The Ladies returned to Rickerby Park for their 1st home game in over 3 months to face Penrith AFC Development. Abbie, Beth, Carly, Holly, Jemma and Katie J were unavailable for Newlaithes. However Stacey made a welcome return in midfield and Emma Smith finally made her long-awaited debut, starting in central defence. Unfortunately, Penrith only had 8 players available so the match was shortened to 35 minutes each way.
Newlaithes set the tone early on and as expected dominated proceedings. Faye came close with two efforts before breaking the deadlock in the 8th minute when she intercepted a goal kick to smash the ball into the bottom corner. Newlaithes continued to dominate possession but were not playing anything like their best. Nevertheless Pat came close with a piledriver from the right that went into the side netting and Laura W and Katie O had efforts well saved by the Penrith keeper. In the 19th minute, Katie O made it two, when she got onto the end of Faye’s cross from the right to volley home from close range. Four minutes later and it was three, when Pat played a diagonal ball to Katie O, who set it up for Faye to hammer home her second. 2½ minutes later, Faye got her hat-trick when she slotted home a nice through ball from Stacey. Penrith battled hard but apart from the occasional foray into the Newlaithes half, Katie M was more or less a spectator, with the Newlaithes defence mopping everything up. The score remained 4-0 at half time, with the Newlaithes players disappointed with their performance.
The second half started in the same vein with Claire on for Laura W. The Newlaithes players began to play with more purpose as they passed the ball around the Penrith players. Emma swapped positions with Faye and she caused the Penrith defence all kinds of problems with her strong running. The Penrith keeper made a succession of excellent saves before Stacey broke the 2nd half deadlock when she finished in the bottom corner with the outside of her boot from just inside the box. Less than two minutes later and Emma crossed from the right for Claire to head into the air. Katie O headed back across goal for Claire to head in from close range. Four minutes later, Katie O broke down the left to square to Claire to score her second. Another two minutes and Claire turned provider when she laid the ball out to Pat on the right. Pat attacked the box to hammer the ball past the keeper. Another two minutes passed when Emma won the ball in midfield to lob the keeper from 30 yards. In the 62nd minute, Jade won the ball at the back and passed outside to Chelsea who played down the line to Katie O. Katie charged past two Penrith defenders to smash the ball home from the left hand side of the box. In the 64th minute, the final goal came when Faye followed up to finish from close range after the Penrith keeper had saved Claire’s shot.
The final score was 11-0 but the scoreline isn’t really important. What is more pleasing was the way that the Newlaithes players stepped up a gear after a lacklustre first half to play with some real quality in the second half. Hats off to the Penrith players who kept going right to the end with a special mention to Lucy Ballantyne who produced an outstanding performance in the Penrith goals. Newlaithes player of the match was debutant Emma, who was assured in defence, caused all kinds of problems when in attack and kept things solid in the middle when she dropped back into midfield towards the end. Pat and Katie O also deserve a special mention for creating havoc down the wings and not forgetting Faye, who once again put in a typically robust performance, scoring four goals.
Next match is at home to Harraby Ladies, who are unbeaten so far this season.
