players inter-changed positions and covered for each other as they seized every opportunity to attack. It is fair to say that some of the goals were 'wind-assisted' but with the high shot count, it was inevitable that some were going to go in. Keswick can take great heart from the fact that they re-grouped and battled right to the end, despite the 1st half onslaught and they could quite well have scored in the second half but for a loose touch at the crucial moment. But not to take anything away from the Newlaithes players, every one of them gave 100% for the full 90 minutes and at times they played some crisp, passing football despite the conditions. Player of the match was awarded by the referee jointly to Chelsea Norris and Alison McCorry who time and time again carved their way through the Keswick defence. But every player played their part from back to front with keeper Lauren Crofts, although rarely troubled, showing good handling in the wet conditions. Jade Williams was once again a rock in the centre of defence with a mixture of tough tackling and composure on the ball, with Laura Owen and Hannah Whitford showing no mercy in the tackle and when Laura swapped position with Nicola Morning to go up front for the last 20 minutes she showed some nice touches, grabbing a goal to boot. Paige Williams held it all together brilliantly in midfield while Katie Johnston showed great composure up front, holding the ball up and playing some delightful lay-offs. And what about fellow striker Nicola Morning? Playing in her first game for two years and with every fibre in her body aching, she gave absolutely everything from start to finish, grabbing two quality goals and but for tired legs, she came close to scoring two more. Her running off the ball was superb throughout and for at least three of the goals, she was right on the spot to tap in if they hadn't gone straight in.
Well done everybody!
With the FA Women's Cup next week, our next scheduled fixture is 6th October at home to Workington Reds.
