AFC Newbury Ladies Football
Match Report -- Season 2004-5
Thames Valley Counties Women's League Cup Final
17th April 2005 Played at Chalfont St Peter FC
AFC Newbury Ladies 6 Old Woodstock Town 2
Newbury attacked straight from the kickoff with Caz Harkness firing in a shot within the first minute but this was not to continue. Woodstock, playing with the advantage of the wind, immediately returning the attack and within 4 minutes were a goal up from a cross from the right which the Newbury defence did not deal with. When Newbury got the ball forward they looked dangerous but Woodstock were winning most of the possession in midfield being quicker to the ball. Newbury seemed to be unable to get the bouncing ball under control. Woodstock further embarrassed the league champions with a second goal after 12 minutes when the defence again failed to clear a corner from the right.

For the next 20 minutes the game continued with Woodstock winning much of the ball but they looked less likely to score than in the first 10 minutes. Then within 1 minute Newbury restored the game to parity, first when Caz won a ball in midfield and played a ball out to Leanne on the right who crossed to the far post for Sam Sowerby to drive home from close range. This was repeated only this time it was Kendall Gilmour who crossed from the right to Sam. Newbury then really upped their game in the 10 minutes before half time. First Kendall had a long range shot just touched over for a corner. Then Caz had 2 shots, the first just saved by the keeper. Chelsea Starbuck had a shot cleared off the line by a defender and a shot just wide of the post and Leanne Creese shot wide after an excellent through ball by Kelly Doe. Then, in added time, Kendall put Newbury ahead with a superb turn onto a pass into the box by Lisa Duncan on the left.

The second half now had the wind behind Newbury. It was strengthening and Newbury found that the ball would run away from them in attack if they were not careful. Kendall was unlucky not to add to the score shortly after half time when charging down a clearance by the Woodstock keeper, the ball rebounding over the bar. Much of the play in the second half was now in the Woodstock half with most of the attacking was down the right. Caz and Lisa had shots over the bar from crosses by Leanne, and Sam headed just wide from a cross by Kendall. Then from a cross by Sam, Kendall forced the ball home off of a Woodstock defender to make it 4-2. Sam had 2 more shots wide and over before Kendall, wide on the left, struck a long high and curling kick into the top far corner of the net over a stranded keeper. It was left to Chelsea to seal the win picking a defensive clearance on the edge of the box to drive home a well deserved 6th goal and complete the League and Cup double for Newbury.

A special mention should be made of the noisy and vociferous support for Newbury from Division 2 winners, Brize Norton, who lost to Newbury in the quarter final of the cup on penalties after extra time.

Players: Chloe Hunt, Kelly Doe (sub Sue Hewett 73 mins), Gemma Povey (capt), Hannah Burgess, Emma Theochari, Leanne Creese, Chelsea Starbuck, Caz Harkness, Lisa Duncan (sub Kerriann Benson 87 mins), Kendall Gilmour, Sam Sowerby (sub Lorna Parr 87 mins).
Referee: L. Addison
Assistant referees: C. Fenwick, J. Gunn
Goal scorers

Sam Sowerby (33, 34)
Kendall Gilmour (45, 71, 80)
Chelsea Starbuck (81)

Player of the match
Next fixture